University students, parish mourn loss of Miami priest killed in fire

Published: 2004-09-22

MIAMI LAKES, Fla. (CNS) -- Father Jorge Sardinas once said the word "Father" meant more to him than a title. "That's a relationship, the unique, irreplaceable relationship with people in your parish," said the 53-year-old priest, a popular teacher, preacher and artist, who died Sept. 14 as a result of a fire in his Fort Lauderdale home. More than 1,500 students, colleagues and artists filed through St. Thomas University's St. Anthony Chapel Sept. 16 to pay their last respects to Father Sardinas, who had been a priest of the Miami Archdiocese for 27 years. At least 1,500 more people -- along with more than 100 of his fellow priests and Miami Archbishop John C. Favalora -- attended his funeral the next morning. They jammed the aisles and spilled into the foyer of Our Lady of the Lakes Church, where he had helped out on weekends since 1997.

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