The legacy of the late Father Roland M. Julien will not only live on because if his humility, humor and heart for the marginalized, but also through the renaming of a portion of a street in east Gainesville.
The honor was unveiled July 22 on Northeast Second Street at Northeast 16th Avenue near the campus of St. Patrick Catholic Church, where Julien served as priest from 1980 until his retirement in 2015.
Several dozen people from a cross-section of the community, including church parishioners, members of the clergy, elected officials and others attended the unveiling just moments before a heavy downpour began.
Julien, who died on Dec. 26, 2024, collaborated with local officials to help the homeless and less fortunate in Gainesville and Alachua County for many years.
He will be remembered in the community for his devotion, commitment and dedication to helping the less fortunate, former city and county commissioner Rodney Long, a longtime friend of Julien, told The Sun after his death.
“Father Julien will be remembered as a man of compassion, selflessness and doing kingdom work highlighted by his compassion for people who are homeless and those living in poverty,” Long said.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: ‘Man of compassion’: East Gainesville street named in honor of late Father Roland Julien
Reporting by Cleveland Tinker, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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