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Mass embraces cultural diversity
By J.D. Long-García, The Catholic Sun
October 18, 2007
While the Phoenix Diocese continues to grow in size and diversity, the Cultural Diversity Mass carries on in its mission to draw Catholics together in faith.
The annual multicultural liturgy, now in its 10th year, reminds the faithful of the different ethnic communities in the diocese. Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted celebrated this year’s Mass Sept. 29 at St. Mary’s Basilica.
“Our unity is always a result of the work of God. It is not our achievement but comes as a gift from on high,” the bishop said. “Christ reconciles us to one another and to the Father. He makes us one.”
The bishop said that baptized Catholics have the duty of stewardship to “receive the blessing of reconciliation and respond with contrition, gratitude and common worship.”
“Then, fortified by God’s grace, we promote unity in the world through truth, justice and charity,” he said. “The Eucharist is the center of our faith, no matter what our culture is.”
The Tongan community led the main parts of the Mass, with the Filipino, Korean, Polish and Hispanic communities also contributing.
The Vietnamese community presented the gifts and the black and East Indian communities led the prayers of the faithful.
In his homily, the bishop talked about following Christ.
“To His first disciples and to us, Jesus tells us, ‘Come and see,’” he said. “We begin to imitate and follow Him and we begin to see what we did not see.”
Toward the end of Mass and just before the multicultural banquet, the bishop said it was a blessing to be at a Mass with so many different languages and cultures.
“And now it’s a great blessing to share in all that food,” he quipped.
At the banquet, Thomas Kim of the Korean community at Queen of Peace in Mesa, said he enjoyed being at the Mass with all the different communities.
“It’s a good chance to introduce ourselves,” he said. “We see how other communities grow so we can get some ideas from them and see if they need anything from us.”
It was the first time Teklehaimanot Manna from Eritrea, Africa, attended the Cultural Diversity Mass.
“This is the faith which includes every Catholic. That faith isn’t separated by any country or culture. We are family,” the St. Louis the King parishioner said. “We want to celebrate with this part of our family. Catholic is universal.”
Sr. Mary Acosta, who recently moved to the diocese from the Philippines to serve St. Daniel the Prophet Parish, was happy to taste the Filipino delicacy cassava cake at the banquet.
“I am so happy because I see the unity despite the different race,” she said. “I’m feeling so happy, I enjoy very much this presentation and the Mass.”
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