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Catholics turn out to welcome newcomers to the Phoenix Diocese
By J.D. Long-García, jdlgarcia@catholicsun.org
November 20, 2008
Immigrants from across the Phoenix Diocese are finding hope in prayer and community.
More than 1,000 Catholics crowded Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral Nov. 5 for a Mass welcoming newcomers to the local Church.
Organizers hope the liturgy, concelebrated by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted and six other priests, would spark unity in the Catholic community around the diocese.
“It’s evident that people have not lost their faith despite extreme adversity,” said Jose Robles, director of Hispanic Ministry for the diocese.
“The Church will continue to offer pastoral care to our immigrants,” he added. “But the bottom line is that we need comprehensive and just immigration reform.”
The end of the presidential election has rekindled hope for such reform, according to Fr. Rob Clements, the cathedral rector.
“President Obama is going to have to look at it,” he said, “so many Latinos voted for him.”
Immigrants can bring the perspective of faith and family life into politics, he said in his bilingual homily.
“It’s in the family of the Church, of course, that we realize we are all part of a family much greater than a country, a race, a culture,” he said.
“Rather, we are all children of the Most High,” Fr. Clements said. “And this knowledge is the foundation of holiness, which is the vocation of every man and woman.”
The congregation was filled with Catholics of all ages. Some children fell asleep in their parents’ arms during the Mass.
Fr. Ariel Ramirez, parochial vicar at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, arranged for a group to meet on church grounds and drive over to the cathedral together.
Carmen Portela, assistant director of Family Catechesis for the diocese, said the community needs to get together for liturgies like the welcoming Mass.
“It doesn’t matter what language you speak. In the Holy Mass, we are one,” she said. “From each other, we get the strength to continue.”
Portela, who works in Spanish-language catechesis, said immigrants feel welcome in the diocese and “have a true love for our bishop.”
“They see the bishop as the authentic representation of Christ,” she said. “Christ is receiving us and we feel protected.”
This was the third welcoming Mass organized by diocesan leaders this year. In the spring, Holy Cross Father John Herman celebrated the first Mass at St. John Vianney Parish in Goodyear and Fr. David SanFilippo, vicar general of the diocese, celebrated the second Mass at his parish, St. Catherine of Siena, this summer.
While there are no definite plans for a fourth Mass, the Office of Hispanic Ministry expects another in the spring, possibly in the East Valley.
Fr. Clements began his homily welcoming attendees in French, Tagalog, English and Spanish. The music, with Spanish, English and Latin verses, also reflected the diversity of those gathered.
“What Our Lord teaches us is that love is about giving of ourselves to each other,” Fr. Clements said. “Love gives meaning to life, because human beings are made to love, and love is to give of ourselves.”
Maria Chavez, president for the Arizona Interagency Farmworker Coalition, said farmers are being affected by labor shortages. Some are going to Mexico to grow their crops.
She said the Mass was gratifying and reassuring.
“It’s a special population that needs to be acknowledged,” Chavez said. “They are part of our family.”
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