A Response to Mass in Spanish

I wrote this many months ago as a response to a written comment of someone who stated it was catering to Latino’s vice to celebrate Mass in Spanish at our parish. The person also stated that when he lived in various places in Europe, Mass was only celebrated in the language of that particular country, so celebrating Mass in Spanish here showed there was a disconnect.

I never got a written or verbal reply from the person… so I don’t know how my response was taken. Hopefully God softened and opened his heart to see the beauty of the diversity within the Church which strengthens us in the same way the Body of Christ is strengthened by the diversity of gifts and talents.

Here is my part of my reply:

The Catholic Church is so great and universal because she molds to the needs and traditions of various peoples and cultures. She seeks out all people meeting them where they are. In the eyes of the Church all are children of God and parishioners to whom she ministers, regardless of language, race or background.

There is a wide spectrum of integration occurring in the United States by Spanish-speaking immigrants. At one end of this spectrum are families that have resided here for generations and are perfectly adjusted, and at the other end are those recently arrived who struggle in their new society. Latin America is a very socially stratified society, so the Latinos who come here vary greatly in their educational levels and labor skills. For the Church, all of them are part of the Body of Christ and need to be ministered to in whichever way possible.

I lived in Italy for four years and worked at an immigrant parish downtown Rome which was one of sixteen Latin American communities in the city. There were also extensive Polish and Filipino communities with their own parishes and priests. A well established American community also gathered to celebrate Mass in English right in the heart of Rome. In my travels I found Masses celebrated in various languages throughout Europe, who would have thought Mass would be celebrated in Chinese at the Basilica of Fourviere in Lyon, France! This diversity is part of the greatness of our Church, not a weakness or disconnect. The Church meets people where they are and encourages them to move forward with the grace of God to improve their spiritual wellbeing while building up the society in which they live.

Here at Sacred Heart we make a conscious effort to forge unity between all the ethnic groups present in the parish. It can be a difficult task, but we trust in the help of the Holy Spirit that unites us all in our one faith.