Memories of 60 years for Southbridge Hispanics

Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press

SOUTHBRIDGE – The Hispanic Catholic community in town celebrated its 60th anniversary with Mass, memories and ministers past and present.
Bishop McManus and Father Kenneth R. Cardinale, pastor of St. John Paul II Parish, greeted the 200-plus worshippers in Spanish and they applauded.
And they gave lengthy applause and cheers for their former pastor, Father Peter J. Joyce. Father Cardinale said Father Joyce served in town for 30 years – half the time the Hispanic community has been there.
The anniversary Mass was celebrated in St. Mary Church, where the Hispanic community worshipped for years. After Mass they processed to LaSalle Hall, where they originally worshipped, for a meal, photos from the past and a talk by a priest who ministered to the community in the ‘60s.
The first Spanish Mass in town was celebrated Oct. 8, 1958 in LaSalle, the hall of Notre Dame Church, Father Cardinale said.
When St. Mary, St. Hedwig and Notre Dame of the Sacred Heart parishes were merged in 2011, Father Joyce, St. Mary’s pastor, became pastor of the new parish. That parish, St. John Paul II, uses  Notre Dame Church as the main worship site, but also St. Mary’s and St. Hedwig’s churches.
Father Cardinale told The Catholic Free Press that he started learning Spanish when he was associate pastor of St. Mary’s (1998-2001) and Father Joyce was pastor. Now Father Cardinale’s associate pastor is Father Juan G. Herrera.
“The Latino community is one of the best things about ministering in Southbridge,” he said. “They just channel the unconditional love of God. … Even if you don’t speak their language, they’re so encouraging.” The anniversary celebration was a highpoint of his priesthood, he said.
“It just makes you feel connected to the past and the tradition, part of the ongoing story,” he said.
Father Joyce told a bit of that story in his homily in Spanish and English, tying it to the day’s Scripture readings. He noted that God said it was not good for man to be alone, and that God is not alone; he’s a community of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The crown of human love is the love between a man and woman in marriage, which is sacred, gives life and is the image of who we are “in our union and communion” with God, he said.
“None of us completely expresses God by ourselves,” Father Joyce said; human beings are of different colors and backgrounds and speak different languages. He said they were celebrating 60 years of marriage between language and culture, and named different Spanish-speaking countries.
“We celebrate that, as people of faith, it is not good to be alone,” he said.
It was not easy getting here over the 60 years, he said. Like today, foreigners can find themselves unwelcome. Christ wants everyone, as his children, to come to him, but some people push others away, he said, and urged listeners not to be discouraged.
He spoke of being brother and sister with others, whatever one’s language, and one day being gathered into the Father’s house.
In the late 1950s a few Puerto Ricans moved to Southbridge and in 1958 Father Gerald L. Durocher was assigned to serve them temporarily, according to a 1988 commemorative booklet from St. Mary’s. He visited from Worcester monthly, celebrating Mass and hearing confessions.
Severina Ríos, a long-time member of the Hispanic community here, said that her sister and her sister’s husband were among the first Hispanic families in town and introduced Father Durocher to others. Few knew about the Spanish Masses and some didn’t drive, so they attended Masses closer to their homes, she said.
In 1967 Father Kenneth Smith succeeded Father Durocher, and celebrated Mass weekly in Notre Dame’s hall, at first for a few people, but for nearly 300 within the year, the booklet says. Father Smith was the first full-time director of the Spanish apostolate in the diocese, according to a 1968 Catholic Free Press story.    
Eventually Spanish Masses were held in St. Mary’s Church. Father Smith was succeeded by Father George Charland, an Assumptionist later incardinated into the Worcester Diocese, who ministered to Hispanics in Southbridge for 18 years. He also served Hispanics in other towns. Father James F. Lynes succeeded Father Charland, and was succeeded by Father Joyce.
Father Smith came from New York for Sunday’s anniversary celebration, Mrs. Ríos said. She said he spoke about “the importance of staying together as a culture and as a Church,” and welcoming immigrants who come here because of problems in their countries. People were encouraged by his message, she said.
“It was delightful to see all those people with whom I had worked,” Father Smith told The Catholic Free Press later.
“The Latinos in the Worcester Diocese – we’ve been blessed by good priests and sisters,” Mrs. Ríos said. “Muchas gracias a todos.” (Many thanks to everyone.)
“Sixty years after – we are still here,” active and pleased to be here, she said. “This town is home for us.”
“I enjoyed the celebration; it was great camaraderie,” Luz Eneida Espino said of the anniversary. She said it was nice to see the number of Hispanics from town who hail from different countries.
She said she asked at the reception how many people came in the 1950s, and two or three raised their hands, and that about five raised their hands for the 1960s, which is when she came. Continuing to more recent decades, she was amazed to see how the community grew in the 2000s.
    She said she enjoyed reminiscing when she and Mrs. Ríos prepared a PowerPoint presentation of photos from the community’s history to show at the reception.
“Hopefully we can do it again in another 10 years,” she said.