Church stands with immigrants

By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press
 

WORCESTER – “The Catholic Church stands with you,” Bishop McManus told immigrants at a special Pentecost Mass Saturday evening at St. Paul Cathedral. 

He tried to assure those who fear having to leave the United States that the Church will do everything it can to protect them. 

“You are a great gift,” he said; this is a diocese of new immigrants, which is enriched by their faith. “You are always at home among us, before the altar of the Living God.”

Sister Marie-Judith Dupuy, who directs the Worcester Diocesan Haitian Apostolate, organized the “Mass for immigrants seeking hope.” The bishop had also invited all parishes to pray for immigrants  last weekend.

Saturday’s Mass at St. Paul’s was followed by a reception with foods representing various countries. 

Sister Judith, a Sister of St. Anne who is a Haitian native and now a U.S. citizen, had Bishop McManus bless rosaries for attendees to give the ambassadors from their countries. The people, some carrying flags and wearing native dress or sashes of their countries, eagerly received the rosaries and had their photos taken with the bishop. 

At the beginning of Mass Bishop McManus spoke about immigrants experiencing anxiety and pain in an uncertain time, and said each person is created by God and is a son or daughter of God.

He began his homily by saying that Pentecost is celebrated in every country where the Gospel has been preached and the Catholic faith has taken root. 

He talked about the first Pentecost after Jesus’ resurrection, when the apostles proclaimed him to people from different countries, many were baptised, and the Church was born. 

“Today,” Bishop McManus said, “we stand shoulder to shoulder,” people from different nations who speak different languages and have different skin colors, standing in solidarity, proclaiming that there is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

The United States is a nation of immigrants that proclaims in its Pledge of Allegiance that we are “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,” he said.

He told immigrants in the congregation that the Church stands with them to ensure that their God-given dignity, and their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, will be protected.    

Beatriz Stein, honorary consul at the Ecuadorian Honorary Consulate in Boston, said the event was “a great opportunity to get together all the nationalities.” She expressed thanks for the organizers and said, “We are all together with one voice.”

“I only want to say, ‘Thank you,’ because this is a great opportunity for all the communities,” said Yida Mora, consul general at the Colombian Consulate General in Boston. “We have a huge community here in Worcester.”

“For us it’s very important to come to this event,” said Wendy Aguilar, who was representing Honduras. “When you stay together, united with your community, you become…strong to fight any difficulties…because of the power of love. This is what the world needs.”
 

Photo: Processing into the Immigrants Mass at St. Paul Cathedral with Bishop McManus are Father Ryszard Polek of Poland, pastor of Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish; Father Jean-Robert Simbert Brice of Haiti, who serves the Haitian community at Holy Family Parish; Msgr. Francis J. Scollen, pastor of St. Peter Parish and St. Andrew the Apostle Mission, where immigrants from various countries worship; Deacon Anthony J. Xatse of Ghana, who serves at the cathedral, and Msgr. Robert K. Johnson, cathedral rector and master of ceremonies. In the foreground is Deacon Xatse’s wife, Mary Xatse. Below, Bishop McManus gives Fanny Escobar, a Colombian from St. Paul Cathedral, one of the rosaries he blessed.