Missionary priests and lay leaders in the diocese gathered for a breakfast with Bishop Earl Fernandes on April 4 at Columbus St. Catharine of Siena Church to discuss the current state of ethnic communities in the diocese and best practices moving forward.
Father Tesfaye Petros Botachew, director of the diocesan Office for Multicultural Ministry and a priest of the Apostolic Vicariate of Gambella in Ethiopia, led the morning gathering.
The breakfast gave missionary priests, who come to the diocese from various continents, an opportunity to understand the bishop’s vision for the diocese’s multicultural ministry office, discuss strengths and challenges, and get to know each other better while working to serve the faithful more effectively.
Father Petros emphasized that the diocese’s Office for Multicultural Ministry is dedicated to helping communities integrate into parish life. He meets regularly with ethnic chaplains, lay leaders and parishioners to understand the strengths, challenges and needs of the communities.
A growing number of ethnic communities have settled in the diocese. African communities present include natives of western countries Cameroon, Congo, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo; and natives of Swahili-speaking East African countries Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania. Asian communities include Filipinos, Indians, Koreans and Vietnamese. Brazilian and Haitian communities are present as well.
Five Eastern Catholic churches, each with its own bishop, are also present in the diocese: Melkite; Eritrean; Byzantine, or Greek, Ruthenian; Maronite; and Syro-Malabar.
The Catholic population in the diocese has nearly doubled, Bishop Fernandes shared in his remarks during breakfast. He attributed part of the growth to migration.
He also noted that, since his installation as bishop, 16 diocesan parishes have closed. He said the number would be higher if not for the missionary priests’ service.
The bishop commended missionary priests for leaving their comfort zones to come and preach the Gospel in the diocese. He noted the importance of the international priests’ presence.
“You are a strong force for unity in the diocese,” he said. “We have an essential mission to proclaim Jesus Christ, crucified and risen from the dead, as Savior of the world, and that God has come in His beloved Son to save all peoples and to bring all nations under His gentle rule – and you help me in the mission.”
Bishop Fernandes emphasized a need to integrate ethnic communities in parishes. He said each has much to offer, particularly a great love of God and spirit of gratitude, love for the family, and a lively sense of faith and devotion.
Father Petros added that he witnesses a sense of life in the various ethnic communities. Each enriches the Church’s liturgies, traditions and celebrations. He recognized vibrant worship and devotion as ways the communities can contribute to the diocese’s spiritual vitality.
There can also be challenges. Father Petros noted language barriers, misunderstandings of division among communities and struggles integrating into the wider Church.
“Some of our communities don’t want to mix themselves with the other. That doesn’t lead us anywhere,” he said. “I think it’s good, or advisable, to integrate as much as you can.”
Father Petros encouraged being welcoming and open to all cultures, participating in multicultural events and celebrations, and learning from other’s experiences and traditions. He suggested increasing awareness within parishes and organizing multicultural liturgical celebrations. He also noted the importance of investing in formation for youth and young adult ministers, who, he said, are the future of the Church.
Clergy and lay leaders were given time during the gathering to share their strengths and challenges and learn from each other. A representative from each community spoke.
Andrea Pannell, diversity director at Columbus St. Josephine Bakhita Parish, encouraged increasing opportunities for involvement in parishes.
Several diocesan parishes sponsor Ethnic Masses on specific Sundays each month.
“Members of the ethnic community should be given options and opportunities to be involved in their ethnic community, the sponsoring parish of their ethnic community and in their home parish,” Pannell said. “We understand that a lot of those who are attending what we consider ‘ethnic community Masses’ also have a home parish, and they also have the sponsoring parish – that is the greater parish that they’re hosting in – so they really are trying to navigate between three communities oftentimes.”
St. Josephine Bakhita offers a “cultural exchange Mass” a few times a year, she shared. An ethnic community and its chaplain or pastor are invited to come and celebrate the liturgy during the parish’s most-attended Mass time. The Mass is celebrated in the community’s native language.
“It gives us an opportunity to really experience and encounter Christ together,” Pannell said.
Bonita Kalinga, who serves as the Kenyan ethnic coordinator at St. Josephine Bakhita, spoke on behalf of the East African Swahili Catholic community.
They are referred to at the parish by a saint’s name. The Tanzanian community is known as “St. Martin de Porres,” the Kenyan community is named “St. Josephine Bakhita,” and the Congolese, Burundian and Rwandan communities are known as “St. Michael the Archangel.”
“We have all varying dialects, and then we have also cultural differences as much as we speak the same language,” Kalinga said. “We come from different countries. However, we also have different ethnicities within these different countries. So, you can imagine, we’re a melting pot within a melting pot.”
She noted the importance of integrating ethnic communities in parishes. Otherwise, many individuals could leave the Church to find belonging elsewhere, such as at ethnic Protestant churches.
“A lot of people from our countries have been swallowed into these Protestant churches because they’re seeking a sense of belonging, and it’s been quite a challenge,” she shared. “Most of our members that have joined in, some of them actually came from that. It’s difficult to pull someone who’s already established roots into there, but we’re working on that.”
An ethnic Mass for East African communities is held the first Sunday of the month at Columbus St. Elizabeth Church, part of St. Josephine Bakhita Parish. The communities alternate every month.
The parish also offers Mass for the Congolese on the first Sunday of the month, for Filipinos on first Saturdays and for Haitians the second through fourth Sunday of the month at the parish church. Ethnic Masses for the Brazilian community are held every Sunday and for the Nigerian community on first and third Sundays at the parish’s Columbus St. Matthias Chapel.
The Kenyan community gathers once a month after Mass. A family volunteers to host. Members read the Gospel for that Sunday, reflect on the passage together and share East African tea and donuts popular in the region. Kalinga said it is an opportunity to bond and welcome new members, so they feel “at home.”
The ethnic communities are also involved the wider parish.
“We try to volunteer as much as we can so that we integrate ourselves into the church at large,” Kalinga said. “Father Tony (Davis) does a very, very good job at organizing these events where we all feel part of the community at large.”
Father Petros shared that a multicultural celebration for all ethnic communities in the diocese will be held at Columbus St. Joseph Cathedral on Pentecost Sunday, celebrated 50 days after Easter, which falls on Sunday, June 8 this year. More details will be forthcoming.