By Lois Rogers | Correspondent And Staff Reports

Perhaps it was the symphony of music and singing of faith-filled hymns by the choirs representing different world cultures. Or it may have been the tapestry of colorful garments reflecting the traditional dress of native lands.

From the opening procession featuring different iconic images of the Blessed Mother to the prayers offered reverently in the native tongues of the diverse peoples who live and worship in the Diocese of Trenton – all became part of the dramatic movements and moments that made up the diocese’s Multicultural Mass Nov. 16 in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton.

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More than 600 faithful – many of them members of the main multicultural groups across the four counties – gathered to share in the joy-filled experience of unity and thanksgiving.

The event with the theme “Diverse in Culture, United Faith,” unfolded seamlessly beginning with Mass celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M and concelebrated by priests who serve in multicultural parishes throughout the four counties.

The Mass and the reception that followed in the lower level of the cathedral featuring traditional ethnic dishes made by congregants, was coordinated by the diocesan Department of Multicultural Ministry. Participating parishes included: St. Hedwig, Trenton, (Polish); Immaculate Conception, Eatontown (Korean); Blessed Sacrament-Our Lady of the Divine Shepherd, Trenton, (African/African American); St. Charles Borromeo, Cinnaminson (Filipino); Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony, Hamilton (Haitian); Holy Spirit, Asbury Park, (Haitian); St. Michael (Church), Lawrenceville (Slovak) St. Mary of the Lake, Lakewood (Polish), and many other parishes with Hispanic communities, including the cathedral parish.

It was a moving sight as those participating in the special entrance procession made their way down the long center aisle of the cathedral to the strains of the gathering hymn, “Somos Su Pueblo” – “We are His People, We Are His Voice,” sung by the cathedral choir in Spanish.

Many people in the cathedral seemed emotionally moved by the sights and the sounds of the procession which reflected the worldwide Catholic communion. Participants reverently carried images of the Blessed Virgin Mary that uniquely embraced their traditions along with bouquets of white roses which were nestled by the images after they were placed by Mary’s altar.

‘In God’s Image’

In a spirited homily, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., spoke of the founding fathers’ vision that all people are created equal. This vision, Bishop O’Connell said, inspired generations of immigrants to come to these shores, “bringing their cultural differences with them, not desiring to leave them behind but, rather, hoping to create ‘one nation under God, with liberty and justice for all.” “The great experiment that became America was tested in a crucible of diversity,” with the results proving, the bishop said, that “people could live together in a country which valued who they were, where they came from and what they hoped to become.”

This gathering, in the “cathedral, the Diocese’s mother Church,” he said, celebrates “the fact that we are, truly, ‘diverse in culture but united in faith.’ We are – all of us carrying our many ancestries and traditions with us – we are created in God’s image. “That is the foundation of our existence, the source of our unity and the heart of our faith in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

God is Trinity, three persons in one God, and we reflect that community of persons in the lives we lead and the faith we share and celebrate together, created in God’s image.”

Bishop O’Connell explained that “it does matter that we are different from one another but it means even more that those differences do not keep us from one another. ” He added, “We look into those faces – black, brown, white, yellow, red – and we see the face of Christ looking back.”

In closing, Bishop O’Connell took the opportunity to call for support for the Filipino people who were so severely impacted by the recent typhoon. He called upon everyone to respond “like the Good Samaritan in today’s Gospel” by reaching out to “embrace our sisters and brothers in the Philippines and southeast Asia.”

‘Like Pentecost’

Among those listening intently to the bishop’s words and taking heart from them was Deacon Luis Ramos, a native of Puerto Rico, who was among many members of the cathedral congregation in attendance. After the Mass, Deacon Ramos said he “really enjoyed the diversity of all the countries represented and the united of the people. It was wonderful,” he said. “It shows that with such diversity, we are all one family. We are one in God.”

Like so many people at the event, Deacon Ramos said he was “thrilled” by the musical banquet from the choirs of the participating parishes which began with the prelude – a lilting and lovely Ave Maria – from the Filipino choir and cascaded throughout the Mass into hymns in Korean, Spanish, Creole and Slovak.

The music concluded with a rousing Gospel recessional by the Blessed Sacrament-Our Lady of Divine Shepherd Choir and a majestic homage to the Virgin Mary as a postlude by the choir of St. Hedwig.

Maria Krutkova, St. Michael Church, and Francesca Kim, two members of the planning committee who had worked together since June to bring the event to fruition, found the Mass with its international music and Scriptural readings deeply meaningful. “It was wonderful,” Kim said. “It was so impressive. It was like Pentecost.”
Krutkova said it was splendid to “share the music and traditions with everyone.”

Barbara Lee and Joyce Crouch, members of the Blessed Sacrament-Our Lady of Divine Mercy Choir, were among many enthralled with the buffet which had been homemade by the participating congregants. “It’s a way to get together and learn about each other,” Lee said.

To read Bishop O'Connell's homily from the Multicultural Mass, click here.