Multicultural Ministry Commission marks
10 years of service
By Margaret Nelson
Special to The Criterion
The archdiocesan Multicultural Ministry Commission lived up to its name as it celebrated its 10th anniversary on Pentecost Sunday at the chapel at Marian College in Indianapolis.
Prayers, readings and songs of a dozen languages echoed the theme—“We are Many but One in the Spirit”—as many of the 200 participants wore attire representing their homelands.
During a Mass on Dec. 5, 1995, at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein established the ministry and commissioned its members. In 1996, he established the Office of Multicultural Ministry and appointed Father Kenneth Taylor as director.
Father Taylor, now pastor of Holy Angels Parish, presided at the June 4 Mass. Concelebrating priests from Indianapolis deaneries included Father John McCaslin, administrator of Holy Trinity and St. Anthony parishes and a member of the commission; Father Larry Crawford, pastor of St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish; Franciscan Father Bernard Varghese and Father Varghese Maliakkal of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, both from India; Father Francis Bryan, chaplain at Marian College; and Divine Word Father Stephan Brown, pastor of St. Rita Parish.
Charles Gardner, director of the archdiocesan Office of Worship, and an ensemble began the musical prelude, “Envia Tu Espiritu” (“Send Out Your Spirit”). Students from Holy Angels School led a drum call to prayer in the African tradition.
The opening song was “Blest Be God: Psalm 150” in a Punjabi traditional tune from Pakistan.
Franciscan Sister Norma Rocklage, director of education, formation and outreach for Marian College, welcomed the assembly, asking those present to consider the many ways the Holy Spirit has energized them. “We celebrate how the Spirit brings unity out of diversity,” she said.
The first reading, Acts 2:1-11, was given in four languages by members of the commission—English, David Bethurum; French, Missionary Sister of Our Lady of Africa Demetria Smith; Korean, Jasmine Chong; and Nigerian Igbo, Sally Stovall. The responsorial was Psalm 104, “Spirit Wind.”
Maria Pimentel-Gannon, chair of the commission and a member of St. Monica Parish, proclaimed the second reading in Spanish. The reading, 1 Corinthians 12:1-7, 13, and all the prayers offered in other languages were printed in English in the worship aid.
In his homily, Father Taylor noted that Pentecost has a vigil less known than the Easter vigil. Readings that lead to Pentecost show the Old Testament vision of how the world would be united. But, over the years, the people became separated by wandering and creating different languages.
“As human beings, we’re pretty good at creating separations, not just in language, nationality and age. We’re really good at it,” Father Taylor said.
“What is powerful enough to break through the wall of separation of human actions of division? We heard about it today,” he said of the reading from John 20.
“The power of God in the Holy Spirit worked through the Apostles to break down the walls of division. We still need that power of the Holy Spirit today.”
Father Taylor spoke of the vision of the Multicultural Ministry Commission this year as it sends archdiocesan representatives to national conferences. They include the National Hispanic Youth Encuentro in South Bend in June; the Asian Pacific Catholic Conference in Washington D.C. from June 30 to July 3 and the National African Eucharistic Congress during Labor Day weekend. He explained that these events were generated by the bishops of the United States so that all of these groups can strengthen their gifts to better share them with the Church.
The ministry director remembered when he and 30 representatives of eight cultural groups—African-American, European, Hispanic, Indian, Korean, Nigerian, Filipino and Vietnamese—in the archdiocese attended Encuentro 2000 in Los Angeles.
During the closing Mass there, he said, Cardinal Roger Mahoney looked over the diverse assembly of 5,000 and said, “If you want to know what heaven is going to be like, well, just look around.”
Of the Church—the people of God—Father Taylor said, “The Holy Spirit is stronger than anything that can keep us apart. We will be doing what God wants us to do to make the vision real. We can show the world what the Holy Spirit wants us to be.”
During the anniversary Mass, the general intercessions were proclaimed in English, Spanish, German, Filipino, Luganda and Indian. The communion song was “Pan de Vida, Cuerpo del Senor” (“Bread of Life, Body of the Lord”). A communion meditation, “Thuma Mina” (“Send Me Jesus”) was done in the South African tradition. There was even some Latin; the “Lamb of God” became “Agnus Dei” for the afternoon. The final song was “Come Holy Ghost.”
After the Mass, a dinner reception featured a program with the accomplishments of the multicultural ministry. Current and former members of the commission were introduced.
Pimentel-Gannon presented a copy of the banner representing the archdiocese at 2000 Encuentro and a certificate from the archbishop recognizing Father Taylor’s 10 years of service as director of the Office of Multicultural Ministry. Archbishop Buechlein was unable to attend the event because of ordinations at Saint Meinrad Archabbey.
Father Taylor told how the multicultural ministries in the archdiocese have grown. The program showed year-by-year contributions, including extension of Hispanic ministries to nearly 20 parishes; offering multilingual intercessions at the 2000 archdiocesan Jubilee Mass for 30,000 at the RCA Dome; Simbang Gabi novenas for the Filipino heritage; celebration of the St. Martin de Porres feast day that unites Hispanic and African-American communities; the beginning of an African (native) Catholic Ministry; and an annual newsletter about the work of the commission.
(Margaret Nelson is a member of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Indianapolis.) †
