A robust crowd turned out for the annual Faith and Culture celebration Oct. 5 at St. Michael the Archangel Parish on Cleveland’s West Side. The event was organized by the diocesan Office of Hispanic Ministry.
Bishop Edward Malesic began the event by celebrating Mass. Concelebrants included Father Damian Ference, vicar for evangelization and director of Parish Life and Special Ministries, and some priests who have served at the diocesan mission in El Salvador. Some of them also serve as pastors of Hispanic parishes in the diocese, including Father Mark Riley, St. Michael’s pastor.
“It is good to be with all of you tonight for the celebration de fe y culture (faith and culture),” the bishop said. “We are especially focusing on the sanctity of the family.”
Before reflecting on the Scripture readings, he spoke about his recent pilgrimage to the diocesan mission in El Salvador. Fourteen clergy members – priests and deacons – accompanied him.
(See photo gallery above.)
He talked about some of those who gave their lives for their faith, such as St. Oscar Romero, the four churchwomen – two of whom were from the Cleveland Diocese – and the six Jesuits who were martyred along with two of their guests, one a teenage girl.
“Terrible things happen in this world, even to this day. But I am happy to report that our two missions in El Salvador are doing great work,” he said, referring to La Libertad on the Pacific Ocean, and Teotepeque, which is more inland, Two diocesan priests minister to thousands of faithful there, 83-year-old Father Paul Schindler, and Father John Ostrowski,
In addition, they visited the Community of Oscar Adolfo Romero, known as COAR, which is supported heavily by the faithful of the Cleveland Diocese. It provides shelter, education and healing to many Salvadoran children.
“A few of you are from El Salvador, but all of you are sharing the various Hispanic cultures with us. I see the warmth, welcome and love of God here, just as the 14 of us saw in El Salvador last month. Thanks for the gifts of your culture that you share with us,” Bishop Malesic said. “You make a difference and all of you and your cultural backgrounds add to the goodness of this part of Ohio that we all call home.”
As he reflected on the readings, the bishop talked about Adam and Eve and the beginning of love.
“God sees himself in us because we are created in his image. And God loves us. Adam sees himself in Eve because she is created out of him. And Adam loves Eve. Eve sees herself in Adam because she was taken from his side, And Eve loves Adam. We are not as different as we sometimes think we are. When we begin to see how much we are like each other, it becomes more difficult for us to hate each other,” he said.
Returning to his El Salvador visit, the bishop said he saw many poor children, “but they had smiles on their faces because they knew they were loved. Love makes all the difference. It allows us to thrive, to have hope, to grow and mature. Love must be in the air we breathe.”
Love is more than a feeling, it is a decision, the bishop said. If God called you to marriage, you must decide to love the other person until death because love is a decision for a lifetime.
“Love bears all things. Love believes in the other who is loved. Love hopes for the best. Love endures everything. Love never fails. Love is eternal,” he said.
After Mass, there was a social in the newly remodeled parish hall which also houses the Hispanic Senior Center.