SCRANTON – The Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton was filled with vibrant energy and beautiful music Oct. 12, 2024, as nearly 700 people gathered to celebrate a special Mass for Hispanic Heritage month.
The Mass, celebrated in Spanish by the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, highlighted the many contributions of the Hispanic community within the church and the broader society, making it a significant occasion for reflection and cultural appreciation.
A notable highlight of the Mass was Bishop Bambera commissioning nearly 20 individuals to embark on a vital initiative for the Diocese of Scranton.
The newly commissioned individuals will engage – and most importantly listen – to parish communities to formulate a comprehensive Hispanic ministry plan for the Diocese of Scranton over the next year aimed at addressing the unique needs of Hispanic parishioners.
“I’m really excited,” Pilar Cueva from Saint Matthew Parish in East Stroudsburg said. “It is definitely an opportunity for us all.”
Cueva was born and raised in New York. Her parents came to the United States from Ecuador more than 45 years ago. She considers her parish to be her second home and is looking forward to helping others discover the beauty of God’s love.
“This is an opportunity for us to be heard and also to understand our different devotional and traditional practices,” she added. “It is definitely a great opportunity for all of us to feel included as one.”
The Diocese of Scranton currently has 13 parishes that regularly celebrate Masses in Spanish for members of the Hispanic community. In all, parishioners come from at least 20 countries including Mexico, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Spain, and Cuba.
“We all come from different places, and we are all different, but when we all come together, we can make something really good and we can grow,” commission member Aris Torres, parishioner of Christ the King Parish in Archbald, added.
Torres was born in the Dominican Republic but came to the United States at 13, where he attended both high school and college. He moved to the Scranton area in 2015 and enjoys serving the church.
“The Spanish community is growing. This is a way to grow the community and help each other come together,” Torres said. “I see this as an opportunity to serve.”
By actively seeking input from the Hispanic community, the Diocese of Scranton aims to enhance spiritual engagement and understand community-specific concerns, ensuring that the voices of all people can be heard.
As the Diocese develops a strategic plan for Hispanic ministry it also seeks to cultivate an inclusive environment that celebrates diversity in faith.
That goal echoes the theme of this year’s Hispanic Heritage month in the United States, ‘Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together,’ which Bishop Bambera emphasized during his homily at the Hispanic Heritage Month Mass.
“As the Hispanic community takes its rightful place in the great tapestry of life that has been created in our country by its people who immigrated to this land from every corner and country of the world, we celebrate the gifts that you bring to our lives, to our Church and to our future,” Bishop Bambera said. “How blessed we are to begin this celebration at the table of the Eucharist, to be nourished for our shared mission and bound together in unity by nothing less than the power and presence of Almighty God.”