Intercultural Marian Celebration honors the Blessed Mother in her various representations around the world

IC photo/Laura Vallejo

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The Oct. 5 Intercultural Marian Celebration attracted parishioners from all over the diocese to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Kearns. Some carried representations of Our Blessed Mother on platforms or in their hands in the procession that was part of the event.

KEARNS — This year’s Intercultural Marian Celebration brought hundreds of faithful Catholics from different cultural backgrounds to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Kearns to honor the Virgin Mary in her many representations around the world.

This annual tradition began 15 years ago. Maria Cruz Gray, director of the diocesan Office of Hispanic Ministry, invited the different Catholic cultures to show their devotion to Our Blessed Mother and her different representations and join in praying the rosary as a universal Church.

For the Oct. 5 event, many participants dressed in the tradition garb of their countries of origin and carried platforms on which an image of Our Lady rested, surrounded by colorful decorations. Others held images in their hands, or carried banners.

The celebration began with a hymn dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima. Participants then walked in procession through the streets around the church, reciting the rosary in Vietnamese, English, Tongan, Portuguese, Spanish and Tagalog.

The procession ended at the doors of the church. Inside, people placed their images on tables and recited the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Afterward, members of the Vietnamese community performed dances.

The celebration continued with a Mass with Bishop Oscar A. Solis presiding. Among the concelebrants were Father John Evans, vicar general, and Fr. Tai Nguyen, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish.  

As the bishop welcomed those at the Mass, which was standing room only, he thanked them for “taking this moment in order to give honor to Our Blessed Mother, represented in all those images coming from various countries.”

“Our Blessed Mother Mary is the perfect role model of a true Christian believer and follower of Christ and disciple of Jesus,” Bishop Solis said.  “Through her ‘yes,’ she sealed our salvation.”

Quoting Pope Francis, the bishop said that Mary, as mother of the Church, “walks at our side, shares our struggles and constantly surrounds us with God’s love.”

Bishop Solis emphasized that Mary is the example that Catholics are called to follow. “Through her intercession, let us pray to [forgive] people not only in our hearts but in our words and actions so that others will be drawn to the faith by our example,” he said.

Commenting on the Gospel reading, which talked about married couples and divorce, Bishop Solis asked the people to look at each other.

“What a beautiful moment to gather as a faith community not only to honor our Blessed Mother but to also manifest our unity as one God’s family. … Be familiar with what you see in this church, because this is what you are going to see in heaven in case that you go there,” he said.

Catholic marriages are in decline, he said, and asked those present to reflect on the importance of the sacrament.

God created male and female persons, and “they are made to be together, to be one flesh in the eyes of God,” he said, adding that the Sacrament of Marriage has two purposes: “the union between a man and a woman and to bring children into the world.”

Asking people to share the love that God has for everyone, Bishop Solis asked them to look at the various images of the Blessed Mother. “In every country, in every culture, there is one message: Mary is the perfect model of a true love,” he said. “Mary loved God so much that she gave all her life for the will of God and for the plan of God to prevail. She was humble and selflessly sacrificed her own life for the Messiah that God has promised. … Let us learn through Our Blessed Mother to love as Jesus loves. Let us love one another as Jesus loves us.  … When you do that there will be no problems in our families.”

Everyone is “called to love as Jesus loves us,” he emphasized.

Among those who joined this year’s Intercultural Marian Celebration was Martha Figueroa, a parishioner of Saint Francis Xavier Parish in Kearns, who has attended the Marian Celebration for more than five years. “For me, being able to participate in this ceremony is such a blessing,” she said. “I try to keep it as something spiritual, as an occasion to be present with Our Mother and to see her with all her family together.”

Following the Mass was a reception that included traditional food from different countries as well as dances and music from all over the world.