As the skies cleared from an afternoon rain, a tapestry of faith and culture processed around the grounds of St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Church in Riverdale, Maryland, on Sept. 20. Washington Auxiliary Bishop Evelio Menjívar served as principal celebrant, calling the gathering a living mosaic of peoples and traditions united in one faith.
Leading the procession were performers of La Danza de los Tecuanes, the Dance of the Jaguars, a folk tradition from southern Mexico that combines theater, movement, and storytelling.
The drama depicts a jaguar threatening a village until hunters restore peace, with performers in carved wooden masks and spotted suits accompanied by music. Passed down for generations, the dance continues in towns across southern Mexico as both festivity and devotion.
The high notes of a reed flute intertwined with the steady beat of a small handcrafted drum, setting the pace as dancers and the faithful in traditional dress led the way. Behind them, young people carried flags from Latin America and the Caribbean in a procession that opened the Mass commemorating National Hispanic Heritage Month.
National Hispanic Heritage Month, observed each year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, recognizes the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. The observance begins on Sept. 15, the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, with Mexico and Chile observing their independence days shortly after. It serves as a time to honor the diverse traditions and ongoing impact of Hispanic and Latino communities in the United States.
Inside the church, Bishop Menjívar welcomed the assembly. “In this celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we gather in this youthful and multicultural parish to give thanks to God for the rich diversity of our Church and to rekindle the hope that sustains us,” he said. “This diversity of peoples, cultures, and languages united in one faith is what makes us truly Catholic, that is, a Church that is truly universal, one that knows no borders.”
The bishop invited the congregation to see culture as a gift that strengthens mission.
“Our Church, our faith, is a mosaic of Hispanic cultures represented here, but also of Latin American cultures, since we must include Brazil and other peoples who do not necessarily speak Spanish,” he said. He named shared devotions and daily virtues as threads within that mosaic. “To the Church we have also brought our love for family, our solidarity with our neighbor and those in need, and our love for work.”
Preaching within the Jubilee Year of Hope, Bishop Menjívar spoke of the journeys many in the pews have made. “As immigrants we face many challenges, but we believe that God walks with his pilgrim people,” he said. “Yes, we are migrants, but we are above all a pilgrim Church of hope that does not lose faith, that does not cease to pray or to practice charity and closeness to others.”
St. Bernard’s has been designated as one of the Jubilee Year churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.
He encouraged the faithful to remember their purpose as witnesses. “As people who know Christ, we are no longer just immigrants, we are missionaries,” he said.
The bishop emphasized love as the foundation of mission. “Love changes everything. Love can do everything,” he said. Quoting Saint Paul, he added, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
He also urged prayer for leaders and perseverance in reconciliation.
“The Pope calls us to act together, to remain united, to open ourselves to the Spirit of God in community. He says we must become ‘experts in reconciliation’,” Bishop Menjívar said.
The Prayers of the Faithful reflected the concerns of the community. Petitions asked that the Church be an instrument for fraternity and justice, that migrants be kept safe and treated fairly at work, that violence and poverty cease, that the Hispanic community in the archdiocese be guided and united by the Holy Spirit, and that the deceased be welcomed into the light of God’s Kingdom.
The presider concluded, “Almighty God, hear the prayers of your people and grant us what we ask in confidence and trust, through Christ our Lord.”
As the sun lowered and the last hymns faded, Bishop Menjívar thanked the clergy, choirs, dancers, and ministries that shaped the celebration. He also invited the faithful to join a reflection procession and solemn Mass, to be celebrated by Cardinal Robert McElroy, archbishop of Washington, on Sunday, Sept. 28, in observance of the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees.
After the final blessing, the celebration moved to the parish grounds for fellowship and cultural performances. Long tables filled with dishes from many countries became an atlas of hospitality, while families gathered near altars dedicated to various nations and Marian devotions.
The displays featured national and cultural symbols, flags, and images of Our Lady, highlighting the heritage of the communities represented.
In his homily, Bishop Menjívar described the gathering as a living mosaic, a Church united in faith through many voices. Linking that unity to the work of hope, he reminded the faithful of the simple goals shared by many families.
“At the end of the day, we all want the same things: to live in peace, to see our children grow up safely, to have bread on the table, to share life with joy,” he said. “Our neighbor is not our enemy.”
