Ave María

Intermountain Catholic

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Various Hispanic cultures displayed Marian images from their traditions during the procession. See more photos on the Intermountain Catholic Facebook page.

SALT LAKE CITY — Dozens of faithful Catholics gathered to celebrate the Virgin Mary in her different representations during the Diocese of Salt Lake City’s first Intercultural Marian Celebration, which took place Oct. 16 at the Madeleine Choir School.

Images of Mary from numerous cultures were displayed, and participants were invited to dress their children in traditional costumes. Several hundred people participated.

"We are here because we are faithful Catholics and we love our religion," said Clara Galvez, who dressed her daughter Guadalupe and her niece Arianna in Mexican costume.

To begin the celebration, a procession wound through the streets around the Cathedral of the Madeleine in downtown Salt Lake City while participants prayed the rosary in different languages and the different Catholic communities also sang traditional Marian hymns. Among the cultures represented were African, American, Canadian, Croatian, Filipino, Korean, Native American, Samoan, Tongan, Vietnamese, and numerous Latin American countries.

"This is a great chance to experience different cultures for our children," said Vivian Kim, who is from Vietnam.

The procession ended at the Madeleine Choir School, where the Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City, presided at an outdoor Mass.

"We are welcoming everyone," Bishop Wester said as he greeted many of the communities in their native language. "We are here celebrating. It is important to remember and recognize that God is very pleased when we all come together, different people of different cultures. God is very, very pleased when his creations come together because we all are created in the image of God – you and I together."

During his homily, Bishop Wester mentioned that, sadly, some people try to divide communities, but God is the only creator in which we all become one. "We unify in and with Jesus," he said. "We are all one."

"You cannot say that God is just only in the temple or only in the church or only in the mosque or only in the synagogue. He is everywhere," Bishop Wester said. "All of our traditions, all of the colors of our cultures, our languages, our accents – all of us come together in God’s heart…. Our celebration tonight is a celebration of peace, a celebration of unity, a celebration of the people of God coming together as one."

Bishop Wester also thanked all who joined the celebration of Mary. "When we all gather like this: so many people, so many cultures, God shines brightly from within you," he said, pointing out two nearby trees that shone in the sunset, which he saw as a symbol of God’s presence. "It’s not something that we believe it because we see it, it’s that we see it because we believe it, and I believe you all are beautiful."

After the Mass, those who participated in the celebration enjoyed cookies from the various cultures.

"We are very happy to have been here today to celebrate with everyone and with the bishop," said Achol Babkir, a member of the African community. "God let us be together, to be in one place. No matter if we are white or black, we all are under God."