BENTONVILLE — Bishop Anthony B. Taylor celebrated St. Stephen Church’s first Spanish-language Mass on Tuesday, Sept. 15, the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.
The landmark occasion drew several hundred people, mostly families with young children. A large choir performed, accompanied by musicians on piano, guitar, violin, clarinet, trumpet and trombone.
Giving the homily first in Spanish and then English, Bishop Taylor outlined how the seven sorrows of Mary “continue to speak to us today,” especially as the Bentonville church begins its ministry to Hispanic parishioners.
One example he gave was the presentation of Jesus in the temple.
“We will soon be baptizing many children in Spanish, plus the traditional Hispanic celebrations of presentations of 40-day-old infants and dedications of 3-year-olds,” he said.
He also drew a parallel between the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt and the fact that most of Bentonville’s Hispanic residents came here from other countries “in order to protect their children and provide for them.”
As new members with different customs and a different language join the church, Bishop Taylor urged both Spanish- and English-speaking parishioners to be friendly to everyone they meet, and to mix with people of the other language group at parish events.
Bishop Taylor had announced the start of the parish’s Spanish-language outreach in a homily Aug. 29-30, at Masses in which Msgr. Scott Marczuk was installed as pastor. Before joining the parish, Msgr. Marczuk spent two months in Mexico City improving his language skills and learning more about the Mexican culture.
In the August homily, the bishop said 253 Hispanic families registered at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Rogers have Bentonville-area addresses. He called on them to begin attending St. Stephen now that it offers ministry in Spanish.
Gabriel and Dora Lara, who live in Bella Vista and attend St. Vincent de Paul, said they will consider transferring to St. Stephen.
The first regular Sunday Mass was celebrated in Spanish at 11:45 a.m. Sept. 20.
