By Ruby Thomas, Record Staff Writer
A colorful gathering of cultures and a joyful celebration complete with an ice cream social May 15, commemorated the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, which heralded the birth of the Catholic Church.
Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz presided at the annual Pentecost service — organized by the Archdiocese of Louisville’s Office of Multicultural Ministry — which took place at the Cathedral of the Assumption in downtown Louisville.
Archbishop Kurtz told those who’d gathered on a sunny, brisk afternoon that the service was a testament to the “richness in our church.” He said to his listeners that Pentecost provided a moment to pause and say “thank you to God for the gift of faith, the gift of life and the gifts he gives us to be used for others.”
Archbishop Kurtz said his hope for the congregation was that they’d return home “changed people.”
“Jesus knew when he said ‘peace be with you’ he wanted his apostles to be changed people,” the archbishop said.
He told the faithful that tapping into one’s charism is the catalyst for change. A charism, he explained, is “a gift given by God to a person to be used for others.”
These gifts are not to be used for one’s self, noted the archbishop. They are to be “used for people God has placed in our
lives,” he said.
“Think of all the charisms represented here today,” said the archbishop. “Jesus knew that when we use those gifts for others that we’re changed.”
Marcel Nkwiyinka — a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who attends French Masses at St. Thomas More Church — said he’s a changed man thanks to the love of Christ.
Nkwiyinka said this was his first Pentecost celebration in the Archdiocese of Louisville. He attended the service with hope that the Holy Spirit would inspire him to keep honoring Christ’s message of loving his neighbors.
“I am proud to be here and to see everyone come together regardless of race and color,” said Nkwiyinka.
Nina Espinueva, a member of the Filipino community who attends St. Martin of Tours Church, delivered the Gospel reading in her native Tagalog.
Espinueva too had change on her mind. The Pentecost celebration, she noted, meant “re-birth and “renewal” to her.
“It’s like a second New Year’s (celebration) to me,” she said.
Espinueva noted that the experience of worshipping along with faithful from so many different cultures was a new experience for her. Members of the Hispanic, Korean, Caribbean and African communities were present at the celebration.
“I felt a lot of unity and I felt much closer to God,” she said.
Unlike Espinueva, this wasn’t a new experience for Deborah Wade, who is a member of Christ the King Church. The multicultural celebration has become almost
a tradition for her.
Wade, who attended the celebration with her mother Anna Wade, said she returns year after year.
“I come back because I’m the church and I need to be about the work of the church,” said Wade. “Pentecost means the breath of life of what we’re supposed to be doing in the world — to be a representative of Christ in all aspects of life.”
Music for the service was provided by the Archdiocesan Gospel Choir and prelude music was provided by an African choir composed of parishioners of St. Thomas More Church.
Following the service, an ice cream social was held in the cathedral’s undercroft.
