For the Hispanic students at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Washington, Hispanic Heritage Month brings a unique sense of joy as it reconnects them with the colors, scents, rhythms and flavors of their homelands. During the celebration, Cardinal Wilton Gregory encouraged the students to always share, learn from, and celebrate with classmates from different cultural backgrounds.
“I am delighted to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with you. You and your families are living examples of faith, unity, and constant joy. Hispanics are like a garden of multicolored flowers, continuously growing with God, and that is a wonderful gift to the Church,” said Cardinal Gregory during the Mass he celebrated at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in the city’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood on Sept. 20, 2024.
The cardinal also emphasized that the classrooms of Sacred Heart School are places where learning, growth in unity, joyful work, and the practice of constant prayers for peace are nurtured, saying: “You are a powerful symbol of unity in the Church.”
The archbishop of Washington gave special recognition to Hispanic families from Central and South America, who, despite adversity, strive to provide their children with a high-quality Catholic education, fostering a sense of brotherhood and a vision for the future.
“Hispanics, like our brothers and sisters from Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania, are a gift from God. They are like vibrant flowers of many colors, blooming together in the same garden and sharing the same faith. Today, in the presence of the Holy Spirit, we come together to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month,” Cardinal Gregory concluded in his homily.
Elías Blanco, the school’s principal, expressed his gratitude to Cardinal Gregory for joining the Sacred Heart School community in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. At the end of the Mass, the cardinal requested a group photo at the altar with several students.
Archdiocesan gratitude
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington released a commemorative video highlighting the contributions of the Hispanic community to the local Church, their generous support of Catholic schools, and the significance of the religious expressions within the Spanish-speaking community.
In the video, Cardinal Gregory honors the legacy of the late Bishop Mario Dorsonville, particularly his work with the immigrant community, and acknowledges the partnership of the Crimsonbridge Foundation in preserving the Spanish language in Catholic schools, along with other initiatives.
The video also offers a brief overview of the Hispanic presence in Catholic schools, Masses, and religious celebrations organized by the archdiocese.
