Hispanic Heritage Mass rooted in cherished traditions, ‘unwavering faith’
“The story of the Hispanic community in this archdiocese is, to a great extent, a story of change, pilgrimage, and migration,” Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., said at this year’s Hispanic Heritage Mass. “Many of you—or your parents or grandparents—crossed land or sea borders; you left behind deeply loved homelands, yet you brought with you the most valuable baggage—an unwavering faith.”
Four auxiliary bishops, 25 priests, 12 deacons, and around 700 worshippers joined the Archbishop of Newark at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart for the Oct. 2 liturgy.
The service began with a solemn procession of flags from the various nations of Latin America and Spain, carried by members of the community who wore traditional attire. There were were Salvadoran Volcaneña dresses, Mayan huipiles, the Cayambeña dress of Ecuador’s Otavalo people, and Colombian vueltiao hats. Others came in soccer jerseys from their representative national teams.
Mary as the model of one who listens
Alongside the flags were banners displaying the various Marian advocations traditional to the faith lives of their respective nations.
Cardinal Tobin made Mary’s protection and example a major focal point of his homily.
“[The Blessed Mother] is the symbol that injustice, racism, and marginalization do not have the final word. But Mary is also par excellence the model of the synodal Church,” he said. “She is the woman who listens at the Annunciation. She listened with an open heart at the Wedding at Cana to the needs of the bride and groom and she told us, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’”
The Mass comes at a time of much concern and suffering within the Hispanic community. Referring to the situation, Cardinal Tobin exhorted the people of the archdiocese to welcome immigrants as they would Christ.
“When we reject that culture of indifference, we become a synodal church. Welcoming newly arrived immigrants is neither a political choice nor a secondary act of charity,” he said. “It is welcoming Christ. It is our obligation to defend their sacred dignity against narratives that attack—and perhaps even succeed in—dehumanizing them.”
Sharing faith and culture with the next generation
For Ana, bringing her daughters to the cathedral from Plainfield was a way to instill in them the value of the faith and cultural pride. The family is originally from Ecuador’s Cañar province.
“For me, it is a great blessing to bring my daughters here and show them my roots—that they never lose this faith,” she said. “It is the faith in which my grandmother taught me as a child to pray and to deeply love the Holy Rosary.”
Music for the liturgy was prepared by John Miller, Director of Music Ministry at the cathedral and Ramón Restituyo, who directs the men’s choir from the St. Joseph of the Palisades Parish in West New York. The cantor for the Mass was Linda García.
“Through music, we can give so much to those around us and beyond, because music truly envelops us—and it involves the instrument God created,” Restituyo said. “God made this instrument, so we place it at the service of the purpose He has ordained for it.”
Inspiring the ‘missionary disciples’ of the future
Deacon Asterio Velasco, director of the Archdiocese of Newark’s Hispanic Ministry, said that faith “is a great part of Hispanic culture” and called the Mass “an opportunity to celebrate that and draw strength from coming together as a community.”
“We want people to leave knowing the Church loves them and is here for them, especially during challenging times. Hopefully, that will inspire them to become missionary disciples, sharing their faith with the world.”
Referring to a 2026 report published by Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, he added that “in many ways, the future of the Catholic Church is Hispanic.”
The study found that 40 per cent of Gen Z Catholics identify as Hispanic.
“The Church is going to rely on us to take a larger leadership role, so we need to be ready for that responsibility,” Deacon Velasco said. “That’s why it’s so important for our ministry to educate and evangelize the next generations.”
Visit the Archdiocese of Newark’s Hispanic Ministry’s website to learn more.
To view more photos of the 2026 Hispanic Heritage Mass, CLICK HERE.
You can watch video highlights of the Mass below:
Featured image: The annual Hispanic Heritage Mass was celebrated at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, NJ on Oct. 2. (Photos by Julio Eduardo Herrera / Archdiocese of Newark)
