Feast of St. Gerard Welcomes Annual Hispanic Fest in North Carolina
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December 9, 2021On the Feast of Saint Gerard Majella, the Hispanic community of Immaculate Conception Parish in Clinton, NC, sponsored our annual Hispanic Festival in one of the parking lots adjacent to the church.
With the aid and participation of our sister parish of Saint James the Greater in Concord, NC, the local community was delighted with the music and animation of choral groups from both parishes, as well as performances from singers from both locations and a folkloric dance troupe from Saint James. They also presented a comedic play that they had prepared to the amusement of all.
There was more than ample food from every Latin-American country with a presence in our parish: Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. One of the apostolic groups, dedicated to ministry in the local migrant camps (appropriately called Misioneros) were the prime organizers.But these received all the support that they needed from the other missionary endeavor here—Apóstoles de la Palabra, a public association of the faithful dedicated to Catholic apologetics as deduced from the Scriptures. Present and active throughout all stages of this project were our Pastoral Associates, Sisters of Divine Providence (C.D.P.) Maxine Tancraitor and Theresine Gildea, both in their 80’s.
Sister Theresine oversaw the hourly raffle that was a major source of revenue for the event. The day ended with festive dances drawn from the retreat experience common to both parishes, Cristo Renueva Su Parroquia (CRHP in Spanish).
Immaculate Conception was erected as a parish in 1944 at the behest of the Province, and from that time there was a Redemptorist community resident in Clinton until 1953. Saint James the Greater was my former parish (the Redemptorists have ministered there since 1974) prior to my assignment in these parts, some three hours east of Concord.
Clinton is the governmental seat of Sampson County, some 18 miles south of where we reside in Newton Grove. Sampson County is reputed to be the most rural of all of North Carolina. In the autumn months, it is blanketed with a magnificent cotton harvest ready for the picking. Delicious food was enjoyed by all.
(Courtesy of Baltimore Beacon.)
