Priest: Like St. Martin de Porres, build bridges with love

Photo caption: Franciscan Father Juan Carlos Ruiz-Guerrero, associate pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Indianapolis, celebrates the eucharistic liturgy with Divine Word Father Stephan Brown, left, pastor of St. Rita Parish in Indianapolis and the homilist for the Mass, during the third annual celebration of the feast of St. Martin de Porres on Nov. 3 at St. Monica Church in Indianapolis. Eight other priests, including Msgr. Paul Koetter, pastor of St. Monica Parish, concelebrated the liturgy.

By Mary Ann Wyand

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What has happened to love?

Divine Word Father Stephan Brown asked Hispanic, African-American, Asian and Caucasian Catholics attending the archdiocese’s third annual celebration of the feast of St. Martin de Porres to consider that important question.

The pastor of St. Rita Parish in Indianapolis began his homily by inviting more than 500 participants to hold hands, close their eyes, bow their heads and pray together during the multicultural liturgy on Nov. 3 at St. Monica Church in Indianapolis.

Reflecting on “The Greatest Commandment,” Father Stephan reminded the people that Jesus calls us to “love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind … [and] love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt 22:34-40).

“The person whose hands you hold next to you is your sister or your brother,” he emphasized. “Open your eyes and look at the person next to you and see God.”

He said “everything is all right” among people of faith who are willing to love others, but love and respect are urgently needed in secular society to heal a world torn by violence.

“We gathered at St. Rita Church on June 2—Pentecost weekend—and were celebrating our unity the day after a Mexican family was murdered by an African-American man [in Indianapolis],” Father Stephan said. “… [But] everything is all right when loving, believing people are able to come together” as friends and overcome differences in race, culture and language.

“Although we’re different, we’re very much alike,” he said. “… Whether we’re Hispanic, whether we’re Indian, whether we’re African-American, whether we’re Anglo, it really doesn’t matter because God made one race.”

By sharing faith and fellowship, he said, people show honor and respect for the image of God in each other.

He said St. Martin de Porres—a lay brother at the Dominican friary in Lima, Peru, who was African and Peruvian—bridged the gap between those races and cultures with his life of humility and loving service to others.

The saint was the son of a poor, freed slave woman from Panama, who emigrated to Peru, and a Spanish gentleman. He was denied the opportunity to become a priest because of his dark skin.

“Tonight is a night of rejoicing,” Father Stephan said, “when brothers and sisters come together as one. Let the Church say ‘Amen.’ We need to be a witness and testimony to a world, a nation and a city that says, ‘If you’re different, if you’re white, if you’re black, if you’re Hispanic, if you’re Christian, if you’re Muslim, … you can’t get along.’ We say no to that message.”

He said love and respect can heal the violence, division, racism and prejudice that plague society.

“… But there have been issues around immigration,” Father Stephan said. “How can our answer to immigration be a wall [along the U.S. border to Mexico]? … Many of you marched in May to ask for justice in immigration, and this nation gives us a wall. … That is why tonight it is important that we are here. …

“When we live in a world that has no idea what it means to be brother and sister to one another, we have no idea what it means to respond in love,” he said. “All we know how to do is separate and block out and put up walls. But not tonight.”

People of faith know that the love of Christ is in our midst, Father Stephan said. “… When you make a choice to love, you don’t count the cost. … Don’t let anything keep you from loving.”

Franciscan Father Juan Carlos Ruiz-Guerrero, associate pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Indianapolis, was the celebrant.

Father Kenneth Taylor, pastor of Holy Angels Parish in Indianapolis and director of the archdiocesan Office of Multicultural Ministry, was one of nine concelebrants.

“We need to spread the message that we are working against the violence and the negatives in life with the spirit of love and the spirit of Christ,” Father Taylor said after the Mass. “People need to know that.”

St. Monica parishioner Maria Pimentel-Gannon of Indianapolis, a member of the archdiocesan Multi-cultural Ministry Commission who participated in the Mass, said the large gathering demonstrates people’s desire for unity.

“Father Stephan focused on how Christ calls us to love each other and challenged us to take that message to others,” she said. “He talked about how we were all immigrants at one time, and to remember that Christ tells us in Scripture to welcome the stranger in our midst.” †