Hispanic Faith Ministries
​​​​​​
​Hispanic Masses are held every Sunday at 12:15 pm. Spanish Masses are also held at other times throughout the liturgical year and in celebration of the sacraments and other family celebrations such as weddings, quinceañeras, funerals, etc. To speak with someone about planning/scheduling a Mass celebration, contact St. Mary's Hispanic Office. If you're interested in serving in a liturgical ministry as a Lector, Usher, Cantor, or the Spanish Choir, please contact the Hispanic Parish Office:
​​​​
Hispanic Office Contact
Maribel Arias
stmaryshispanicoffice@gmail.com​​​​​​
“Hispanic ministry is the Church’s response to the Hispanic presence. This ministry must be seen as an integral part of the life and mission of the Church in this country....It entails a collaborative effort with the entire community and honors their history, their faith traditions, and the contributions Hispanic Catholics have made in service to the Church and society.”
—USCCB, Encuentro and Mission, n. 60​​​​​​​​​​​
1981
St. Mary’s began offering Spanish Masses once a month. Father Cuevas traveled from Rock Island to celebrate the Mass in Spanish.
St. Mary’s Hispanic community donated a statue commemorating Our Lady of Guadalupe, which was blessed and placed in the baptistery.
1985
1986
Father Francis Wendling came to St. Mary’s and began saying weekly Sunday Masses in Spanish in 1987
Father Gregg Petri began the Hispanic ministry at St. Mary’s and became involved with the Hispanic Cursillo Movement in Peoria. Fr. Gregg served as the Director of Hispanic Ministry for many years and was beloved by the Hispanic community.
2003
Our Hispanic Faith Family
​The Hispanic community at St. Mary’s organizes many different celebrations throughout the year including:
-
Kermes Festival
-
Día de los Muertos/Todos Santos/Fieles Difuntos [Day of the Dead/All Saints/All Souls]
-
Via Crucis [Stations of the Cross]
-
Viernes Santo y Vigilia Pascual [Good Friday and Easter Vigil]
-
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe: 12 de Diciembre
-
Las Posadas [Christmas Rituals]
-
La Navidad [Christmas]
Quinceañeras, a traditional coming-of-age religious ceremony that occurs when a female community member celebrates her 15th birthday are one of many cultural and faith celebrations at St. Mary’s.
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe
A national holiday in Mexico that honors the Virgin Mary with feasts, fiestas, and pilgrimages to basilicas in the capital. The week leading up to December 12, also known as the Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, is a time of celebration.
​
Our Lady of Guadalupe first introduced herself as the Mother of God and the mother of all humanity when she appeared on the hill of Tepeyac in Mexico in 1531. An indigenous peasant, Juan Diego, saw a glowing figure on the hill. After she had identified herself to him, Our Lady asked that Juan build her a shrine in that same spot, in order for her to show and share her love and compassion with all those who believe.
Dia De Los Muertos ... “The Mexican Day of the Dead” ceremony emerged from the popular Catholic practice of memorializing the dead in the Catholic Feast.
A Kermes is a what a Catholic religious bazaar is called in Spanish. It's usually a fundraiser held at the church where activities, games, music, dancing, and food are available.
Día de los Reyes Magos
Also known as Three Kings Day in many Spanish-speaking countries, this holiday honors the arrival of the Three Wise Men in Bethlehem to worship the newborn Christ child.
Las Posadas is a religious festival that takes place in Mexico and some parts of the United States. A tradition that originated in Spain and was brought to Mexico by Catholic missionaries in the 1500s commemorates Joseph and Mary's journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of shelter for Mary to give birth to Jesus. The name posadas translates to "lodgings" or "shelter" and the nine-day event symbolizes Mary's nine-month pregnancy. December 16th-24th
