Happenings

On January 21st the Vietnamese Catholic Community marked the Lunar New Year 2023 at Our Lady of Lavang, in Happy Valley. Happy Year of the Cat (Year of the Rabbit in the Chinese calendar)!

Archbishop Sample was principal celebrant at the bilingual Mass that paid tribute to the Eve of the Lunar New Year, also known as Tet Lunar, where they offered praise to God, remembered their ancestors and shared appreciation for family.

The celebration began with a greeting to the faithful who attended dressed in formal and traditional attire for the major occasion of Vietnamese heritage. The beats of a drum and a bronze gong followed the initial prayers before the Mass.

“In Vietnam, drums and gongs are mainly used in ceremonies and New Year's festivity,” Father Pham Ansgar, pastor of Our Lady of Lavang, explained. “It also serves as a means of informing the villagers of an impending event, similar to the fire alarm or the trumpet in the army today. In the sacrificial ceremonies in the village, the sound of drums and gongs signals that it is a sacred and solemn moment, just as the ringing of the bells alerts the faithful that transubstantiation has taken place and that the Body and Blood of our Lord is truly present on the altar,” Father Ansgar said.

Archbishop Sample in his homily expressed his joy for the New Year celebration and congratulated the community for beautifying the temple with recent improvements. “You, this parish family, have done a marvelous job,” he said before an audience of about 1,200 people.  “Every time I come, there is something new,” he said referencing the new Stations of the Cross added to the sanctuary.  
Archbishop Sample reflected on the challenges of the past three years shaped by the pandemic. “We have gone through one of the most difficult times that I think any of us will ever live,” he said. “I know some of you have experienced far worse just in getting here to this country and seeking your freedom, new life, the hardships and the sacrifices for sure.”

He went on to reflect on the last few years, “As difficult as it has been, it is time for a new beginning not just because we gather here to celebrate the Lunar New Year, but because of what we have been through in these years…I've been praying and wondering what it is that God allowed us to go through and for what purpose…As we move to the future to this new year, I think God has been purifying and strengthening us through this hardship when we remember what it was like not to be able to come to church to celebrate the Eucharist, the source and summit of our life, a greater longing for the Eucharist, a hunger for the Eucharist,” he said referencing the Eucharistic Revival called for by the bishops.

Archbishop Sample concluded that it's time for us as the church, the people of God, to revitalize our faith, to revitalize our parish community, to revitalize our families, our homes, imbuing them with the Spirit of Christ.

After Mass, Archbishop Sample, Bishop Peter Smith and other concelebrants distributed red called lucky money (li xi), a Lunar New Year tradition. 

Father Ansgar encouraged parishioners, especially young families to resolve to attend Mass, not only on Sundays but on weekdays too. He also emphasized the importance of frequently receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation. “I firmly believe that [by] regularly going to Mass and confession, they will grow in holiness and in reward, they will inherit peace and happiness, because God is with them.” he said.  

Photo courtesy of Tung Nguyen.

Mass for the Repose of the Soul of Benedict XVI

EN: Hundreds of faithful gathered at St. Mary's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Portland Thursday evening as they joined millions around the world in mourning the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

Earlier in the day, at the Requiem Mass held in Rome, throngs of faithful filled St. Peter’s Square. Pope Francis said that as we strive to follow the Lord, we “commend our brother (Benedict) into the hands of the Father… may those merciful hands find his lamp alight with the oil of the Gospel that he spread and testified to for his entire life.”

Archbishop Alexander Sample, during his homily at this evening's Mass also pointed to Benedict's deep love of the Liturgy, reflecting that Pope Benedict's "love for Jesus Christ was the hallmark of his papacy. His legacy will live on--a legacy centered on Jesus Christ." Archbishop Sample went on to share his personal recollections of meeting then Cardinal Ratzinger first as a seminarian and later as a priest and bishop, remembering his treasured conversations with "this holy man, this humble man, this deeply spiritual man."

Archbishop Sample addressed the numerous priests concelebrating the Mass when he reminded them that Pope Benedict once said, "The yes that a man says on the day of his ordination as a priest is a yes to everything that follows." And Benedict demonstrated that pure surrender and selfless response to God when he was called to be pontiff, a role never sought but graciously accepted.

"He was so gentle and kind," the Archbishop added, speaking of Benedict as the "humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord," who installed him as bishop of the Diocese of Marquette in Michigan and later appointed him to the Archdiocese of Portland.

Archbishop Sample closed his homily on an emotional note when he quoted Pope Emeritus Benedict's final words, "Lord, I love you!" And added his wish that "he opened his eyes on the other side to Jesus saying, 'I love you too!'" 

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Arquidiócesis de Portland celebra misa en memoria del Papa Benedicto XVI

Cientos de fieles se reunieron en la Catedral de Santa María de la Inmaculada Concepción, en el centro de Portland, en la noche del jueves cinco de enero del 2023, uniéndose a millones de personas de la Iglesia católica en el mundo en luto por la muerte del Papa Emérito Benedicto XVI.

En la misa exequial celebrada en Roma, multitudes de fieles llenaron la plaza de San Pedro. El Papa Francisco dijo que mientras nos esforzamos por seguir al Señor, “encomendamos a nuestro hermano (Benedicto) en las manos del Padre ... que estas manos de misericordia encuentren su lámpara encendida con el aceite del Evangelio que él esparció y testimonió durante toda su vida”.
En su homilía, el arzobispo Alexander Sample destacó el profundo amor de Benedicto XVI por la liturgia, reflexionando que el “amor del papa por Jesucristo fue el sello distintivo de su papado. Su legado vivirá, un legado centrado en Jesucristo”, dijo.

El arzobispo Sample compartió recuerdos personales al conocer al entonces cardenal Ratzinger en su época como seminarista y luego como sacerdote y obispo, recordando las valiosas conversaciones con “este hombre santo, este hombre humilde, este hombre profundamente espiritual”.

Dirigiéndose a los numerosos sacerdotes que concelebraron la misa, el arzobispo Sample les recordó que el papa Benedicto dijo una vez: “El sí que un hombre dice el día de su ordenación como sacerdote es un sí a todo lo que sigue”. Y Benedicto demostró esa entrega pura y respuesta desinteresada a Dios cuando fue llamado a ser pontífice, un papel que nunca buscó, pero aceptó con gracia.

“Era tan gentil y amable”, agregó el arzobispo, refiriéndose a Benedicto como un “humilde trabajador en la viña del Señor”, quien lo nombró obispo de la diócesis de Marquette en Michigan y lo transfirió a la Arquidiócesis de Portland.

El arzobispo Sample cerró su homilía con una nota emotiva al citar las últimas palabras del papa emérito Benedicto: “¡Señor, te amo!” y expresó su deseo de que “al abrir sus ojos, Jesús esté a su lado diciéndole: “¡Yo también te amo!”. 

Tradition, Theater, and Evangelizations

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, it was St. Francis of Assisi who gave rise to and popularized the idea of the dramatic representation of the Christ’s birth. In 1223, St. Francis visited Rome and asked Pope Honorius III for permission to produce these plays.

When the Franciscans and Jesuits arrived in New Spain, they used theater as a tool for the evangelization of native peoples to the Catholic faith, presenting productions that mixed biblical scriptures.

In 1530, the first bishop of New Spain, Fray Juan de Zumárraga, issued an ordinance to celebrate a 'Farce of the joyful Nativity of Our Savior'.

One of the first Pastorela that is registered in Mexico was entitled Adoration of the Magi and was written by Fray Andrés Olmos. "It was written in the Nahuatl language to facilitate its understanding... Through music, dances and the profusion of flowers, Father Olmos reached directly to the hearts of the natives, who considered these elements indispensable for any celebration."

Virginia Lopez, a parishioner of St. Anne's Church in Gresham, has been organizing las pastorelas in her parish for 15 years. She wrote the screenplay for the Pastorela The Birth of the Child God', held on December 17, 2022, in Santa Ana, in which 27 parishioners participated.

Virginia said the most rewarding part was witnessing the participation of entire families with their children in this faith story. 

Guillermina Hernandez, of St. Henry Church in Gresham, announced that the Pastorela "Entre pastores te veas", starring 22 parishioners including children, youth and adults will be held on January 6. If you would like more information, see St. Henry’s Facebook page.

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Tradición, teatro y evangelización

En la comunidad católica hispana de Oregon no hay Navidad sin Pastorelas. La pastorela, una de las tradiciones más arraigadas en la cultura latinoamericana, pertenece al género dramático religioso mediante el cual se representan eventos protagonizados por Jesús, María, José, el diablo, ángeles y pastores. La trama generalmente se basa en episodios sobre el nacimiento de Jesús, las peripecias de la Virgen y San José en su peregrinar hasta Belén o el viaje de pastores para adorar al Niño Dios recién nacido y las circunstancias para superar los obstáculos que el diablo interpone para impedirles llegar a su destino.

De acuerdo con la enciclopedia católica, fue san Francisco de Asís quien dio origen y popularizó la idea de la representación escénica del nacimiento de Jesús. En 1223, san Francisco visitó Roma y pidió al papa Honorio III el permiso para hacer la representación del nacimiento del niño Dios.

Luego, al llegar los franciscanos y jesuitas a la Nueva España usaron el teatro como herramienta para la evangelización de los pueblos nativos a la fe católica, presentando montajes que mezclaban las escrituras bíblicas.

En 1530, el primer obispo de la Nueva España, fray Juan de Zumárraga, expidió una ordenanza para que se celebrase una ‘Farsa de la Natividad gozosa de Nuestro Salvador’.

In Oregon's Hispanic Catholic community, there is no Christmas without Pastorelas. The Pastorela, one of the most deeply rooted traditions in Latin American culture, is a Nativity play in which Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the devil, angels and shepherds are represented. The plot centers on the birth of Jesus and follows the Virgin and Saint Joseph on their pilgrimage to Bethlehem and the obstacles imposed by the devil, which they must overcome to reach their destination.

Una de las primeras Pastorelas que se tiene registrada en México se tituló Adoración de los Reyes Magos y fue escrita por Fray Andrés Olmos. “Fue escrita en idioma náhuatl para facilitar su comprensión. Por medio de la música las danzas y la profusión de flores el padre Olmos llegó directo al corazón de los indígenas, quienes consideraban estos elementos indispensables para todo festejo”.

Virginia López, feligresa de la iglesia Santa Ana, en Gresham, lleva 15 años organizándolas en su parroquia. Ella escribió el guión para la Pastorela ‘El Nacimiento del Niño Dios’, realizada el 17 de diciembre de 2022 en Santa Ana. Virginia informó que participaron 27 feligreses.

Dijo que lo más gratificante fue presenciar la participación de familias completas en esta historia de fe.  Guillermina Hernández, de la iglesia St. Henry, en Gresham anunció que el 6 de enero se llevará a cabo la Pastorela “Entre pastores te veas”, con protagonizada por 22 feligreses entre los que se incluyen niños, jóvenes y adultos. Para más información, visita el sitio web de St. Henry en Facebook AQUÍ.

The Annual Celebration 2022
 
Parishioners of St. Joseph’s in Salem, gathered in the church gymnasium on Friday Dec.16 to celebrate Las Posadas, a Latin American Christmas festival. The event, organized by parishioner Max Díaz, catequist of the Catechism in Spanish, included a procession, prayer, recitation of the Rosary, singing, the piñata, gifts for children and food.

Las Posadas, which translates to “the Inns” is an Advent nine-day devotional prayer that begins on December 16th and continues each day through Christmas Eve. It commemorates the journey of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem seeking shelter where Mary could give birth to Baby Jesus. A main component of this celebration is asking for a posada, a place to rest, which is sung. The group of more than 300 participants divided into two groups: the peregrinos with Joseph and Mary seeking posada and the "host family" inside the house. In a back and forth, the outside group asks a household for lodging while the host family refuses entry at first. Both sides exchange songs, until the peregrinos (the travelers) convince the host family to let them inside. 

After this, the "host" offers prayers, songs, and the recitation of the Rosary. The piñata is a key element used in Posadas. Beautiful and bright, it is shaped like a seven-pointed star. “The piñatas represent the temptation to fall into sins,” Díaz explained. “Each pointed cone symbolizes the seven deadly sins: envy, sloth, gluttony, lust, anger/wrath, and pride” he said. “The act of breaking the piñata has a meaning too. “It is to break with the deadly sins in order to be able to receive Jesus in our heart” Díaz added.

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Celebración anual en 2022

Los feligreses de la iglesia de San José en Salem, se reunieron en el gimnasio de la iglesia el viernes 16 de diciembre para celebrar Las Posadas, un festival religioso navideño tradicional latinoamericano. El evento, organizado por Max Díaz, feligrés y catequista del Catecismo en español, incluyó procesión, oración, rezo del Rosario, cantos, la piñata, regalos para los niños y comida.

Las Posadas navideñas, que significa "alojamiento que se da a alguien” es un novenario de Adviento que comienza el 16 de diciembre y continúa cada día hasta la Nochebuena. Conmemora el viaje de José y María desde Nazaret a Belén buscando refugio donde María pudiera dar a luz al Niño Jesús. Un componente principal de esta celebración es el peregrinaje pidiendo posada hasta encontrar un lugar donde se les admita, que se hace a través del canto. El grupo de más de 300 participantes se dividió en dos grupos: los peregrinos con José y María buscando posada y la "familia anfitriona" dentro de la casa. En un intercambio de cantos, el grupo de afuera pide alojamiento, mientras que la “familia anfitriona” rechaza la entrada al principio. Ambos bandos intercambian canciones, hasta que los peregrinos convencen a la “familia anfitriona” de dejarlos entrar.

Después de esto, los "anfitriones" ofrecieron oraciones, canciones, el rezo del Rosario, aguinaldos para los niños y comida. La piñata es un elemento clave utilizado en la celebración de las Posadas. Hermosa y brillante, tiene la forma de una estrella de siete picos. “El significado de las piñatas es la incitación al pecado”, explicó Díaz. “Cada uno de los picos simboliza los siete pecados capitales: envidia, pereza, gula, lujuria, ira y orgullo”, dijo. El acto de romper la piñata también tiene un significado. “Es vencer los pecados capitales para poder recibir a Jesús en nuestro corazón", agregó Díaz.