VINELAND – The Diocese of Camden experienced a moment filled with faith, hope and joy during the annual Hispanic Diocesan Celebration at Saint Francis of Assisi Church, Divine Mercy Parish.
The celebration, presided over by Bishop Joseph Williams, brought together more than 1,000 faithful from different parishes across South Jersey on Oct. 5.
Under the theme “Missionaries of Hope,” the event celebrated the Jubilee Year of Hope, which coincided with the same weekend Pope Leo XIV invited migrants to celebrate the jubilee in Rome. As such, the diocesan celebration began with a panel composed of lawyers, police, consulate members, and diocesan and parish pastoral leaders involved in serving immigrants, who, together with Bishop Williams, encouraged the community to be united, trust in God and know that the Church walks with them.
The Mass began with a procession of banners, a colorful parade in which all parishes with Hispanic ministries and Latino diocesan ecclesial movements participated. Each banner represented the identity, history and faith of each community, creating a vibrant mosaic of cultures united under one faith.
The celebration was marked by moments of prayer, music and deep reflection, all of which invited the faithful to renew their commitment to parish life and to keep alive the traditions that enrich the Church.
Among those in attendance were Eledina López, Israel Hernández and Wendy de León, members of Holy Cross Parish in Bridgeton.
López expressed gratitude for the opportunity to come together with people from different communities, saying, “The Bishop’s words have motivated me to keep going and never lose faith.”
Hernández emphasized the importance of always trusting in God: “With God, we are never alone; we must always seek refuge in Him.”
De León, who recently participated in a formation mission in California, said she felt blessed to experience a sense of mission again in Vineland.
Andrés Arango, the bishop’s delegate for Hispanic ministry, said: “It was very beautiful to see this large crowd of Hispanics gathered in prayer and love around the altar. The celebration helped us to trust fully in Jesus and to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to go out to our communities to bring hope to those who are living in times of uncertainty.”
Bishop Williams closed the day with a hopeful message: “God has a plan for each one of us. May Jesus Christ live in our hearts!”
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