MERRILLVILLE – Our Lady Queen of Martyrs quickly filled with smiling faces on the evening of Oct. 12 as members of the Diocese of Gary gathered for the first monthly Filipino Mass. The faithful congregated in the annex of the parish’s north campus, greeting one another, taking pictures and swapping contact information.
Claudia Taillon of Whiting arrived, accompanied by several friends, and said she wanted to “meet all the people who came from the Philippines.” She quickly noted another reason as well.
“I came for Jesus,” she said.
Taillon explained that even though she knows English and some Spanish, having a Mass said in her native language is a great convenience.
Lina Sanchez, a member of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, learned about the Filipino Mass through social media and decided to attend.
“It’s very nice,” she said. “It creates a bonding experience through prayer.”
As everyone made their way into the Church and prepared for Mass to begin, Dr. Claudia Sadowski, coordinator of intercultural ministry, shared an announcement from Bishop Robert J. McClory. She read the message out loud in English, and then Crescencio M. “Boboy” Doma Jr. read the translation in Tagalog.
“It is with deep joy and gratitude that I share in this historic moment, the first Filipino Mass celebrated in the Tagalog language in our diocese,” wrote the bishop. “This celebration is a beautiful sign of the Church’s universality, where many cultures come together in one faith and one Lord. Your Filipino heritage, marked by devotion, warmth and a profound love for family and prayer, enriches the life of our diocesan Church in countless ways.”
He continued, “As your bishop, I rejoice with you and pray that this monthly celebration will be a wellspring of grace, forming disciples, inspiring youth, nurturing vocations and deepening our unity in Christ.”
The bishop thanked the Filipino Ministry Advisory Team and Father Dante Quidayan, RCJ, and all those who helped organize the liturgy.
Father Quidayan, of the Archdiocese of Chicago, presided over the Mass with cocelebrant Father Jayababu Nuthulapati, administrator of Sacred Heart in Whiting. During his homily, Father Quidayan spoke of the importance of humility and gratitude.
“Every time we experience difficulties or impossible things, we need to go back to the author of life. We need to go back to the source of life,” he said.
Father Quidayan noted that “a grateful heart is a happy heart.” He reminded those in attendance that every time they participate in the celebration of Mass, it is an opportunity to say “Thank you” to God.
“During the offertory, we bring all of ourselves to the table, and as a representative of the people and of God, I’m lifting up all of your prayers in thanksgiving,” he said.
Following the service, Doma said it was a blessing from God who guided the Filipino Catholics to be present to show solidarity as a community of faith. The use of the Filipino language, he stated, provided the element that allowed the priest to connect with the attendees in his homily, based on the readings and the Gospel, read in Tagalog. He felt that the connection was evident in the people’s response as they laughed at some lighter parts of the Mass.
“(Using) the native language of the people for which the Mass was organized indeed served the purpose of bringing the word of God into their hearts and minds,” Doma said. “It was also nostalgic in a sense that the presence of fellow Filipinos made everyone feel like they were back ‘home’ attending the regular Sunday worship.”
He added that the Filipino Ministry Advisory Team was overwhelmed by the response of the community and the support extended by the Diocese of Gary through its Intercultural Ministry, as well as Our Lady Queen of Martyrs.
“I am praying that the initial Filipino Mass held last Sunday inspired the Filipino Catholic families to strengthen their faith and see the essence of coming together as a community,” Doma said. “We are hoping that the participants, including non-Filipinos who came to extend support, witnessed God’s grace in every collective effort that seeks to glorify God in our simple respective ways.”
