Father Francois Pellissier

Too often, we perceive faith as cause for somber vigils and serious contemplations, when in reality faith should be reason for gaiety. Perhaps our Hispanic-American sisters and brothers have the best approach, for their culture often incorporates faith with fiestal Take, for example, the following story from Glenmary Father Francois Pellissier.

Father Francois recently completed a period of ministry at Saint Jude Church in Glennville, Ga. The area has a large population of Hispanic-Americans who work on the local onion farms or in small factories. Though a people of deep Catholic faith, they rarely feel welcome in the Catholic Church. Father Francois decided to reach out to them. The result was a penance service that became a happy fiesta.

The penance service was to be held in conjunction with the celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. One of the parishioners provided a simple icon of the Lady,  while others made a modest throne upon which to place the image.

The congregation gathered at dusk and the service began. With the icon held high, they followed Our Lady in a candlelight procession around the church property. "I just let it happen, sort of went with the flow," Father Francois said of the spirit that seemed to overtake him and these wonderfully jubilant people.

Nearly 80 Hispanics and perhaps a dozen Anglos filled the tiny church that night. And when the Mass began, Father Francois surprised them all, celebrating the liturgy and delivering his homily in Spanish.

"I managed to speak: the language as best I could," he recalled, "but sometimes I kind of made up the words. They seemed to understand," he concluded with a chuckle.

Looking back, Father Francois relived that magic moment. 'They were very proud to be ministered to in their own language, very proud to have the church for their own," he said. "It was as if they realized, 'The Church cares for us!'"

"And me?" Father Pellissier continued. "I wanted to be identified as Padre, as Father ... not as a social worker. I wanted to say to them, 'I am priest and I am here to minister to you.' I wanted them to know, 'I am one of you, and together we celebrate this Eucharist!'"

And when the service had ended, the fiesta atmosphere took up again. With few exceptions, everyone who had been in the church also came to a party in the parish hall. To those people, faith was indeed reason for joy and celebration!

Father Francois Pellissier has since left Glennville, Ga. Today he is engaged in Hispanic studies in Cuemavaca. Mexico, so that some day soon he can return to celebrate again with his beloved Hispanic-Americans!

This article originally appeared in the May 2008 Boost-A-Month Club Newsletter