One of the attributes which is ascribed to Latinos as a whole is a common religion: Catholicism. Religious practices are central to the lives of many individuals and communities in Latin America - entire cities will virtually shut down in recognition of Easter week. Coming from that base, we were interested in discovering how Catholicism was a part of Latino's lives in the Princeton community. Some of us had experienced religious questioning in the move from home to college, and were curious about what kind of religious questioning may accompany the much greater move from Latin America to the United States. We decided to collect personal accounts of religion from members of the Catholic Church in Princeton, St. Paul's. We first got in contact with the Church who directed us to Jorge Gonzales*, the man in charge of the Spanish service at St. Paul's. He was extremely helpful and offered to make an announcement at the end of mass to ask people to volunteer for interviews. After making the announcement, we were approached by many parishioners who were interested in helping us out by sharing their stories.
We interviewed seven families with a total of eighteen people.
Some interviews were conducted on an individual basis, and some
in a small group. The interviews were usually a mixture of English
and Spanish, and in each interview, at least one family member
spoke English well. Four of the families are Colombian, two are
Guatemalan, and one is Mexican. (See Appendix 1 for names and
family relations.) The families came to Princeton for a variety
of reasons-to study, to work, to live with family. Many, like
the Carrillo family from Guatemala, said they chose the Princeton
area because it is safe and quiet. The Delgados, a Guatemalan
couple, heard about Princeton from family members and came to
live near brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews. Esteban Espinoza
and his aunt, Aurora, came from Colombia to live by another aunt
who first heard of Princeton on a plane ride from El Paso to New
York City. Others, like Ana and Alberto Alvarez, a newlywed couple
from Colombia, first came to the States to study. None of the
families which we interviewed actually live in Princeton Borough,
but they come to St. Paul's for mass. The families were all tremendously
welcoming, and greeted us warmly each Sunday at mass. Some even
invited us to their homes for interviews, and almost every person
repeatedly said to call again if we needed any more help with
our project. More importantly than learning facts about religious
beliefs, we got to know some thoughtful, funny, and incredibly
generous people.
Six o'clock on Sunday evening finds me at St. Paul's, the Catholic Church on Nassau Street in Princeton. This is when the Mass will be conducted in Spanish for the large Spanish-speaking Catholic population in the Princeton area. A group of young men congregate outside the Church, exchanging jokes and stories and the occasional cigarette. They are dressed neatly but casually in their jeans and fresh T-shirts. Together, they hang around outside, growing larger as a group until it is time for the Mass to start, usually eight to ten minutes after 6:00. At that time, they file in, sit in their typical seats near the back corner of the church, and sit through the Mass. I, too, have a typical seat, also near the same corner. From this spot, I can observe the congregation which gathers on Sunday evenings to worship together.
In front of me, I see a large Church which is only partially filled by this congregation, except on Easter Sunday. Many people come with their entire families, including children, parents, and grandparents. Most families sit up near the front of the church, and a few of them span three generations. Primarily a younger congregation, there are only a few members with graying hair. Many people come to St. Paul's alone, and they sit scattered throughout the back two-thirds of the pews. Sometimes they will come together, like the group of young men; other times, the singles sit alone. There are also many couples at Mass. One couple, appearing to be in their forties, always sits together in the middle of the church, near the aisle. They sit and stand closely together and exchange loving smiles when their glances cross for various reasons. The husband is in charge of organizing the collection and the offertory procession (the time when the bread and wine are brought up to the altar to be turned into the body and blood of Jesus).
The Mass starts with the choir singing hymns accompanied by guitar. Few people in the congregation join in the singing, possibly because there are no song books in Spanish. However, this does not explain why many people do not participate in the responses which are sung and spoken during Mass which are written in a special Spanish book. The priest calls the people to worship- practically a different priest every other week (the priests are sent from Trenton, and in the five weeks that I attended Mass, there were three different priests). Their styles were very different, ranging from the soft-spoken calm of the short, elderly Filipino priest who came three times to the more aggressive and even angry preaching styles of one of the others.
I hear the whispered prayers of an older woman behind me. Her voice mingles with the laughter and occasional shouting of the young children roaming freely throughout the Mass, visiting friends and family indiscriminately. Sometimes it is not possible to determine with which family the children will go home since they move around to visit many families and are greeted with hugs by each one. Generally, the children are left alone, free to explore and play, but there are times when they get hurt from rough-housing or cry out for other reasons. Then Dad usually steps in, pulling the child to sit next to him or to exit the church with him for a moment. As he speaks sternly, the child sits still for a minute or so before returning to play.
Slightly older children, ranging from nine years old to teens, are integral participants in the Mass. When it is time for the offering to be collected, the man in charge walks to the back of the church, signaling the boys and sometimes another man to follow him. They walk up to the front of the church, baskets in hand. The man is walking purposefully, looking straight ahead, whereas the boys are often giggling and exchanging looks with their friends as they pass. As they all move back down the aisles of the church, almost every person puts some money into the collection basket. If there are children in the family, they get the privilege of putting the money in the basket. Mr. Gonzales told me that collections from the Spanish Mass are low, but as far as I can see, everyone contributes something.
After the money has been collected, it is time to bring up the gifts of bread and wine. They are located on a pedestal in the middle of the central aisle, next to the forty-something couple. A different family brings up the gifts each week, and the man always follows with a single basket containing all the collections. His wife then moves the pedestal to the side of the aisle, and he carries it to the back of the church on his return. Like the offertory procession, different members of the parish take turns proclaiming the readings each week. Often there is one woman and one man who read. The collection is always done by males.
For the past three years, there has been a Spanish Mass at St. Paul's. At the beginning of those three years, a Spanish-speaking priest who lived in Freehold, NJ, was assigned to say Mass at St. Paul's every Sunday. The priest was also responsible for Sunday Masses at two other parishes. For a period of three months, there was a Spanish-speaking priest who worked at St. Paul's for two days of the week, but due to priest shortage, there is not a Spanish-speaking priest assigned to St. Paul's anymore, even for the Sunday Mass. Instead, a priest from Trenton comes each week, and as mentioned earlier, that priest changes often. In addition, the most recent pastor of St. Paul's, who knew some Spanish, recently passed away. When I called the rectory office to find out about Masses and other programs for Spanish-speaking people, the woman working there did not have any information except the phone number for Mr. Gonzales, the man who volunteers to help coordinate the Spanish Masses. Oddly, considering Mr. Gonzales' involvement at the church, the woman working in the rectory did not seem to know him personally. When I asked her for directions to his office, she could not help, even though it turned out to be only a few buildings down the road, tucked away on the second floor.
In Latin American countries, the Church often serves as a social
center and a place to go for help. People come to St. Paul's
with a variety of needs, such as assistance for finding jobs and
processing immigration papers. Mr. Gonzales works hard to fulfill
these needs, but there is no programming support from the Church.
Concerning religious matters, the parishioners at St. Paul's
have a true emotional attachment to their faith and are eager
to build a Princeton Catholic Latino community. However, there
are still needs not met by St. Paul's at this time. Perhaps after
St. Paul's recovers from the recent death of their pastor, they
will be able to find someone else who will continue the focus
on the Spanish-speaking community.
Despite some problems with the move to the United States, the Catholic Latinos we interviewed still had a strong faith. Catholicism for them is more than a sermon at a church once a week. It involves a personal relationship with God and the Saints. This relationship is mediated by the clergy of the Catholic Church but is not confined to the church. We were able to interview many people in their homes to see first-hand how they bring their religion from the church into their homes.
One of the most striking elements of the many in-house interviews we conducted was the conglomeration of Catholic, Latino, and American symbols all together. In one home, Jessica was offered both Colombian coffee ("más sabroso que otros cafés") as well as a Diet Pepsi. The plethora of religious ornaments the homes boasted were often connected to the family's native Latin American country. Many were of a patron saint of the interviewees' native country, such as La Virgen de Guadalupe for Mexicans and Guatemalans and the Corazón de Jesús for Colombians. Both of these saints have basilicas erected in their honor in their respective countries. Often, the ornaments were made in Latin America and immigrated with the family. All respondents noted having at least one Bible in their home, along with pictures, paintings, rosaries, crucifixes, little church sculptures, and figurines of Joseph, Mary, Jesus, and any number of other saints.
Most of the people we interviewed pray at least once a day and attend church almost every Sunday. Each person described his or her own ritualized way of communicating with and glorifying God and the Saints. Some have a rote prayer of thanksgiving and request that they embellish when the need arises, while others, notably Mr. Gonzales and the Carrillos, are in constant dialogue with God and tend to avoid rigid prayer structures. Many respondents, particularly the females, have a particular Saint whom they honor with attention and that they expect will reciprocally honor them with care and protection, while others direct their communication to God alone. Alberto Alvarez prays sporadically a Diós for everything within the week, for "all he got and all he did", while his new wife Ana prays every night a Diós y a La Virgen María to offer thanks for all she has, including her husband, and to ask for help and ask forgiveness for her sins. The Vegas exhibited the same pattern of the adult male praying less frequently and more generally than the adult female(s). Pedro prays to God and remarked, "the most important thing is that you believe...lead a good life." Pedro's wife and mother, Margarita and Carolina, both lift prayers to La Santísima Trinidad [Padre, Hijo, Espíritu Santo] before they get up in the morning and before they lay to rest for the night. Upon leaving the house, they say "God bless me" and cross themselves. When asked about favorite saints to whom Margarita and Carolina pay special attention, they each gave a short list, each immediately citing several forms of the Virgin Mary and then adding "Angel de La Guarda, Santo de Carmen, Santa Pergatoria, y Corazón de Jesus."
The Carrillos from Guatemala express the availability and amiability of the God in whom they believe. Angelo says, "there is no hour" for prayer to God. Angelo is always talking, always praying, as in a conversation where he is "talking with someone who he knows is very close to him." Angelo's wife, Erica, reports that she prays when she goes to work and periodically throughout the day. She prays for her kids and for strength to resist temptation. The Carrillos' nine-year-old daughter, Pilar, says she prays at night and when she is scared. Praying helps Pilar because it "calms her down." Their four-year-old son, José, says that he prays at bedtime and that all the family members take turn leading Grace before supper.
Mr. Gonzales and his nineteen-year-old daughter both pray for broad concerns. Mr. Gonzales in particular prays first for salvation of all humans. He prays especially for the deceased members of his family, but does not want to single them out too much. He requests that people receive the help they need and sees, in fact, as his prayer as a kind of help. He prays for world peace and, lastly, for himself.
Esteban Espinoza and his aunt Aurora opened the discussion with a quick genealogy of the family's religious history, including Esteban's mother (Aurora's sister), a devout Catholic who put him through Catholic school. Aurora herself was a nun in Colombia for twenty years. Esteban used to pray the rosary, but since he has grown older has left that ritual to his aunt, saying that he considered saying the rosary more of a female devotional. Aurora specifically prays for the troubles of her family and for society as a whole. Aurora also has made a special devotion to the Virgin, in gratitude for the history of her assistance and the promise of future benefits. Aurora's voluntary commitment is to go to St. Paul's on the first Friday and Saturday of every month. Importantly, as our interview ended and Esteban exited the house ahead of us, Aurora kissed his cheek and blessed him by crossing him. It was evident from the actions of our respondents that religion, love of God, and requests for protection pervade their lives. Shown in simple mannerisms such as the sign of the cross, these sentiments are so automatic that they are never mentioned during the course of questioning and are only left to observation.
The Church is the house of God where all believers in Jesus Christ are to feel at home: to take a break from the bustle of the secular world, become rejuvenated, receive religious instruction and guidance, and meet for fellowship with others in the faith. As will be noted throughout this paper, exactly as it was repeatedly communicated to us, it is difficult to feel the reality of the free access to St. Paul's church and its Catholic community with the existing language and transportation barriers. These problems make the immigrants, even those who arrived many years ago, still feel alienated and unintegrated-from the Latino population at large, not just from the white American population! Of course, it was pointed out by the Espinozas that a "Guatemalan is not a Mexican, is not Colombian, is not a Colombian from a different part of Colombia." However, the language they share, if not the accent, is Spanish. The English-Spanish dichotomy within America, within the microcosm of Princeton, was reinterpreted in a joke by Pedro Vega who laughed, "It is different here because you need to speak English, otherwise God doesn't understand."
St. Paul's is also a locus of social networks. Literally and figuratively, religion serves to propagate religion. Through mass, hymns, confession, and communion, the basic Catholic tenets are inculcated. Fellowship, specifically including friendship-building and mate-finding literally will reproduce believers. This function of the church is not overlooked by the Carrillos, who met at church in Guatemala, or by the Espinozas (aunt and nephew), who banter, only half in jest, about going to St. Paul's to find a good Catholic mate for Esteban. Some mentioned that this social network within the Catholic church was more booming in their native countries than America. These people were somewhat grieved that the social network is not stronger at St. Paul's.
Religion inside the church also fosters family relations for those that have family members in the surrounding New Jersey area. While there are several single men apparently attending church alone and meeting up with other single male friends, many others attended church in the company of at least one family member. Several of the people interviewed attended the Sunday evening mass in pairs (either as husband and wife, as the Alvarez couple, or as close blood relatives, as the Delgados and Espinozas).
The "Hispanic Mass", as the sign outside St. Paul's reads, tries to incorporate all Catholic Latinos in the Princeton area. But, since the population St. Paul's serves is a composite of various ethnic groups coming from different religious upbringings, it is nearly impossible for St. Paul's to fulfill everyone's needs and desires completely. It is equally the responsibility of the congregation to try to make St. Paul's suit their needs, as best as possible. Thus, people will infuse into the Mass a few elements which make them feel at home. I know that I have done this in English-speaking services many times: during the Lord's Prayer I have said "trespasses" while everyone around me has said "debts" and have begun to sing the Doxology the way I was taught, not prepared for the organist to start playing a different rendition from the one I was accustomed. It is for this reason and for this purpose (unconscious retention of the familiar, the beloved) that people make small additions and deletions to the service, without markedly changing anything. Jorge Gonzales addressed this when he told us that he went to Latin services in his youth, learning the different songs and prayers that he uses to this day. Occasionally at mass he will voice different words than the rest of the congregation. It is not out of disrespect, it is out of unique training, tradition, and context.
Semana Santa [Easter Week] is addressed in another section of
this paper, but will be touched on briefly here. for it is a prime
example of how the Catholic Latino residents of Princeton will
make up for in their private homes any element they find lacking
in St. Paul's or the community at large. In fact, it is often
not a question of lacking, but a question of difference. It was
noted by nearly all the respondents that Semana Santa was given
greater attention in their native Latin American country. There
is yet some discrepancy as to what additional services St. Paul's
offers during this week (one woman contended there were a few
special events whereas another believed there were none-and we
should note the effect this uncertainty has upon those who depend
upon St. Paul's for the fulfillment of their religious needs).
Many respondents gave detailed descriptions of the parades in
their native country that would stream from the church, through
the town, and back to the church throughout the entire week.
Many also commented on a foot-washing ceremony (in replication
of Jesus anointing the feet of his disciples) and a Palm Sunday
Parade. The response to this phenomenon is split: some simply
miss the particular holiday celebrations and are saddened by the
absence of a community that can't replicate the traditions they
love, while others try to re-create the holiday rituals in their
homes. They don't necessarily try to organize parades, but they
bedeck their homes with decorations that signify the season.
Perhaps in a few years, with increased communication and solidarity
among Catholic Latinos that attend St. Paul's, the people themselves
can translate the traditions from their various native countries
into their new, and communal Princeton residence.
The people we interviewed cited many differences among the church in Princeton and the churches found in their countries. Nonetheless, many features of the religious practices from Guatemala, Colombia, Mexico, and Princeton were consistent. This is true of the Catholic Church in general ("catholic" literally meaning "universal"). Until the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council (1962-1965), more commonly referred to as "Vatican II," the Mass was celebrated in Latin around the world. One result of Vatican II was the decision to celebrate the Mass in vernacular languages, making the religion more accessible to the common people. Though the language of the Mass varies from country to country, the words are essentially the same. Each week the Mass follows the same pattern of prayers, readings from the Bible, and the elevation of the Eucharist, so not only is the Mass similar from place to place, but from one Sunday to the next, too. In all, the commonality of the Catholic service in Latin American countries and the United States provides immigrants a connection to their countries of origin even after they have moved to the United States.
One way American Catholic churches provide a link for immigrants to their home countries is by providing a Mass in Spanish as well as English. Three years ago, the priest at St. Paul's Catholic Church on Nassau Street recognized the growing population of Spanish-speaking immigrants and instituted a weekly Mass in Spanish. Classes about confirmation and first communion, as well as confession, are also offered in Spanish. By going to the Spanish Mass, members of the Spanish-speaking community have an opportunity to meet other people with similar circumstances. At a recent Mass, a member of MECHA [Mercer County Hispanic Association] passed out flyers advertising a Latin American Dance Festival to be held at Princeton High School. In this way, the Church provides a place where people who share a common background can come together to celebrate that greater history. Interestingly, in one of the weekly newsletters printed in Spanish, there was an ad from an agency that helps people having problems with immigration. In this way, the Church is a place the people can go to for support for concerns that go beyond the issue of religion.
Though the people we interviewed regularly attended the services provided by St. Paul's, many missed the closeness of their communities back home. A complaint shared by many of the people was the lack of rapport with the priests. Since the priests are temporary, there is not enough time to build strong relationships. One priest I heard spoke Castillian Spanish, and perhaps some of the people felt that even though he spoke Spanish, he did not speak their Spanish, though no one remarked on this specifically. This is only a conjecture.
Many interviewees also felt that though the Church provided some services in Spanish, it still did not do enough. Many cited the lack of activities for Spanish-speaking youths. In Colombia, for example, there are separate classes for parents, godparents, and children that one interviewee felt provided a valuable service for the community. The Delgado couple from Guatemala, who raised their children there, observed the great number of retreats available for the youth in their country that was not available in Spanish here. They also mentioned that the Church was a good place for youth to find spouses. Said one Guatemalan woman, roughly translated, "When a girl brings home a boy from the Church, he's probably a good person." The Carrillos spoke of this as well. They met through a youth group in Guatemala, which was very important in bringing them together and helping solidify their faith, especially for Angelo, whose family was not especially religious. Erica Carrillo spoke at length about the need for youth groups in Princeton: "It gives youth a chance to reaffirm Christian values and choose the right thing. Youth is a central time when you become a good person or not. A youth group gives people a chance to meet good people and even if they are not as good at the beginning, they become good because they are sharing good values and high principles."
Alberto and Ana Alvarez also noted the importance of the Church in bringing them together. Alberto was close to the priest in his home in Colombia, who gave him advice about questions to ask Ana on God and personal values to assure they had a firm foundation on which to build a life together. They chose to get married in Colombia because in the churches in the United States, their church had strict requirements, including marriage classes and a six-month waiting period. In Colombia, the Church was more personal because Alberto already knew the priest so well, and the waiting period was waived.
Another difference between the Catholicism of Latin America and Princeton is the way the people feel about the Mass. Josefina spoke of the "personas carismáticas" in the Guatemalan Church that she did not find here. The charismatic movement, usually within Protestantism but also found in Catholicism, refers to mystical things such as speaking in tongues. However, from our talk, I got the impression that Josefina was actually referring to the style of Mass that incorporates more singing and emotions; she literally meant that in Guatemala, there were more "charismatic people" who brought the Church to life with their enthusiasm. When I said that the Church service at St. Paul's seemed to me very unemotional, she readily agreed. "La gente hispana es muy alegre, allá más que aquí," she said; The Hispanic people are very happy, more there [in Guatemala] than here [in Princeton]. In contrast, the people here are "más tranquilla." She said that it is good for the Church to have emotional parishioners because they make the Mass more enjoyable and beautiful. Other interviewees had similar comments. Erica Carrillo said the Mass is less warm here; in Guatemala, it is more close, more alive. Mr. Gonzales noted this difference as well and thought it stemmed from the lack of opportunities to get involved with St. Paul's. Here, people do not have a sense of ownership to the church, he said. Josefina Delgado remarked that the Mass in Guatemala is "mucho mejor" (much better) than the Mass here. The priests there focus their sermons on general issues that affect everyone, whereas the priests here focus on specific temas (themes) that did not necessarily affect the whole congregation. Another reason attendance is lower here, one respondent suggested, is that it is difficult to get to church. Transportation becomes another barrier to the creation of a communal religion, in addition to language.
Not only does one have to go a long distance to get to the service, one must also find the time. One interviewee had trouble finding time outside of the two jobs he worked. Another interviewee said he would like to go to Mass everyday, but that the Spanish Mass is only offered on Sundays, not daily. For the Espinozas, this was occasionally solved by watching Mass on television, something they did not do in their native country. Lastly, services here are not as good as those in Latin America because there are not enough Spanish priests nor enough of a focus on youth. As a result, many people do not feel they are getting what they need from the local church as they did from their churches back home.
St. Paul's has not opened enough opportunities in the minds of many parishioners who have found it difficult to organize volunteer projects through the church. Mr. Gonzales noted that St. Paul's does not have a program similar to those in Colombia which gives food to the poor. Aurora Espinoza used to volunteer a lot of her time in similar programs in Colombia, too, but has not been able to do so at St. Paul's. She misses the activity of the church, saying she feels "useless" here.
There were some differences of opinion about the actual buildings of the Churches. The couple from Guatemala missed their ornate sanctuaries from home, built in the Colonial style and full of history. The more recently built Churches in Guatemala, they lamented, are more like the Churches one finds in the Unites States: less creative, built with "less imagination." However, Mr. Gonzales preferred the less decorated buildings, saying the church's focus was on prayer more than appearance and that money not spent on needless decorations could be spent on the true mission of the Church: helping the poor, feeding the homeless.
Perhaps the greatest difference in being Catholic in Latin America versus Catholic in the United States stems from the fact that American society is not as homogeneously Catholic as many Latin American countries. Margarita Vega was surprised when she accepted an invitation to go to church one weekend and was taken to a non-Catholic service. There was some disagreement about whether this was a good thing. The Guatemalan couple said that with eighty percent of their society Catholic, religion affected many aspects of their lives. More people attend Church there, and as they said earlier, there is much more enthusiasm for their faith. The Vega family remarked that during Easter week, for example, the whole city closes down to celebrate, which serves to strengthen ones ties to the Church and community. Mr. Gonzales, however, was happy to find such diversity in religious practices in the United States. He encouraged his children to explore their different options and did not commit them to Catholicism. In his interview, he remarked that those outside the Church in Colombia were persecuted, since Catholicism was the official religion. The Vega and the Espinoza families also said they believed that Catholicism was the official religion of Colombia. However, in 1936 the Colombian government separated from the Catholic Church, so there no longer is an official religion. How much persecution there is may depend a lot on one's personal situation. For example, Karen's Colombian aunt married a Jewish man from Uruguay. Nonetheless, Mr. Gonzales' point is more than valid when he says that the diversity of options is a good thing in American society, and that the communication and cooperation among different religions is also good for the community. Not only Christians, he said, but also rabbis and the Jewish community have expressed an interest in helping out the Princeton Latino community. Mr. Gonzales himself is part of an inter-denominational group that focuses on meeting the needs of the Princeton community.
Despite the lack of religious opportunities for the Catholic Latino community, one thing has not changed since the immigrants came to Princeton. Josefina and Juan Delgado clearly expressed that their faith is the same both here and in Guatemala. While the forms of practice vary, it is the same God, the same beliefs in both places.
In sum, St. Paul's offers a partial link to the pasts of its Latino
parishioners. The church provides the basic services in Spanish,
such as Mass and confirmation classes, but does not provide the
same social cohesion found in Latin America communities. The
faith of the parishioners is what they make of it independently.
They rely less on others for enthusiasm for their faith and must
look more to themselves to find the strong emotions they associated
with their churches in other countries. The church provides the
basic religious needs of the Latino people, but does not provide
nearly the services that the people we interviewed desire. Though
they cited many differences between the Church here and there,
they said that it was still the same Church, the same God. The
form of practice is different, but not the beliefs. A large number
of those interviewed attend Church on a regular basis and told
us that their faith was as strong as ever, even in their new setting,
yet there was one prevailing sentiment- a scarcity of community.
When the number of Latinos entering the surrounding Princeton community began to increase roughly seven years ago, St. Paul's Catholic Church responded in turn with the introduction of a weekly Spanish Mass. This was a first attempt to fulfill the religious needs of the new community. But in 1997, the presence of an even larger and more diverse Latino population indicates that more must be done to accommodate them. Over the course of our interviews with various Latino members of the St. Paul's congregation, three insufficient areas jump out: consistency, opportunity, and community. St. Paul's does not have a consistent program for its Latino parishioners; there are few opportunities for parishioners to play active roles in the church; and there is not much of a sense of Catholic Latino community among the parishioners. These three ideas are intertwined: increased consistency will lead to more opportunities for activity, leading to a better sense of community.
For many Catholic Latinos in Princeton and elsewhere, the Church has always been an important aspect in their lives. Fostering a faith of devotion to Jesús and la Virgen María, the Catholic Church plays a principle role in an individual's daily decision-making activities. Catholicism offers an individual a consistent solidarity through its established dogma, traditions, and each church's responsibility to provide a reputable and loyal priest to spread the word of el Diós. Priests have the opportunity to develop strong relationships with the lay people through their responsibilities including pre-marriage counseling, baptisms, confession, and quinceañera celebrations. Unfortunately, St. Paul's does not have a consistent and permanent Spanish-speaking priest. During the five weeks we attended service at St. Paul's, we saw three different priests leading the Mass.
Angelo and Erica Carrillo told us about their traditional understanding of a priest as a central and crucial figure in the church and consequently, in their lives. With no regular priest, Angelo Carrillo said there was no centerpiece. Moreover, without a constant priest, there is no opportunity to develop personal relationships often needed by members of the church. For example, when Alberto and Ana Alvarez became engaged, they were worried about the huge amount of time it would take to go through pre-marriage counseling and classes. Unable to approach a familiar Spanish priest in Princeton, Alberto went back to Colombia to seek guidance. Working with his priest from home, Alberto would e-mail marriage questions to Ana and await her response. Thus, Alberto was able to shorten the amount of time needed to complete the traditional marriage classes. With no permanent authority figure in place, Mr. Gonzales has been made the unofficial, unpaid director of Latino issues. Holding no official title at St. Paul's, Mr. Gonzales is still assumed responsible for addressing all of the Latinos needs, from setting up the 6:00 p.m. Mass to welcoming the priest of the week to turning off the lights and locking the doors. He noted that in Latin America, people turn to the Church whenever they need help, so naturally they continue to do that here as well. Latinos go to St. Paul's and are directed to Mr. Gonzales. He has been asked to help with everything from finding them visas to planning quinceañeras. Although he is not a priest or an employee of St. Paul's, Sr. Gonzales is a dedicated Catholic giving up large amounts of his personal time in an attempt to respond to the religious needs and desires of the growing Latino population. He was our main contact person throughout our research project.
Resulting from the lack of a consistent and permanent leadership, there is a scarcity of available opportunities for involvement in the church's activities. Every individual we interviewed gave examples of this predicament. The most common complaint addresses the lack of groups for the advancement of Latino. The Carrillo family thought people would be interested in a Bible study group as well as a youth group. Erica felt a youth group could act as a solid foundation for children caught in a crucial time in their lives with its ability to reaffirm positive Christian values and to encourage interactions with other Catholics. Furthermore, Juan and Cristina Delgado suggested programs like religious retreats in order to combat a passivity they have felt here and to encourage a more active participation among new Latino members of the church. Aurora Esteban, a nun for twenty years in Columbia, would be more than qualified to lead a Bible study group, but has no means of transportation to St. Paul's and back to her home fifteen minutes away any other day of the week except Sunday. This transportation problem is a possible contributor to the low participation of Latinos at St. Paul's. Perhaps creating a shuttle system or a carpool program would enable more persons to get to church each Sunday.
Another aspect indicating a lack of opportunity for church involvement was the complaint that a Spanish Mass is offered only once a week. Marguerite Vega said she would go during the week as well if only there was that option.
Improving Latino programs requires more organization and more active individuals assuming leadership positions. But first, a sense of security at St. Paul's must be established in order to encourage participation. This sentiment can most easily be established with the institution of a permanent priest. Alternatively, a strongly cohered community will naturally produce leaders, but this does not seem as likely. We found a definite need for a sense of community. Each Latino immigrant attending St. Paul's arrived in the United States with a unique story and journey, eventually ending up in one place because of a shared belief in Catholicism. Yet, the sense of community is lacking. Many interviewees describe St. Paul's as cold, especially compared with their churches in Latin America. Mr. Gonzales believes that this is partially due to the fact that people do not participate actively in the Mass since they do not feel like an integral part of the church. Aurora Espinoza brought up the number of diverse nationalities represented at St. Paul's which results in many different mini-communities. She suggested a grassroots approach in order to remind people of their shared immigrant experience.
After Mass ended each Sunday, the sanctuary was empty with ten minutes. All who had attended Mass had gone their own separate ways. There was no discussion about that day's service, the like or dislike of the chosen hymns, or even about the children causing a commotion in the aisles. A post-Mass reception hour offering coffee and tea may be a solution to get people talking with each other and sharing their stories and experiences. The importance of simple socialization should be encouraged because fellowship is one of the primary calls of the Catholic faith.
Because these three areas of concern are all connected, the implementation
of one can lead to the next almost effortlessly. First, the people
need to see the hope and possibility of that occurring. We found
the need and desire for more involvement evident within the community
at St. Paul's, but the activation of involvement cannot be forced.
First and foremost, the Latinos at St. Paul's need a permanent
Spanish speaking priest. Once people recognize, respect, and
grow comfortable with this consistency from Sunday to Sunday,
active participation will increase and opportunities will begin
to surface. Groups will organize, youth involvement will commence,
and relationships will develop. All of these factors can contribute
to a community of faith and friendship which the people desire
at St. Paul's.
St. Paul's Catholic Church on Nassau Street in Princeton, New
Jersey, the United States of America, is far from where its parishioners
call home whether that be Colombia, Mexico, or Guatemala. Though
these people have not found Catholicism in the United States to
be the same as it was in Latin America, they are in the process
of adapting to these changes much like other lifestyle adaptations.
St. Paul's is slowly becoming more Latino-friendly. The weekly
Hispanic Mass and the institution of certain classes in Spanish
is only the first step in creating a community like those known
in Latin America. St. Paul's is in transition. Hopefully, with
continued leadership of people like Mr. Gonzales, Princeton Latinos
will soon find a Catholic community which nurtures their faith.
(two other daughters whom we did not interview)
Native Country: Colombia
Alvarez couple (newlyweds)