PHOTOS: After 10 years, Hispanic Congress still marks several firsts

Though it’s been 10 years since the Archdiocese of Omaha’s first Hispanic Congress, this year’s event still provided several firsts and other unique opportunities for participants, said Deacon Gregorio Elizalde, manager of the archdiocese’s Hispanic Ministry Office.

The congress – held July 25-26 at Daniel J. Gross Catholic High School in Bellevue – drew more than 900 people over the two days, including some from the dioceses of Lincoln and Grand Island, as well as from Iowa.

It was a way to gather, celebrate and share their Catholic faith, Deacon Elizalde said.

PHOTOS BY LUIS TULE

In previous years, the event had been held at V.J. and Angela Skutt Catholic High School or  Roncalli Catholic School, both in Omaha. This year, because of scheduling conflicts, it was held at Gross Catholic.

The school’s proximity to South Omaha and a larger Hispanic population made the venue a crowd pleaser, the deacon said.

The Church’s Jubilee Year, with its theme “Pilgrims of Hope,” helped inspire the theme for this year’s congress: “Jesus Is Hope for Families.” Talks, music and worship centered around the theme.

One of the main attractions, though, was a new archbishop. Participants welcomed Archbishop Michael G. McGovern, who was installed as leader of the archdiocese in May. He celebrated a Saturday afternoon Mass with them and greeted people for more than an hour after the Mass. They lined up for prayers, blessings and pictures with the archbishop.

“People really appreciated his presence,” Deacon Elizalde said. For faith-filled Hispanics, “he’s the image of Christ for us.”

On Sunday, Archbishop Emeritus George J. Lucas celebrated Mass. It was the first time two archbishops were part of the congress, Deacon Elizalde said, and everyone seemed thrilled with that precedent.

The fear caused by recent raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers didn’t seem to affect the overall number of participants, he said, but there seemed to be fewer people from rural areas of the archdiocese.

“Even in this time of fear for some, people wanted to be together in faith,” the deacon said. The congress is “always an opportunity to celebrate together as brothers and sisters – and now with a new pastor.”

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