Bishop Luis Zarama, together with Msgr. David Brockman, rector of Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, and Father Juan Manuel Alvarez and Father John Vedanayagam, parochial vicars at the cathedral, celebrated Mass with migrant farmworkers Oct. 27 in Four Oaks, NC.
The Four Oaks outreach work grew out of the annual diocesan summer gathering for farmworkers. In collaboration with various clergy, Deacon Juan Banda and his wife Lettie began a year-round ministry to these workers, who come to North Carolina for about seven months each year, away from their families, to plant and harvest various crops. The ministry now attends to about 60 men, many of whom have been working at the same farm for almost 20 years through a special federal program.
Volunteers from the cathedral visit the work camps each week to provide workers a hot meal and continued faith formation when time permits. Parish lay leadership of the ministry changes every few years, but the focus always remains the same: to provide spiritual and pastoral care with prayer, to celebrate Mass together, to share fresh cooked meals and to provide needed clothing and supplies.
“It’s an opportunity for us to serve the dignity of those who work so hard to provide food for so many tables throughout our country,” Monsignor Brockman said.
During the growing season, clergy from the cathedral typically celebrate three special Masses: a welcome Mass, a “Fiesta Hispana” with Mass followed by dancing and games like “lotería” (Spanish bingo), and a farewell Mass.
A farewell Mass was held at the work camp site this past weekend, as the workers will soon be returning home. Mass was set up with a covered altar, which Monsignor Brockman affectionately refers to as, “The Mobile Cathedral.” The tent under which the Mass was celebrated was erected at the edge of one of the very fields in which the men labor.
Bishop Luis expressed his gratitude to all the workers for their service and sacrifices, assuring them of his prayers, especially as they prepare in the next week or so to return to their homes in various states throughout Mexico. After Mass and the meal, many of the men then gave thanks to Bishop Luis and the cathedral team. There were many happy goodbyes at the end of the evening with a lot of hugs, promises of continued prayers and shouts of, “See you in the spring!”
Photos
