By Fr. Kenneth Hoesing
Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Harvard, Hispanic Ministry
A few weeks after I arrived at my current assignment almost two years ago, I had the opportunity to perform a baptism—a triple baptism nonetheless—for a family in my parish. This family’s roots are in Mexico. The parents were born in Mexico, but came to the United States when they were young children.
After the baptisms were done, there was a celebration at the home of the paternal grandparents of the baptized. This was a big celebration. The great-grandmother of the baptized came in from Mexico. Many generations of the family were present. Needless to say, there were a lot of people there. Tables were set up in the garage, and outside the garage to accommodate the crowd.
I had the opportunity to speak with many people there. As I was talking to one of the aunts of the baptized, I mentioned how impressed I was by the size of the celebration. What she told me in response has stuck in my mind ever since: “Father, lo más importante es la familia.” Translation: “the most important thing is family.”
I have seen this time and time again when I have had the opportunity to join families in their celebrations, and as I’ve watched their culture in general. The family is the root of everything. Human connection is very important.
I still need a hymnal during Spanish Masses because I don’t have all the hymns memorized (I’m getting there, but it will take a while). However, most of the people at the Spanish Masses I celebrate don’t even pick up their hymnals because they have the songs memorized. This memorization comes from years of being with their families at Mass and at home; the hymns just become part of them over time. Again, this is through family and human connection.
And then there is the food! Food is an important part of family gatherings, and it’s part of the human connection. There’s always plenty. It’s always good, simple, and homemade. There’s nothing a like a plate of homemade food while you gather with the family and get to know them better.
My first experience with this was when I first arrived in Harvard (east of Hastings). There was a wedding coming up the following weekend. After the rehearsal on Friday night there was chicken mole served at the house of one of the families. There was plenty and it was served very informally. It was a good time to meet my new parishioners and to test out my ability to communicate in Spanish (I quickly found out I had some work to do).
While I was sitting there eating and talking, I noticed huge amounts of food on the floor by the kitchen counter—all dry goods and raw vegetables and fruits, in bulk amounts. This food was obviously to be prepared later. I asked someone what all that food was going to be used for. They explained it was for the next day – for the wedding reception after the nuptial Mass. Who, I wondered, was going to prepare it?
I received my answer very quickly. The families of the bride and groom were going to prepare it that night and into the morning! Even in the midst of the activity that goes with a wedding coming up the next day, the families were working together to make sure everyone was fed. More family bonding and human connection.
The families in the area live in the same world as everyone else. They have jobs. They work hard. They have smartphones. They go to their kids’ various activities. Their lives are as busy (and noisy) as everyone else’s. But despite all the activity, noise, and electronics, they haven’t forgotten each other. The family bond, the human touch, is still important. In the activity-driven lives we all inhabit, it is so good to see this.
Family, food, faith, and human connection are important things for everyone. And these things, at their root, are simple, too. Whatever language we may speak, may we remember what the woman told me almost two years ago: “lo más importante es la familia.”
