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Local Catholics celebrate diversity [Catholic "Immigration Mass" in Apple Valley, CA]
The Daily Press ^ | June 10, 2007 | RYAN ORR

Posted on 06/11/2007 6:31:33 AM PDT by Alex Murphy

APPLE VALLEY — A procession was held at Our Lady of Desert Catholic Church in Apple Valley commemorating the blessed sacrament and celebrating diversity as immigration reform remains at the forefront of local and national politics.

Holding processions is an ancient tradition of the Catholic faith. This was the first procession celebrating the Corpus Christi Feast for the perish since it opened in the late ’70s.

“We’re here to pray for the idea that we’re all immigrants,” said Norm Dollar, a long time member of the Apple Valley parish.

Around 200 people walked from St. Mary Regional School to Our Lady of the Desert, many carrying umbrellas to combat temperatures that reached the high 90s.

Along the way were five stops, each with the theme of a different heritage. There was a Filipino station, Hispanic station, African American station, a station for the deaf community and one featuring a prayer group within the church.

At each station the mass of people would stop and pray and listen to people speak about their heritage.

The controversial immigration overhaul bill that has been widely debated in the past month died Thursday in the U.S. Senate.

The Catholic Church supports immigration reform and is calling for the legislative process to move forward.

Bishop Gerald R. Barnes of San Bernardino is chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Migration.

People came from Adelanto, Victorville and Hesperia to participate in the procession, said Father Antonio Abuan of Our Lady of the Desert. He said that it was a great turnout and could even be something they think of doing annually.

“It really shows the devotion of the people,” Abuan said.

The procession was a reminder that they are one church, and one faith.

“We’re a church of migrant people, but there is a fracture in humanity itself” said Vern Schweiger, who has been in the parish since 1989. “We want to remember we’re one before we’re many.”


TOPICS: Catholic; Ministry/Outreach; Religion & Politics; Worship
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 06/11/2007 6:31:34 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
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To: Frank Sheed
Lunchtime!
2 posted on 06/11/2007 8:04:02 AM PDT by Tax-chick ("Oh, a Queen may love her subjects in her heart, and yet be dog-wearied of ’em in body and mind.")
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Comment #3 Removed by Moderator

To: Tax-chick; sandyeggo

“Prudence is that virtue by which we discern what is proper to be done under the various circumstances of time and place.”
—John Milton

Translation: time for ALL to bail... Bye!


4 posted on 06/11/2007 8:55:24 AM PDT by Frank Sheed (Fr. V. R. Capodanno, Lt, USN, Catholic Chaplain. 3rd/5th, 1st Marine Div., FMF. MOH, posthumously.)
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To: Frank Sheed

:-).

Niceness Prize for you!


5 posted on 06/11/2007 9:00:04 AM PDT by Tax-chick ("Oh, a Queen may love her subjects in her heart, and yet be dog-wearied of ’em in body and mind.")
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To: sandyeggo

I almost always forget that I can have multiple windows open at once. When I remember, it’s useful to be able to copy title and author information from a thread to the library catalog site, for example.

(And now I’m following Frank’s good example and departing to nap.)


6 posted on 06/11/2007 9:01:33 AM PDT by Tax-chick ("Oh, a Queen may love her subjects in her heart, and yet be dog-wearied of ’em in body and mind.")
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“We’re here to pray for the idea that we’re all immigrants,” said Norm Dollar, a long time member of the Apple Valley parish.

You fail to mention Norm, that most of us and our ancestors are legal immigrants.

7 posted on 06/12/2007 4:47:01 AM PDT by A.A. Cunningham
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