Prayer for migrants, refugees brings together Diocese of Knoxville faithful
By Gabrielle Nolan
The Diocese of Knoxville’s Office of Hispanic Ministry hosted the annual multilingual rosary at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville on Sept. 20.
The rosary, prayed in several languages, preceded National Migration Week (Sept. 23-29) and World Day of Migrants (Sept. 29), two events celebrated by the universal Church.
Pope Francis chose “God walks with His people” as the 2024 theme.
Blanca Primm, director of the Office of Hispanic Ministry, welcomed the participants.
“We especially welcome our brothers and sisters in Christ who are not of the Catholic faith,” Mrs. Primm said. “Like in Pentecost, we come together as one family to elevate our prayers for our brothers and sisters who are immigrants and refugees. We ask for our Blessed Mother’s protection, especially for those who are forced to flee their homes seeking a safe and better life for themselves and their families.”
In addition to praying for migrants and refugees, Mrs. Primm informed the crowd that Father Youngseung Lee, pastor of the Catholic Church of the Korean Martyrs in Nashville, was unable to attend the event because he was involved in an automobile accident 40 miles outside of Knoxville.
He was taken to the hospital but later discharged. Notably, this accident occurred on the feast day of St. Andrew Kim Taegon and the Korean Martyrs.
“We are going to offer this rosary for Father Lee, as well,” Mrs. Primm said.
Before the rosary began, Deacon Fredy Vargas, who serves at the cathedral, gave a reflection for the event.
“Dear brothers and sisters, as we prepare for World Migrant and Refugees Day … it is a significant occasion to remember the dignity of every person, regardless of where they were born or their circumstances,” he said. “Migration affects millions of people who are forced to leave their homes due to violence, war, persecution, or extreme poverty. As Christians, we are called to be instruments of God’s love and compassion in the face of this reality. Every person has the right to seek safety in their lives in the face of danger. Jesus Himself, as a child, fled from Egypt with Mary and Joseph to escape the violence of King Herod.”
Deacon Vargas said the suffering of migrants is “not a distant issue but a human reality that we must respond to with compassion.”
He quoted Leviticus 19:34, which says, “You shall treat the alien who resides with you no differently than the natives born among you; you shall love the alien as yourself; for you, too, were once aliens in the land of Egypt. I, the LORD, am your God.”
Deacon Vargas shared how this Scripture passage reflects the corporal works of mercy.
Members of the Hispanic community sing ‘Christ Needs You to Love’ and ‘Bread of Life’ before a decade of the rosary during the annual multilingual rosary at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Sept. 20. (Photo Gabrielle Nolan)
“Every time we welcome a migrant, we are welcoming Christ Himself. Pope Francis constantly reminds us that our true citizenship is not in this earth but of heaven. We are pilgrims on this earth and along our journey we encounter Christ in the poor, the marginalized, and the immigrants,” he remarked.
In addition to praying for the poor and marginalized, Deacon Vargas also invited those in attendance to reflect “on the dangers that come with pursuing wealth and comfort.”
“In our pursuit for material well-being, we can forget those in need, such as migrants and the poor,” he said. “In the Letter of James, chapter five, he warns us that the desire for wealth can blind us to the needs of others. We must not let our concerns for material things prevent us from feeling our call to serve the most vulnerable.”
Lastly, the deacon encouraged the crowd to examine their lives and recognize any barriers between themselves and others.
“Those barriers might be cultural, social, or economic, and they prevent us from seeing others as they truly are: people made in the image and likeness of God,” he said.
“Jesus calls us to tear down these barriers and open our hearts to others with love and mercy. This evening as we pray the rosary together in several languages, united in prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, many of us here are also migrants. And through the mysteries of the rosary, we ask for her intercession to guide us toward her Son, Jesus, and to teach us to be more compassionate and welcoming to others. May the Virgin Mary with her love and humility inspire us to welcome those in need and be witnesses of God’s love in this world. Amen,” Deacon Vargas continued.
The rosary was prayed in nearly 20 languages, including Arabic, Swahili, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Each section of the rosary, such as the Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, and Hail Mary, was prayed in a different language. Before each decade, an intention was prayed; after each decade, a different community would perform a song.
Drocella Mugorewera, a parishioner at Holy Ghost in Knoxville, participated in the multilingual rosary with other women in the African community, singing a song in their native language between decades of the rosary.
“I was inspired to participate because I am an immigrant. I came to America as a refugee,” she said, noting that she is originally from Rwanda.
Mrs. Mugorewera said that she knows the power of the holy rosary.
“Mother Mary appeared in my country of Rwanda, so it’s like I did a pilgrimage to come here and to pray and uplift those voices, those voices that are in the bushes who cannot talk for themselves, and we uplift our prayers to support them,” she said.
She wore a traditional African dress adorned with the image of the Blessed Mother.
“I wear this just to honor Mother Mary and to be present with her. And when she appeared in Rwanda, she did say she never separates with her Son, Jesus. So, the presence of Jesus when I’m also with Mary is fascinating for me,” she commented.
Mrs. Mugorewera said the faithful need to not only pray for the welcoming communities and people but also for the oppressors and dictators who cause problems in the home countries of migrants and refugees.
Adeline Letizia, a parishioner at St. John Neumann in Farragut, was present at the multilingual rosary with her family.
Mrs. Letizia is originally from France, and her husband is Italian. She noted that often her family prays the rosary at home in different languages.
“We are very involved in the international community here,” she said. “We like to discover other cultures. I also like the children to see that there is not just one culture, like many people can be different and still we all came here to pray the same rosary. … I think it’s important for the kids to see the diversity.”
Though this event brings many cultures together, Mrs. Letizia said that they all “have the same desire” to seek God and follow Jesus.
Jin Wook Ro, a member of the Korean Catholic community and a parishioner at All Saints in Knoxville, described participating in the multilingual rosary as a “meaningful experience.”
“It gave me a chance to reflect on the challenges [migrants and refugees] face and highlighted the importance of community support,” he said.
“As a migrant myself, my Catholic faith inspires me to welcome others with compassion and understanding,” he continued. “I recognize the struggles that come with leaving one’s home, and my faith reminds me of the importance of treating everyone with dignity and love.”
Mr. Ro said that he believes prayer can connect various cultures and promote unity within the Church.
“I think the multilingual rosary strengthens our sense of community and reinforces our dedication to supporting migrants and refugees. I am excited to become more engaged with the community in the future,” he remarked.
Mrs. Primm noted that this is the third year the diocese has hosted the multilingual rosary.
“The intention of the rosary was to ask our Blessed Mother’s protection, especially for those who are forced to flee their homes seeking a safe and better life for themselves and their families. We pray for the end of war and violence, for an end of persecution of the Church and injustice, for peace, and for the governments to work for the common good,” she said.
“The rosary is an occasion to gather everyone and highlight our rich diversity of cultures, promote participation in the prayer, and despite our different languages spoken, praying in our mother tongue reminds us we are at home,” Mrs. Primm continued. “As Catholics, the Church is our home, and we are welcome. We felt united as one in Christ as members of one Church.”
After the rosary, all participants were invited to the Chancery for a variety of international foods and drinks.
“We played a game that allowed us to share aspects of our cultures, and many participants from different countries emphasized how ingrained and important the Marian devotions, especially the prayer of the rosary, were for them,” Mrs. Primm explained.
The annual multilingual rosary is just one avenue of how the Office of Hispanic Ministry caters to migrants and refugees.
“Our office connects new residents to a parish community and other existing resources,” Mrs. Primm noted. “We also work on accompanying immigrants facing challenges and collaborate with other institutions who advocate and serve immigrants as well. Our Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who are part of our ministry serving in the Five Rivers deanery and in the Chattanooga area, are great examples of walking with immigrant communities living by the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.”
Mrs. Primm shared that the Catholic population in the diocese is growing largely due to migration.
“We as Catholics need to be prepared and develop intercultural competencies for ministries to welcome new members who come from other places and cultures,” she said.
