Indian Catholics in America celebrate their heritage with Cardinal Rigali

By CHRISTIE L. CHICOINE
CS&T Staff Writer

Although India is known as a predominantly Hindu country, there is a very faithful Catholic Church there, according to Father William G. Ayres, director of the Archdiocese’s Office for Pastoral Care for Migrants and Refugees.
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia, in particular, reaps the benefits of the rich faith and culture of Indian Catholic emigrants who sojourn to American soil. That was evident at a July 10 Mass Cardinal Justin Rigali celebrated at Incarnation of Our Lord Church.
The celebration was sponsored by the Indian American Catholic Association in commemoration of the July 3 Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle, who brought the Gospel to the people of India.
“As Thomas traveled far, and very boldly and courageously brought the Gospel message of Christ and His love to the people of India, hopefully, as they celebrate his feast, they, too, will take that message to others — in their families, their communities and wherever else they may find themselves,” said Father Geraldo J. Piñero, pastor of Incarnation of Our Lord Parish.
At Incarnation, the Syro Malankara Rite (see box at left) is celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays. “They have a great reverence for the sacred,” Father Piñero said of his Indian parishioners. “They’re just a kind, gentle people. I’m always impressed by how the young people of that community are also very reverent.
“It’s a very family-oriented culture. The unity of the family and the importance of family really comes through when they gather for Eucharist or any celebrations we have here,” he said.
Father Ayres said about 550 families make up the Indian Catholic community in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
As well as a celebration of the history of Catholocism in India, the July 10 Mass was a beautiful demonstration of how the traditions and customs of Indian Catholics are integrated into their lives in the United States, Father Ayres said.
Liz Austin, president of the Indian American Catholic Association, described the July 10 Mass as “uplifting.”
She appreciated the Cardinal’s homily, particularly his reaffirming words to the Indian American Catholics. “He said not to lose our heritage, our culture,” said Austin.
A member of St. Martin of Tours, Austin is a native of New Delhi, India.
She is happy with how her community is received by the Church in America. “In giving us the freedom to incorporate what we learned in India into our Masses here, including us and coming to our functions, the Church is supportive of the Indian community.”
A tax examiner for the Internal Revenue Service in Philadelphia, the 41-year-old Austin moved to the United States at age 12.
Austin, her husband, John, and their three children, Catherine, 16; David, 15 and Cynthia, 12, attend the Indian Apostolate’s 4 p.m. Mass for the Latin Rite on the fourth Sunday of the month at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, Bensalem; the remainder of the month they attend St. Martin of Tours Church.
The Office for Pastoral Care for Migrants and Refugees facilitates the full participation of immigrants, refugees and migrants in the Church.
The Archdiocese provides pastoral care to Catholics of diverse ethnic backgrounds through ethnic or personal parishes and through apostolates that provide liturgical services and care to Catholics of various languages, cultures and rites.
For more information on the Indian Apostolate, contact the Office for Pastoral Care for Migrants and Refugees at (215) 587-3540.

Contact Christie L. Chicoine at (215) 587-2468 or cchicoin@adphila.org