Just a little background: I am a student in the MS-NDR program at Werner (Creighton) and am a Catholic priest, currently serving in a parish in Tucson, Arizona.

The current pastor (my boss) has considerably broadened the language offerings for religious services (Mass, and others) in our parish. We have a large Hispanic population, but also a considerable Polish immigrant contingent. In recent years, we have also become the home parish for a number of families who are African refugees from half a dozen different countries. Currently, many of the sung responses are done with some parts in English and other parts in Spanish. There is a Sunday Mass in all Spanish, several in English, and a monthly Mass in Polish, with another monthly Mass with an African choir. (Whose music, by the way, just makes my whole week!)

I found myself an observer to a very heated conversation between two groups of Mexican-American immigrant families, about evenly divided into two camps. One group was arguing that having bi-lingual (English and Spanish) prayers, readings, and especially sung responses was a wonderful way to bring everyone together in the parish. The other group, also Mexican-American was adamantly and vocally opposed to the practice. Their voiced position was that it was ultimately another form of oppression to "cater" to the Spanish-only speakers by having bilingual responses at all the Masses. They had no problem with "private" interactions (confessions, prayer groups, instructional sessions, spiritual direction, etc.) being provided in Spanish, but held that by having bilingual services "forced on everyone, especially at Easter" it was ultimately a way of keeping the Spanish-only speaking people in a subordinate position both in the parish and in society.

I did not join in the discussion, and was actually unseen by most of the group, nor did I try to join in or make myself known. The last time I walked in on a discussion like that, everybody stopped talking, because "Father" had walked up, and they didn't want to have a heated discussion in front of me.

I'm wondering what other people here might think of this conflict and what issues might be at play?

--Glenn