"I think it means a lot to people," he added. Three years ago, he said, his parish in Oakbrook Terrace, the Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church, began holding services for Simbang Gabi, a nine-day Filipino celebration around Christmas.įilipinos only constitute about 15 percent of his parish, Ilagan said, but the church has clearly tried to respond to their interests. "Now we can stick together at this church."Įfforts like these to adjust the church community according to demographics is one of the ways that the Catholic Church is trying to reach out to its members, even as many churches nationwide see membership declining, said Sister Judith Davies, chancellor of the diocese.įor 62-year-old Serafin Ilagan, who emigrated from the Philippines 40 years ago, these outreach efforts have very practical benefits. "We are from the same village in Vietnam," said Ly Quyem, 35, now of Glen Ellyn, pointing to his friend, Phuong Tran. Then, six years ago, the diocese helped them secure a small church nearby to convene their own services. Like many others in their parish, Ta and Lien used to attend services at a more diverse church in Glendale Heights.
"It's a place for us to be able to retain our culture. "It's so important," said Ta, who along with Nguyen and 600 other Vietnamese families, makes up Queenship of Mary Catholic Church in Glen Ellyn.
Continuing until 7 p.m., the stage program reflected the diversity of the audience, veering from the Mexican Strollers to the Sullivan Irish Dancers and finally to the Croatian Kolo Dancers.įor many in the crowd, having the chance to celebrate their Catholicism with accents of their own cultures was an apt reflection of the Church's efforts to understand its changing community.
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