Lucker Lecture addresses growing influx of immigrants

by Mark Kemmeter

Coordinator of Diocesan Staff

Fr. Clemente Barron, a Passionist priest involved in Hispanic ministry since his ordination, used the experiences of Jesus’ rejection and acceptance of the poor and outcast as an inspiration and a challenge to the audience of the 2005 Bishop Lucker Lecture. The lecture was held on March 3 at St. Mary Church in Willmar. The talk was inspirational because of its relevance to the growing influx of immigrants to

Minnesota from Mexico, Central and South America, Asia and Africa. Fr. Barron’s presentation wove together family stories with Gospel narratives and papal and church documents. At one point of his presentation he shared the story of his parents’ wedding day nearly seventy years ago in rural Texas. They could not be married in the local Catholic parish because they were of Mexican descent and brown-skinned and instead were married in a mission some fifteen miles away. They were not allowed to hold their reception in the town in which they lived because none of the halls or restaurants would serve them. In spite of these rejections, his parents were happy to be married in the church and to celebrate their wedding day with family and friends.

Just after World War II, a Polish priest was assigned to his parents’ parish. The priest spoke very little English and turned to Fr. Barron’s parents to help him serve the community. They accepted and involved the whole Barron family in the process.

Fr. Barron also spoke about how during the Vietnam War his brother, then recently graduated from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas and a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, was refused service at a local barbershop. That experience of rejection convinced his brother that he could no longer reside in their hometown.

In the late 1960’s, Fr. Barron’s father became the first Hispanic Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister in his parish. His father was especially proud because of his great love for the church and his desire to serve others. Today, Fr. Barron’s parents are in their nineties and he commented how they continue to take Communion to the "elderly" of their parish.

There is a similarity between these stories and the rejection that Jesus experienced. There was "no room at the inn" when Jesus was born. Throughout his public ministry there were those who scorned and rejected him. His arrest and crucifixion were carried out by those who refused to accept him, including the final humiliation of executing him "outside" of the walls of Jerusalem.

Fr. Barron’s closing comments focused on the importance of recognizing that community does not mean uniformity. Jesus has called us to unity in diversity. There is much that we can gain from learning about and appreciating other cultures. The Gospel invites us to accept the stranger and to form a community that embraces and welcomes cultural differences. How will we accept the challenge?