Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, celebrated the Archdiocese of Newark Hispanic Ministry’s annual Hispanic Heritage Mass on September 8 in Newark’s Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
In his homily, Cardinal Tobin highlighted the significance of the Virgin Mary as a unifying symbol across all Latin American countries. He also underscored the crucial role of preserving the Catholic faith.
“Faith is conserved in the way it is shared — with trust,” Cardinal Tobin said.
The liturgy concluded with special acknowledgement of Auxiliary Bishop Manuel Cruz’s 15th anniversary of his ordination as a bishop. To honor him, the entirety of the Cathedral Basilica sang “Happy Birthday” before bursting into applause. It was noted that the anniversary date is particularly meaningful to Bishop Cruz because it is also the feast day of Our Lady of Charity, the patron saint of Cuba, from where the bishop emigrated in 1966.
The Archdiocese of Newark’s Hispanic Ministry, led by its director, Deacon Asterio Velasco, collaborates with archdiocesan offices and 85 archdiocesan parishes with Hispanic ministries to provide assistance and programming to local Hispanic Catholics, who make up 40% of the Archdiocese’s population.
About the Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark serves 1.3 million Catholics throughout Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Union counties. The Archdiocese has 212 parishes, 73 Catholic schools, and many missions and ministries. Hundreds of Masses are celebrated in more than a dozen languages each week. Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., the sixth archbishop of Newark, leads the Archdiocese with four auxiliary bishops. Together, they serve the northern New Jersey community through faith, education, and social services. For more information, visit www.rcan.org.