“The Gospel (Mark 9) is inviting us, as disciples of Jesus, to be able to know more of the Teacher, to have a closeness to the Teacher, in contact with Him through the Eucharist,” Father William R. Arteaga Vera told the faithful at the annual Our Lady of Cisne Mass. The afternoon liturgy took place on Sunday, September 29 and drew about 1,400 people.

Father Arteaga, from the Diocese of Loja, Ecuador, served as principal celebrant and homilist at the annual Mass to honor Our Lady of Cisne, the patroness of Ecuador.

He went on to talk about “lessons that Jesus gives us for this discipleship.” The priest spoke about the importance of avoiding egoism and selfishness, and instead seeking ways to serve others, noting, “The disciples of the Lord — you and I — cannot live in a selfish way, in a closed way, closing our hearts. Today, Jesus proposes for us an opening, a communion among all brothers and sisters who like to work to do good.”

He spoke of the significance of goodwill continuing to grow in our families, our parishes, and our communities, “by having the generous attitude of our Father God. … Today, Jesus invites us to be generous — we, who are children of the Virgin, who love the Virgin. … Unfortunately, today we live in a world that is selfish, one that says, ‘What counts is that I’m OK, and I don’t care about the rest.'”

In addition, Father Arteaga noted the importance of “extending a hand that lifts us up, because we all need a word of encouragement, a smile or a hug — but it all should come from love and generosity. The Gospel tells us that we need to yank out from the heart all that is bad, all that is harmful to us. Be watchful of your thoughts, your words, and your decisions. … May Our Lady of Cisne grant us the grace to live for the glory of God.”

Father Arteaga is a parish pastor who has also served in diocesan and seminary positions within the Diocese of Loja.

Jaime and Linda Pane were among the faithful at the Mass; they were with their two children. The family’s longtime parish is the Church of the Assumption in Peekskill.

“We follow the Virgin Mary; this is very important,” Jaime Pane told The Good Newsroom before the Mass began. “It is for the faith — it is for Christ.” He said he appreciated that organizers arranged for a priest from the family’s native Ecuador to travel to New York to celebrate the special Mass.

Deacon Carlos Campoverde, Ecuadorian-born from Assumption parish, gave closing remarks of contentment and gratitude. Father Brian McWeeney, archdiocesan director of the Ethnic Apostolate, was among the concelebrants, and the choir was from Assumption as well. The Office of Hispanic Ministry of the Archdiocese of New York and the archdiocesan Our Lady of Cisne Committee plan the Mass each year.

A figure of Our Lady of Cisne, normally kept at Assumption in Peekskill, was featured in the entrance procession and was on display at the sanctuary steps during Mass. The Peekskill parish has a large Ecuadorian community. The historic statue of Our Lady of Cisne, sculpted in 1594, is made of wood and kept in the National Shrine of Our Lady of El Cisne in the town of El Cisne, Ecuador. Our Lady of Cisne shares the same feast day as the Assumption of Mary, August 15.