The annual Hispanic Day Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral is scheduled for Sunday, October 6 at 4 p.m. in commemoration of National Hispanic Heritage Month. The Office of Hispanic Ministry of the Archdiocese of New York organizes the annual Mass.    

The following Sunday, October 13, New York City’s Hispanic Day Parade (Desfile de la Hispanidad) will begin at noon on Fifth Avenue, starting from 44th Street and ending at 77th Street. Organizers said 21 Latin American countries will unite to showcase their music and culture. 

On the evening of Friday, October 11, starting at 7 p.m. the annual Hispanic Heritage Month Mass will be celebrated at St. Elizabeth Church in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan. Father Ambiorix Rodriguez, pastor of St. Elizabeth, will serve as principal celebrant and homilist. The Mass is sponsored by the Office of Family Life.           

“The Hispanic Heritage Month Mass plays a fundamental role in the life of the Hispanic community, not only as an act of worship but as a bond that unites people around their faith and culture. It is a moment of encounter where values are shared, family ties are strengthened and cultural identity is reaffirmed,” Krismely Garcia, a lead volunteer at St. Elizabeth, told The Good Newsroom.

“The Mass is a refuge where we can find spiritual solace and reconnect with our roots. It is a place where they can speak their native language, practice their customs, and feel a connection with God,” Garcia added.

Within Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15), two annual Marian Spanish Masses at St. Patrick’s Cathedral will be sponsored by the Office of Hispanic Ministry: 

Our Lady of Coromoto (Venezuela), on Sunday, September 15 at 4 p.m.  

Our Lady of Cisne (Ecuador), on Sunday, September 29 at 2 p.m. 

Hispanic Heritage Month started as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968. President Lyndon Johnson signed the law making the week of September 15 a time to honor the contributions and influence of Latino communities. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed into law a bill proclaiming an entire month to celebrate Hispanic heritage. 

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15 because September 15 is significant to several Latin American countries. It is the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.  

Moreover, September 16 is Mexico’s Independence Day. It marks the day in 1810 when a Catholic priest, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla in Mexico, made the first cry for independence. His moving speech lit a spark and inspired a movement.

For more information about Hispanic Heritage Month events in the archdiocese, visit the Office of Hispanic Ministry’s homepage.