“Here comes everybody,” Archbishop Ronald Hicks said on Sunday, June 14, as he described his view of the Catholic Church. Addressing speakers of English, Spanish, and Korean as he celebrated the 100th-anniversary Mass of the Church of the Sacred Heart in Hartsdale, he seemed entirely correct. 

“God calls everybody, and when you are everybody, you become brothers and sisters to one another,” the archbishop said. Having begun his day with the annual Puerto Rican Day Mass, ahead of the parade for the same occasion, and then greeting parishioners in English and Spanish before admitting the limits of his Korean, Archbishop Hicks asked how many of the hundreds of parishioners in attendance had been there for 50 years or more. He was pleased to see a few hands go up. 

Hope for the future 

“It doesn’t matter when you became part of this family, because you’re part of God’s family. You are baptized, you’re a disciple, and you’ve come together in this particular parish to follow our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” he said. 

“My friends, today, as we remember the past, thank God for the present and look to the future with hope, we do so with love, because God is love, and that love is expressed through his Sacred Heart. To this Church of Sacred Heart, congratulations on 100 years, and may God continue to bless you, today, tomorrow, and always,” he said. 

The first reading for the Mass was presented in Spanish, the second in Korean, with the Gospel finally read in English. 

At the end of Mass, Father Michael Moon, pastor of Church of the Sacred Heart and concelebrant, thanked Archbishop Hicks for joining them, along with expressing his gratitude to the parish’s 100th anniversary committee.  

So modest were Father Moon’s remarks that Archbishop Hicks asked parishioners to recognize and thank their pastor for his leadership with a round of applause. The archbishop also asked that they pray for each other.  

“I’ll bring those intentions to the Heart of Jesus, asking him to carry them to the Father. I will pray for you, and when I do, please know that I’ll be praying for you with great gratitude and love,” he said.  

A celebration of community 

As celebrants and parishioners exited the church, they were greeted by a pungmul, a traditional Korean drum group. After the performance, Archbishop Hicks greeted each of the members and posted for a photo with them, before spending time speaking with and meeting numerous members of the parish. Other attendees joined a long line to enjoy food prepared by fellow parishioners.  

“It’s amazing. I never expected this… It’s difficult to describe. It’s really good that there are so many different people who came together,” Father Moon told The Good Newsroom after the Mass.