Mary: The Bridge Between Cultures

I spent the entire day Friday frantically helping Catholic Social Service volunteers prepare for the family of five refugees from Eastern Congo. I slowly unpacked all of the donations my giving friends and family offered for the new family. Little by little, the bare apartment began to look like a home.

My friend Celina and her entire family, CSS caseworkers, myself and a French translator went to the airport to meet the family as they arrived into Anchorage. As they stepped through security gates they were surrounded by people introducing themselves and welcoming them to Anchorage.

They were absolutely and utterly exhausted after what had been probably more than 24 hours of travel from their refugee camp in Uganda to Alaska. Their eyes were not registering too much. As we stood waiting for their 1piece of luggage (a small tiny bag for a family of five), I noticed beads peaking out of one of the boy’s shirt. I hooked my fingers through it and said “Catholic?” as my fingers hooked on his rosary. I pointed to my rosary bracelet on my wrist and held it up for him. He pointed to me and asked “Catholique?” I said “Yes! Yes! Catholic!” His face broke into a big BIG smile and he said “God is so Good! God is so good!” He went over to his mother to tell her the news and when she heard it she was absolutely thrilled! She threw her arms around me and had the translator tell me that she was so happy. She then said to me “I am a Charismatic Catholic” at which point I was able to say “Me, too!!!” Well. You can imagine her family’s joy at the news. I then invited them to Mass on Sunday morning with me, which made them so happy to know they will have access to the Sacraments.

There we were. We could not speak the same language. We wore different clothes. We are from radically different cultures. Yet those beautiful rosary beads, his and mine, broke all barriers and spoke about our universal shared Faith. We love our Mary and Jesus and, somehow that news made them feel more at home. And I realized it was the Feast of Our Lady’s Assumption into Heaven and I couldn’t think of a better day to have them arrive into town.