Sisters’ arrival sparked Latinos coming back to church

Attendance grows to 200 parishioners at Sunday Mass in past three years

Published: March 7, 2015

By Brenda Clark
El Dorado Correspondent

Brenda Clark

Sisters Maria Lozano, Carmen Olivas, Cecilia Toledo and Adela Lopez, CMST, serve the growing community at Holy Spirit Church in Hamburg with home visits and sacramental preparation.

Brenda Clark

Sisters Maria Lozano, Carmen Olivas, Cecilia Toledo and Adela Lopez, CMST, serve the growing community at Holy Spirit Church in Hamburg with home visits and sacramental preparation.

HAMBURG — The story of Holy Spirit Church in Hamburg began to fade away with each passing day. Under the direction of only part-time ministry and no money, the church was beginning to fall down.

The roof was caving in, the windows were cracking from the weight of that roof and pews were coming apart. Today that little church sits empty after nearly 20 years of neglect. With its heavy sagging floor and falling ceiling, the building can no longer be used.

But in 2011 four sisters of the Missionary Carmelites of St. Teresa arrived at the request of Bishop Anthony B. Taylor. They had no choice but to use that little church, despite its failings. The sisters’ arrival sparked the Latino population coming back to Holy Spirit Church.

In a few months, attendance had grown so much that when representatives of Catholic Extension visited the decaying church in 2012, an overwhelming number of parishioners showed up to share the love they have for their church and what it means to them.

With the significant growth, coupled with the dilapidation of the church building, it was time to find another home. Just down the road, they found an old body shop that was large enough that a growing congregation could turn the dream of a new church building into a reality.

Four years later, a large community comes to worship and learn together in a new church. Sunday Mass attendance is up to 200, Sister Maria Lozano, CMST, said.

A new set of sisters now live at the little convent down the road from the church. Sister Cecilia Toledo arrived three years ago followed by Sister Maria Lozano, who arrived a year and half ago. Sister Carmen Olivas and Sister Adela Lopez arrived six months ago.

The sisters plan their ministry work, divide up the household chores and most importantly, they say, worship together. One room in the convent is dedicated to prayer with light streaming through the window bathing the kneeling benches and statues in a peaceful glow. It is here that they pray the Liturgy of the Hours.

The sisters attend Mass Tuesday through Friday by driving 30 miles to Our Lady of the Lake Church in Lake Village. Tending to Holy Spirit Church is Father Theophilus Okpara. He also celebrates Mass in Lake Village and Crossett. He celebrates Mass at Holy Spirit Church on Sunday and sometimes on Wednesdays. The sisters do not mind the drive to Lake Village because they love the time they have with the Lord.

Sister Cecilia guides the parishioners through sacramental preparations for baptism. She also plays a role in the celebration of Quinceanera and their retreat for the Latino girls when they reach 15 years old.

Sister Carmen is at the helm of marriage preparation. She also works with boys and girls as altar servers. Sister Maria leads catechism classes, confirmation classes, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and catechist formation as well as lectors for Mass. Sister Adela is in charge of home visits to the parishioners and bringing the Eucharist to those unable to attend Mass.

Sister Carmen said home visits are very important. “I am here because I want to see you,” she tells them.

“They need to know someone cares,” she said. “We missed you in church. What do you need from our church? Or when somebody is sick? How many children do you have?”

The sisters also work with undocumented immigrants through Catholic Immigration Services.

In fact, everything the sisters do is done in hopes of meeting the needs of the parishioners and fulfilling the desire of the faithful to worship. The new church helps accomplish this with its three classrooms, two offices, a kitchen and a large sanctuary and reconciliation room. There is no sign the building used to be an auto body shop.

Though these sisters were not here when the tale of this parish started, they will continue moving forward, setting goals for the parish. They have a written plan, though they are open to what may come up in a day, Sister Maria said.

The one thing the sisters say they need more than anything else is help securing bilingual books and materials for the English- and Spanish-speaking congregants.

“We need kind of a catechism fund. We don’t have much material or books. We need bilingual materials, books,” Sister Maria said.

The sisters will continue their work, passing it along to the next set of sisters that comes to Hamburg to serve its Hispanic population.