SPRINGFIELD - More than 300 Hispanic Catholics from the Springfield Diocese gathered to celebrate their faith on "Encuentro Sunday."

They came from different counties within the diocese to take part in the special Mass led by Bishop George Lucas in the chapel at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School in Springfield.

Lucas thanked them for coming and sharing their faith in God with their families and in their perspective communities.

Afterwards, people piled out to shake hands and take a picture with the bishop.

They also enjoyed a fiesta meal of fajitas, tortillas, beans and rice and attended workshops.

Lola Onate, who attends Our Lady of Lourdes in Decatur, was at the "encounter." She is originally from Mexico.

"I wanted to be at the Mass and see the different people who also speak the Latino language," she said, struggling a bit with her own English.

About six other individuals from Decatur attended the event, including Omar Antelle and his wife, Gaudaloupe, neither of whom spoke English.

Jose Cantu came with about 32 people from St. John's Baptist Catholic Church in Arcola.

"We came to get closer to God. And we came together as a group to have more communication with each other," he said in Spanish, which was interpreted by Joana Quezada, 15, who attends Arcola High School.

The idea behind the workshops was to teach those Hispanic Catholics how to bring their traditions and gifts that can be used in their communities.

Kyle Holt, who works for the Diocese, led a workshop for the junior and high schoolers and said it was important the youth also understood how to use their cultural gifts within the church.

"Hispanic Catholics have such a strong faith, sense of family, solidarity with each other and rich heritage," added Jose and Nereida Avendano, who led the adult workshop.

Often, they said, Catholic Hispanics practice their faith differently in their home countries than in the United States, with longer prayers and different rosaries.

"Many of these immigrants come to this country with nothing except their faith," Jose Avendano said. "But through the love of God, they are able to build up their communities together."

sheilas@herald-review.com | 421-7963.