By Alfonso Aguilar
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 6/2/05)

For the first time, the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington celebrated Corpus Christi with a bilingual Mass (English/Spanish) and a procession with hundreds of parishioners, including boys and girls celebrating their first Communion.

"This is a very special day for our cathedral. We are here together united in our faith," said Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde (pictured in photo at right).

"I feel very proud of being with you in this celebration, but I should confess that I just regret not being fluent in Spanish as I am in English or Italian," he said.

"Long live our bishop, Que viva nuestro Obispo," replied the crowd.

Bishop Loverde presided over the Sunday Mass and was assisted by Fathers Robert J. Rippy and Matthew H. Zuberbueler, cathedral rector and parochial vicar Father Paul A. Berghout, master of ceremonies and deacon Samuel M. Taub also participated in the service.

The feast is a day of reflection about the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The celebration, traditionally very colorful, includes processions with statues of saints, crosses, flags, society banners and music.

Given that this celebration emphasizes the Eucharist, it is common to see many first communicants preceding the Blessed Sacrament, dropping roses or other flowers along the way.

After the Mass, the bishop, concelebrants, choirs, musicians, children in their first Communion outfits and parishioners gathered outside the cathedral for a procession, which included a blessing ceremony at an altar graced by a beautiful multicolored floral carpet made by Guatemalan artisans from Concepción Chiquirichapa village.

"Among other symbols, the carpet depicts the monstrance of the cathedral, the bishop’s coat of arms, grapes and crosses," explained Father Zuberbueler.

During the procession a dozen children tossed rose petals along the path while choirs and musicians with guitars interpreted songs in English and Spanish.

"It was a wonderful procession, and we really appreciated the presence of our bishop in what was the cathedral’s first Corpus Christi procession," said Antonio Pérez-Alcalá, youth minister for the diocesan Spanish Apostolate.
After the procession and ceremony, participants enjoyed soft drinks, sandwiches and cookies outside the cathedral.