Hampton Branch Library
Bienvenidos
RECEIVED Fri., Feb. 14, 2025
Dear Editor,
Christmas Eve found us at the wrong service because we wanted to avoid the huge crowd at Midnight Mass. The St. Louis King of France parking lot was surprisingly empty for the 8 o’clock service. As the usher handed us the programs she said to my husband, “You know this is the Spanish Mass.” “Yes,” he said. “What!?!,” I thought.
Soon we were surrounded by Hispanic families. The rhythm of the prayers, the emotion in the songs and the joy of the parishioners filled me with peace.
I felt welcome.
Then Trump’s words intruded. On July 6, 2015, he said Mexican immigrants “are, in many cases, criminals, drug dealers, rapists, etc.”
Not the people around me.
More recently, Trump said immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country.”
If only something as simple as attending a worship service could drain the hate from Trump and his followers.
Christmas Eve found us at the wrong service because we wanted to avoid the huge crowd at Midnight Mass. The St. Louis King of France parking lot was surprisingly empty for the 8 o’clock service. As the usher handed us the programs she said to my husband, “You know this is the Spanish Mass.” “Yes,” he said. “What!?!,” I thought.
Soon we were surrounded by Hispanic families. The rhythm of the prayers, the emotion in the songs and the joy of the parishioners filled me with peace.
I felt welcome.
Then Trump’s words intruded. On July 6, 2015, he said Mexican immigrants “are, in many cases, criminals, drug dealers, rapists, etc.”
Not the people around me.
More recently, Trump said immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country.”
If only something as simple as attending a worship service could drain the hate from Trump and his followers.
Barbara Chiarello