A young man from the Congolese community attends the Oct. 4, 2025 closing Mass for National Migration Week at St. Stephen Cathedral. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC
‘The world gathers here’
Fellow ‘pilgrims on the journey’ celebrated at closing Mass for National Migration Week
BY ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD, THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC
Looking out at St. Stephen Cathedral, which was filled to capacity with the many cultures represented among the faithful of the Diocese of Owensboro, Bishop William F. Medley commented on Oct. 4 that this was “one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever seen.”
He said the faithful, who had come to celebrate the closing Mass for National Migration Week 2025, were “pilgrims traveling from this life to eternal life.”
“(This is) what we have in common as children of God,” he said.
From newborns to the elderly, Massgoers’ countries of origin included, but were not limited to, Mexico, Myanmar (also known as Burma), Guatemala, El Salvador, the Philippines, Venezuela, Ecuador, Vietnam, the Dominican Republic of Congo, and Micronesia.
A woman from the Micronesian community attends the Oct. 4, 2025 during the closing Mass for National Migration Week at St. Stephen Cathedral in Owensboro. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC
Other birthplaces included Kentucky and Puerto Rico – and Bishop Medley, upon listing the different heritages in his homily, encouraged those not mentioned to let him know that they, too, were present.
Prior to the Mass, the faithful had had the option to gather at nearby Brescia University for a procession toward St. Stephen Cathedral, where the bishop welcomed them through the doors (the cathedral being designated one of the diocese’s six Jubilee of Hope pilgrimage sites).
Dcn. Chris Gutiérrez, director of Hispanic/Latino ministry for the diocese, helped guide and instruct the crowds via a megaphone, especially as they carefully crossed Frederica Street, whose traffic paused for the procession. Participants sang songs and carried the flags of their home countries – including an American flag – and banners with their parishes’ names, while walking to the cathedral.
Upon their arrival on the steps of the cathedral, Bishop Medley sprinkled all participants with holy water.
Fr. Martin Ma Na Ling, parochial vicar of St. Pius X Parish in Owensboro, laughs after Bishop William F. Medley sprinkles him with holy water as the Oct. 4 procession to St. Stephen Cathedral arrives at the Diocese of Owensboro’s mother church, ahead of the closing Mass for National Migration Week. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC
Later, in his homily, the bishop reflected that he had wondered if anyone would attend this Mass: “We are not a big city. And yet, the world gathers here today.”
He acknowledged that for many in the congregation that day, “the paths that brought you to Kentucky were complicated,” but that “however you, your parents, or grandparents came, we are richer that you are here,” he said.
“I call all of you to pray for the United States, that its eyes, arms, and hearts will be opened to receive the world’s people, that the United States will become a light among nations,” he said, adding that “Jesus Christ is in this church – in the heart and soul of every man, woman and child here.”
“I thank you for being here, I am proud of you being here,” he said, expressing his prayer that all people will be seen “as children of God.”
A boy waves the Ecuadorian flag before a procession from Brescia University to St. Stephen Cathedral in Owensboro on Oct. 4, 2025, ahead of the closing Mass for National Migration Week. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC
Roman Ayala, a parishioner of St. Joseph in Bowling Green, had helped with traffic control during the procession.
“I wasn’t expecting this many people and cultures,” said Ayala, whose heritage is Salvadoran, and who enjoyed seeing “all the flags and cultures around me.”
He said this was his first experience of a multicultural Mass, and that it emphasized to him that “the Lord is not just for one group of people. It was beautiful to see all the different cultures come together and praise God.”
Fr. Martin Ma Na Ling, the associate pastor of St. Pius X Parish in Owensboro, who was born in Myanmar, described the day as “wonderful” and expressed his gratitude to Bishop Medley for leading the celebrations.
“The Diocese of Owensboro is amazing,” he said. “This is what the Church looks like.”
St. Stephen Cathedral is seen filled-to-capacity on Oct. 4, 2025 during the closing Mass for National Migration Week, at which Bishop William F. Medley presided. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC
Click here to view more photos from the day.
