CARMEL VALLEY — More than 2,200 people attended the diocese’s annual Multicultural Mass and Festival on June 8, at least 37 percent more than last year’s inaugural event.
A total of 26 cultural communities participated, 10 more than last year. The new communities included Brazilians, Burundian, Cuban, Eritrean, German, Nicaraguan, Panamanian, Peruvian and Portuguese.
Dressed in the vibrant colors of the cultures, the participants jammed Cathedral Catholic High School’s gym, where the Pentecost Mass was held. It was celebrated by Bishop Robert W. McElroy, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop John P. Dolan, two deacons and around 30 priests.
Afterward, the participants streamed into the school’s central courtyard, where the cultural groups shared their faith history and a taste of their native cuisine. Several cultural groups entertained the festival-goers with traditional songs and dances.
