BY PRISCILLA GREEAR

Staff Writer

JONESBORO--At the ninth archdiocesan celebration honoring Our Lady of Divine Providence, patroness of Puerto Rico, Bishop Enrique Hernández Rivera encouraged believers of various nations and cultures to trust in the one Blessed Mother to guide them to God.

Approximately 700 natives of Puerto Rico, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and the U.S. gathered Nov. 30 at St. Philip Benizi Church to participate in the celebration held annually in Puerto Rico on Nov. 19.

The bilingual service was concelebrated by the pastor, Father Greg Hartmayer, OFM Conv., and Father John Koziol, OFM Conv., who ministers to the parish Hispanic community of over 300 families.

A procession of youth and young adults, including girls in native dresses and another displaying the flag of the Commonwealth, opened the celebration carrying candles and banners.

Father Hartmayer gave welcoming remarks, standing in front of a blue banner reading, "In the Hands of Divine Providence," the Puerto Rican flag and a picture of Mary holding the infant Jesus. The first reading and psalm were given by María Torres, a native Puerto Rican and member of the parish. The Gospel was proclaimed by Deacon Felix Marrero of Sacred Heart Church in Griffin.

In his homily, Bishop Rivera of the Diocese of Caguas, Puerto Rico, reminded believers that, while the Blessed Mother has appeared in many countries and devotions to her have been adapted to very different cultures, she is only one person, the mother of Jesus.

"We have to be very clear in our minds that there is only one person that is the mother of Jesus, Mary," he said.

He noted the significance of the Mass occurring on the first Sunday of Advent, a time of preparation for the celebration of Christ's birth through Mary.

The bishop said Mary can be trusted for guidance because of her role as Mother of God and, referring to a Second Vatican Council document, said she was full of grace, a model of virtues and that believers should know and listen to her so that she can open their hearts to God. She is trustworthy, he continued, because she too suffered for her faith leaving her homeland and caring for Jesus.

The image of the baby Jesus resting calmly in his mother's arms reflects, he said, the trust believers should have in her.

"This Jesus is saying--look, child, in all of life's problems, in your situation in life, trust in my mother, María...Life is a fight--it's not easy. Trust."

"We can have confidence that she is willing to help. Mary leads us to Jesus," the bishop explained following Mass. "As a good friend she is willing to help (believers) because she knows God's will."

The Hispanic choir, using maracas, palitos, cabassa, gourds, guitar, congas and other instruments, led the congregation in traditional Puerto Rican liturgical music, a blend of Caribbean rhythms with native Indian and African influences introduced there by the Spanish.

Songs included the Puerto Rican national anthem, "La Borinqueña," "The Star Spangled Banner" and "Give Your Hand to María."

A plaque was presented to the bishop by Johnny Ortiz, a native of Puerto Rico who coordinates the annual celebration along with his wife, Hilda.

Ortiz said that, as a Puerto Rican bishop is invited yearly, the celebration provides an opportunity for Puerto Ricans in the archdiocese to celebrate their heritage and remain connected with their native church. It also allows them to share their traditions with other Hispanic cultures represented in Georgia and to promote unity within the Hispanic community.

"We decided it was very important for Hispanics to come close together," he said.

Each Hispanic culture has its unique way of doing things, "so as Hispanics we need to know each other in the U.S.," he said. "At the same time...we're trying to integrate to the North American culture as we know more about each other."

Sebastian Torre, a native Argentinean visiting Atlanta, said he enjoyed the joyfulness and the music of the Mass. He noted that the yearly service he attends in Argentina for the Virgin of Lujan is more formal and that worshippers pray silently and sing without a choir or many instruments.

Ophie Rivera, the Puerto Rican choir director, said the Mass "will revive our traditions--where we come from--being so devoted to the Blessed Mother. This is the best opportunity to express how we feel... and where we come from as native Puerto Ricans."

Following the Mass participants enjoyed a traditional Puerto Rican meal of yellow rice with pigeon peas, pork and rice pudding with raisins.

The Marian devotion originated in Italy in the 13th century, spread to France and Spain and was introduced to Puerto Rico in 1853 by a Spanish bishop at the time of the blessing of the Cathedral of San Juan, which had been under construction for 300 years. In 1976 Pope Paul VI declared Our Lady of Divine Providence Queen of the island of Puerto Rico.