Media Release
Texas, May 2: ‘V Encuentro’, a diocesan project of USA, was held at St John Vianney (SJV) Church, in Round Rock, Austin on April 29. The event was a celebration of cultural diversity united in common faith.
V Encuentro is a diocesan project of USA, to help immigrants (particularly Hispanic) integrate with the Catholic church. The event and entry was free after 11 am Eucharistic service and concluded at 4 pm.
St John Vianney is one of the 128 parishes in the diocese of Austin, Texas holding together around 1,200 families with diverse cultures. Parishioners from 23 countries actively participated in the spiritual and cultural event with 85 variety dishes prepared by different nationalities. To name a few - Brazil, Cuba, Czech Republic, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, UK, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Indies. India and Indian culture was showcased very well through varied food and cultural activity along with other countries. Food was bountiful and blessed by Fr. Thomas Reinmeyer, the parish priest of SJV, Round Rock, Austin.
The theme of this year's event was the saint or Apostle who evangelized each country. The participating country had exhibited their cultural artifacts along with the pictures and story of the saint who first marked the evangelization in their land. St Patrick was from Ireland, St Joseph Vaz from Sri Lanka, St David from Wales, St Joseph from Vietnam and other saints and missionary priests who worked in different countries to form the catholic faith through struggles and good works.
The Indian table was well decorated in a traditional way and St Thomas was the first evangelist who visited India in the first century. He is often regarded as the Patron Saint of India, and the name Thomas remains quite popular among Saint Thomas Christians of India. Mar Thomas also called Didymus, which means ‘the twin’ was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, according to the New Testament. He is informally called Doubting Thomas because he doubted Jesus' resurrection when first told (in the Gospel of John account only), followed later by his confession of faith, ‘My Lord and my God’, on seeing Jesus' wounded body. Traditionally, he is said to have travelled outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel, travelling as far as Tamilakam, which are the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in present-day India. According to tradition, Thomas reached Muziris, (modern-day North Paravur and Kodungalloor in the state of Kerala, India) in 50 AD and baptized several people, founding what today are known as Saint Thomas Christians or Mar Thoma Nazranis. He was stabbed to death at St Thomas Mount, Chennai (Cholla Empire then) and after his death, the reputed relics of Saint Thomas the Apostle were enshrined as far as Mesopotamia in the 3rd century, and later moved to various places. In 1258, some of the relics were brought to Abruzzo in Ortona, Italy, where they have been held in the Church of Saint Thomas the Apostle.
International rosary was recited in different global languages - English, Spanish, Italian, Latin, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Hindi, Konkani and others. There was fun stuff for kids, cultural dance by few nationalities.
Overall, ‘V Encuentro 2018’ at SJV Church united all as one family, one community in a global ambience.