Photo Caption: Father Fredi Gomez Torres, pastor of Holy Cross Parish, Mendota, and director of Hispanic ministry for the Diocese of Peoria, accepts the Offertory gifts at the opening Mass of the all-night vigil.

While most of us slept, they prayed, sang, and shared their faith.
Spanish-speaking Catholics from around the Diocese of Peoria took part in a Vigil of Prayer from 7 p.m. on Friday, June 28, to 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 29, at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria.

The vigil — which included three Masses, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, praise music, and various reflections — was an activity of the Year of Faith and ended a month of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The opening Mass was celebrated by Father Fredi Gomez Torres, pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Mendota and director of Hispanic ministry for the Diocese of Peoria. Members of the Mendota community filled many of the liturgical roles, including a praise band and choir that led music during the Mass and later in the evening.

A Mass at midnight was celebrated by Father Antonio Dittmer, pastor of St. Patrick and St. Hyacinth parishes in LaSalle, with special participation by the LaSalle community. The vigil ended with a Mass at 7 a.m. in celebration of the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. It featured participation by the Rantoul community and was celebrated by Father Steven Bird, former pastor of St. Malachy Parish there. Since mid-June, Father Bird has been pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Colona, and assists with Spanish Masses in Kewanee.

Activities between the liturgies included:

— a reflection on the Servant of God Fulton Sheen by Msgr. Stanley Deptula, rector of St. Mary’s Cathedral and executive director of the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation;

— a talk on “Feelings of the Heart of Jesus” by Father Joseph Hogan, pastor of St. Patrick, Urbana, and St. Mary, Champaign, with participation from the Champaign community

— five witness talks from the Spanish-speaking community of Moline;

— Prayer of Lauds directed by the Neocatechumenal Way, and

–l participation by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart and of the Poor and Cursillo en Espanol.