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June 17, 2019
By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press
LEOMINSTER – The bishop celebrated the Mass, just like when the building on Lincoln Terrace was blessed 25 years ago.
It was a different bishop and a different situation, but part of the message was the same.
The Hispanic community at Capilla Santisima Trinidad was celebrating its 25th anniversary on its patronal feast, the feast of the Holy Trinity, Saturday evening.
Bishop McManus celebrated the Lord’s Day vigil Mass in Spanish under a tent outside, next to Holy Trinity’s center, which has a small chapel. He said he was very happy to be there.
He read his homily in Spanish, noting that the apostles proclaimed Christ on the first Pentecost. He told listeners they too must open the doors of the chapel and go out and proclaim, with words and actions, that Jesus wants everyone to be saved.
At a bi-lingual Mass on Dec. 12, 1993, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Bishop Timothy J. Harrington, then the ordinary of the diocese, blessed the building for use for Sunday Masses, religious education and programs. At the time it was called Centro de Evangelizacion Santisima Trinidad.
Bishop Harrington urged the congregation to find happiness in evangelization and to try to live as Jesus taught. He preached in English and Father Donald B. Gothing, who ministered to Hispanics in Leominster and Gardner, translated. (Both men have since died.)
“Let’s not keep it a secret that God loves everybody, that there is room in the church for everyone,” Bishop Harrington said. “That’s good news. That’s evangelization.” He then embraced Father Gothing and gestured to the congregation, which broke into applause.
Having a building of their own had been a long-time dream of Hispanics in the diocese, some of whom told about experiencing discrimination, prejudice and conflict of schedules in using other churches’ facilities.
Bishop Harrington acknowledged some of those concerns in his homily when he blessed the building and pointed listeners in a hopeful direction.
“We rejoice that God loves us … loves those who do not love us,” he said. “We ask that this place be one where everyone loves one another.”
A couple years earlier Bishop Harrington had given Leominster Hispanic Catholics permission to look for a building. They bought a social club on Lincoln Terrace.
The people were still officially members of St. Leo Parish, now they are members of Holy Family of Nazareth Parish, pastored by Father José “Andy” Rodríguez.
Saturday Carlos Colón said he came to Santisima Trinidad sometime after it opened, and became like a secretary to Father Gothing.
“I never volunteered to be a secretary,” he said. “Everyone did something. He was good at getting people to want to do it.” He got people involved so they took ownership of the project and came back.
“Father Gothing, he was my best friend. … Father Andy’s doing a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful job and I think he’s inclusive as well.”
Mr. Colón came back for the anniversary celebration. He said he’d moved on after Father Gothing died and worships in various places now.
“He was an incredible leader,” he said. “He helped people become better in the Church. He helped people find their potential. …
“He also dealt with community problems,” using the center as a place for people to get educated about the problems.
