Diocese adapts to serve Hispanics

24 Va. churches offer Mass in Spanish, and the diocese requires seminarians to study the language

BY JUAN ANTONIO LIZAMA
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Jan 27, 2007

... The Catholic Diocese of Richmond has an estimated 70,000 Spanish-speaking parishioners, a number that is growing, especially in parishes such as Sacred Heart ...

Seeing the growing need for Spanish-speaking priests and the difficulties in recruiting them, the Richmond diocese eight years ago began requiring seminarians to study Spanish, said Monsignor Michael S. Schmied, who was vicar of the diocese's Hispanic Apostolate Office from its creation 10 years ago until last month.

"When they ordain, they must be able to celebrate Mass in Spanish comfortably," said Schmied, who celebrates two Masses in Spanish each week at St. Augustine in Chesterfield County with the help of the Rev. Paddy Cannon, who spent 12 years in Peru ...

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We have a Spanish-language service at our church run by a priest from the Dominican Republic. Father Simon, a very cool dude.