By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff writer
June 26, 2003

Parishioners of the Cathedral of the Epiphany celebrated Corpus Christi with a trilingual, outdoor procession on June 22.

The procession followed the Vietnamese Mass held at 1 p.m. and stopped at three altars to pray and sing in Vietnamese, English and Spanish. Father Hieu Nguyen and Father Paul Kelly led the prayers.

"We have been doing this every other year for about five years," said Father Kelly. "Processions are a very, very significant part of the devotional life, particularly of the Vietnamese and Hispanics. It's common in countries in Central and South America to have processions, the Vietnamese as well. It speaks to their devotional life very much.

"For those reasons, it is quite a popular devotion for our parish since we large of numbers of Spanish and Vietnamese parishioners."

The procession was lead by a cross and candles followed by the congregation, children carrying flowers and the priests under a canopy carrying the monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament.

"I think it was very festive with the children dressed up and the flowers, all the colors," said Father Kelly.

The children in the procession were dressed in colorful native clothing to bring in some of their own culture. They sprinkled flowers in front of the altars.

Each time the procession traveled to a different altar, the congregation sang in the language of the altar they were going to next. There were also bells rang and a drum was played during the procession.

The canopy was carried by people from each community - Vietnamese, Hispanic and English - to the respective altars. The altars were decorated in the style of the culture being represented.

"Corpus Christi is a celebration of the body and blood of the Lord," said Father Kelly. "The Eucharist is a very central focus for Catholics. The Corpus Christi procession is a means of highlighting this belief in a public fashion. It really is an extension of our theology, our belief in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. We extend that outside in the form of a procession."

The parish staff including Father Nguyen, Father Kelly, Father Paul-Louis Arts and Sister Barb Knipp planned the procession for the congregation. Parishioners from the three communities also had a hand in the planning.