Christ the King Church in High Point is known for its diversity, celebrating Masses each weekend in Korean, Vietnamese, Spanish and English. On Sept. 14, the entire parish came together for a picnic and outdoor Mass. (Photos provided by Curtis White, Imago Dei Studio)
HIGH POINT — Christ the King parishioners, well-known for their rich diversity, united for their annual Mass and church picnic on Sept. 14 at Washington Terrace Park in High Point.
They deviated from the usual Sunday schedule, which includes Masses in Korean, Vietnamese, Spanish and English, and instead came together to communicate in their favorite language: love.
“Many, many people see different languages, different cultures and different backgrounds as a threat, but not for us, no,” said Father Joseph Dinh, pastor. “We are the universal Church, and that’s why we welcome everybody. We don’t see it as a threat – we see it as a gift from the Lord.”
Roots as a mission
The parish started as a mission church 85 years ago to serve Black Catholics in the Triad. It has since exploded into a true melting pot, with 1,000 members who hail from all over the world, including Nigeria, Somalia, Ethiopia, Ghana and Pakistan.
“I think we are number one in diversity here,” laughed Father Dinh, who has served as pastor for eight years. “We try our best to foster the unity of the Church.”
The most crowded Sunday Mass is the Spanish Mass, with attendance of about 500. Thus, the Vietnamese pastor presided over the outdoor Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Mass in English and Spanish, while a mariachi band filled the air with guitar notes, and the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, traditionally from India, served as ushers and Eucharistic ministers.
In his homily, Father Dinh said, “To exalt the cross means to stand for the poor, to stand for the refugees, to be with the vulnerable, to be with the lonely, to help our brothers and sisters, and to share what we have with them.”
Diversity is a gift from the Lord
Father Joseph Dinh enjoys being surrounded by his multicultural parishioners and believes the diversity within the welcoming, open-minded community is a gift from God.
Father Dinh’s message resonated with parishioners such as Daphne and Arthur Frank McAdoo, an African American couple who married in the church in 1975 and still live just around the corner.
“We love this community. It is open, it is very friendly,” said Daphne, the faith formation director. “To get people involved in the church, they need to feel welcome, and they need to see that you are not biased.”
After Mass, the Knights of Columbus grilled burgers and hotdogs to accompany the Vietnamese sides of rice and pork. Parishioners shared the meal, sitting side by side at picnic tables, exchanging memories, holding new babies and hugging old friends. Skin color, homeland and language weren’t barriers. As Father Dinh says, “Diversity is a special gift from the Lord. We are a very loving church, very open to everybody. And we love it.”
The glass window installed in the choir loft in the early 1990s attests to that. It bears the image of Jesus surrounded by individuals of African, Asian, European and Indian descent.
Over the years, the parish has overcome many obstacles. It lost religious orders and needed building renovations, it lost its school, and at one point in the late ’90s, dwindled to 70 parishioners.
The arrival of Father Philip Kollithanath as pastor in 1994 and his vision of unity rebuilt the church physically and grew a congregation that looked like the window.
“Father Philip tried to recruit everybody to come to Christ the King, and he did,” said Father Dinh. “And now, I bring even more; I bring the Vietnamese people.”
That sense of inclusion is vital to Lynn Staub, who raised her three children at the parish. “It is home to us; it has such a family feeling,” she said. “I don’t think anyone, regardless of their own background, would feel uncomfortable here.”
— Lisa M. Geraci