Parishioners of St. Francis Newman Center Parish, about 200 or so of them, gathered at Gomez Peak picnic pavilion on Labor Day, Sept. 5, 2016, to participate in Mass celebrated by Bishop Oscar Cantu of the Diocese of Las Cruces. Con-celebrating with the bishop were Rev. Jarek Nowacki of St. Francis, Rev. Oliver Obele of St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Parish, also in Silver City, and Rev. Remi Sojak, a Polish priest from Alexandria, Va., visiting Father Jarek.
Plenty of food fed the parishioners, music by La Rondalla brought people to their feet to dance, and the weather was a perfect warm late summer day.
Photos by Mary Alice Murphy
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
The choir gets ready to sing. From left are Annetta Pena, Susie Snedeker, Christin O'Brien, and seated are Lorraine Anglin and Mike Anglin.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
George Cruz, left, chats with Father Oliver from St. Vincent de Paul Parish.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Preparing for the mass, from left, seminarian Eric Vreeland, Father Jarek Nowacki and reader Amy Lockett.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Father Remi Sojka, a Polish priest serving in Virginia, Las Cruces Diocese Bishop Oscar Cantu, and Father Oliver at the beginning of the Mass.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Father Jarek makes an announcement as altar server Bristan Lockett looks on.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
The celebrants are from left, Father Remi, Deacon Jerry Miller, Bishop Cantu, Father Oliver and Father Jarek.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Bishop Cantu in front, with Father Jarek behind and altar servers Bristan, Jacobi and Mason Lockett.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Krystine Ortiz and her grandmother Janet Wallet-Ortiz partake in the picnic.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Bishop Cantu takes a bite, as Father Remi and Father Oliver wait for Father Jarek to cut a piece for each of them from the cake with Father Jarek's name on it.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Parishioners partake of the plentiful food.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
People eat the food brought by parishioners.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Hot dogs and hamburgers, provided by the parish and served straight from the grill.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Kids just must climb in any nearby tree.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
La Rondalla members Julian Jacquez, David Martinez, Lalo Martinez and Paul Madrid play for the gathering.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
The spirited music brings out the dancers. Christin O'Brien brings Father Oliver to the floor.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Gilda Baeza Ortego and Felipe Ortego y Gasca found some shade under a tree.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Christin O'Brien dances with Father Jarek.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Father Jarek and Joannn Salcido cut a rug.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Ariana Villanueva and Makayla Villegas dance to the music.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Toni Castillo, Margie Ogas, Sylvia Misquez, Jos+? Torres, Trudy Sandoval, Elva Torres and Amy Lockett sing and dance to the music.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Mikayla Villegas dances with Alfred Saiz as Rosalie Saiz watches.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Father Remi joins Christin -?O'Brien in a dance.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Connie dances with Father Oliver.
St. Francis Newman Center Picnic 090516
Soon half the crowd is up and dancing.
