Spanish only at monthly Mass

Though the Rev. Vic Langhans of St. Matthew's Catholic Church in Kalispell isn't completely at ease leading Mass in Spanish, he realizes it's the preferred language for worship with a growing population in the Flathead Valley.

"Your native language is the one you will be most comfortable praying in," Langhans said. "My mother lived in this country for 70 years, but she was still most comfortable worshipping in Spanish."

Since December 2003, Langhans has held a Spanish-language Mass at St. Matthew's on the second Sunday of each month at 4 p.m.

Zulma Fernandez, a Spanish teacher at Columbia Falls High School and a native of Colombia, was instrumental in setting up the Mass at St. Matthew's.

Fernandez, who has lived in the Flathead Valley for 13 years, had noted an increase in the numbers of Spanish speakers living here in recent years.

"Some people had chosen not to go to church, especially the older people, because they were intimidated by the language," she said. "So I approached Father Vic."

Langhans offered to hold an initial Mass on the December Feast of Our Lady of Guadeloupe, and the turnout gave him the encouragement to make the Mass a regular part of the St. Matthew's schedule. Between 30 and 60 people currently attend the Mass.

Langhans has had to reach back to his childhood to recover some of the language skills he learned from his mother, a native of Mexico who encouraged Langhans and his brother to speak Spanish at home.

Langhans said his Spanish is dated and that it can be difficult, especially during the homily, to express certain concepts in Spanish.

"I know sometimes he gets nervous, but he's done great," Fernandez said of Langhans.

Langhans sees a few definable cultural differences between the Hispanic group and the rest of the St. Matthew's attenders.

"They have a different pace than the typical congregation," he said. "They like to visit after, they're not in a big rush to get anywhere. They like to socialize. They're a fun group."