[Excerpts]

One Saturday a month, in a central Silicon Valley neighborhood, residents stop to read handmade signs taped to poles: "Misa del Barrio. ¡Todos son bienvenidos! Neighborhood Catholic Mass. You are very welcome."  

These posters advertise outdoor pop-up Masses, known as Misas del Barrio, which pair the liturgy with community listening sessions….

The Misas, which existed before the COVID-19 pandemic, relaunched following the tragic death of an 8-year-old in 2022, which brought community concerns to city leaders through an organized March for Safety [by Silicon Valley Allied for the Common Good (SVACG)] ...Successful neighborhood improvements so far include the installation of crosswalks, streetlights, stop signs, renter protections and assistance for low-income essential workers. 

These pop-up Masses have also impacted Mass attendance at St. Lucy. There the 1 p.m. Sunday Spanish Mass has grown from a few hundred to nearly 1,000 worshipers each week, representing the parish's largest increase in Mass attendance since the pandemic…

Solidarity and subsidiarity

The unique liturgies are the work of Ivonn Rivera, recipient of the 2023 Cardinal Bernardin New Leadership Award from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development [which] provides grant support to local nonprofits such as SVACG, which trained Rivera in community organizing...

The concept of these Masses has roots in the United Farm Workers movement of the 1960s, where liturgical sites were set up in sheds and fields to bring the sacraments and support to laborers. Rivera's motivation is more personal, as her community has faced high rates of vandalism and the tragic 2022 death of 8-year-old Jacob Villanueva, who was fatally hit by a car where there were no stop signs.

Rivera has seen how the Misas create a tangible sense of solidarity between the church and the greater community. Because the Mass is brought to people, "It is a very encouraging way to create trust and make others feel that they are not alone," she said.

Sr. Cecilia Calva, a Sister of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, encourages attendees to openly share concerns. "Misas bring people together to share what they are going through, and they empower them to do something about it," she said…

A place to be heard in the time of ICE

"These Masses are important particularly now because of the immigration crackdowns that are happening indiscriminately," [Fr.  Rick ] Rodoni said. Community members — those unafraid to attend, that is — voice current fears while receiving training on their legal rights and resources…. 
When he officiates, Rodoni is constantly surprised by the turnout, "And I'm there just wondering what the neighbors might think of us. Sometimes they are just walking by and seeing what we're doing and many times, it's just like: OK, we're here. The church is here."

[Photo credit: Marissa Nichols, National Catholic Reporter]

Silicon Valley Pop-Up Masses Bring Church and Communities Together, National Catholic Reporter [pdf]