The Columbus diocese’s Hispanic population continues to rise, including among Catholic school students.
In June, Bishop Earl Fernandes noted that the diocese’s Latino population increased by 20 percent in a year while speaking at Catholic Social Services’ newly opened Our Lady of Guadalupe Center in Columbus.
Latino culture has made its way through diocesan schools and parishes, including at Columbus St. Timothy School, about a 10- to 15-minute drive north of downtown. Students celebrated Día de Los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, a popular Latino custom, on Monday, Nov. 3.
“Our school has become far more diverse. We have a large amount of Hispanic culture as well,” principal George Mosholder said. “We want students to learn and embrace it.”
While St. Timothy is not a predominately Hispanic parish or area, he estimated that approximately 12 percent of the school’s students are Latino. That number is far different than it was a decade ago.
“It absolutely has increased,” Mosholder said of the school’s diverse population, “and within the last, I would say, 10 years, it’s increased immensely.”
Not Latino by origin, Tara Krohe – who serves as co-president of the Home and School Association – and her husband choose to send their two sons to St. Timothy.
The Krohe family resides in Columbus’ Clintonville neighborhood but drives the extra miles to attend the parish and school. The decision was for its culture.
“After leaving Chicago, my husband and I chose … St. Timothy as our new home community for its vibrant cultural and socioeconomic diversity,” Tara said. “It was important to us that our kids grow up understanding and appreciating that people come from many different backgrounds.”
To educate students on Latino culture, which includes several of their peers, St. Timothy invited Mexican dancers and a local Mexican author to school to celebrate Día de Los Muertos.
The student body gathered in the school gym for a Mexican folk dance performance by Sol y Luna. Six performers shared traditional folkloric dances from Mexico with students.
Sol y Luna has been present in Columbus for about three years.
St. Timothy set up an ofrenda, or altar, by the school’s main entrance. Fifth grade students celebrated with Mexican sweet treats.
Middle school students made paper flowers and papel picado (perforated paper). The colorful tissue with intricate cut patterns is used to decorate altars.
Día de Los Muertos is traditionally celebrated on Nov. 2, listed on the Church calendar as the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, or All Souls’ Day. Latino customs include visiting cemeteries and having picnics by loved ones’ graves.
Celebrants honor and pray for deceased family and friends by setting up an ofrenda in the home. Altars include photos of the dead, candy skulls, candles and gifts of food and flowers.
“We do this every year for our loved ones,” said Chyenne Lopez-Shane, who has three children enrolled at St. Timothy and a son who recently graduated.
“I just love getting our whole community involved. We’ve had people outside of our school bring in photos,” she said of the ofrenda at St. Timothy School. “The parish has brought in photos – just seeing it be for the entire school and not one teacher celebrating it.”
“That’s something that everybody should experience,” Kathleen Ries said of Día de Los Muertos, “remembering those who’ve gone before us and keeping their memories alive.”
Ries oversees St. Timothy’s Home and School Association enrichment program. She has three children attending the school: two sons in fourth and sixth grades and a daughter in second.
Local author and native of Chihuahua, Mexico – a Mexican state bordering New Mexico and Texas – Silvia Rodríguez also visited St. Timothy to speak to students about Día de Los Muertos.
Rodríguez attends Columbus St. Mary Church in the German Village neighborhood and has written several bilingual children’s books.
Rodríguez and her husband, Goose, emigrated to the United States in 1999 and relocated to Columbus in 2012.
The Mexican natives brought their pet parrot, Taco, to St. Timothy for the presentation.
“I wanted to (catch) the kids’ attention,” Rodríguez explained. “Sometimes it’s pretty hard to (get) their attention, and since we are talking about the Day of the Dead, these birds last forever – 60, 70 years.”
Students, “probably, they already went through the sadness of losing their pets,” she added.
Rodríguez is the author of children’s books including “Taco: The African Grey Parrot” and “Mandino: Celebrating the Day of the Dead,” an interactive story geared toward readers ages 6 to 12.
“Death is part of our lives,” she told students. “Even though we are sad when we have to say goodbye to a pet or someone that we love, it’s life. One day, we’re going to go through this, and it’s normal.”
Rodríguez shared her experience of Día de Los Muertos with St. Timothy students.
The Mexican tradition, she emphasized, is not a day of sadness but a celebration. It is intended to remember loved ones who have achieved eternal life.
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