Fr. Eduard Perrone, pastor of Assumption Grotto Parish in Detroit, conducts a 52-piece orchestra during the event.Dearborn — Aiming to rekindle the nation’s spirituality and patriotism, thousands gathered to sing patriotic songs, watch actors reenact historical figures and recall America’s roots.
“We Humble Ourselves: Turing a Nation Back to God” was a historical musical and play performed Aug. 29-30 at Ford Field in Dearborn, featuring re-enactors portraying America’s Founding Fathers and local musicians playing patriotic hymns.
Dearborn native and Divine Child parishioner Mary Bustamante organized what she hopes to be the inaugural event.
“The idea to start an event like this came to me in prayer,” Bustamante said. “Our nation is hurting, hurting from all the struggles we recently had. We have so much strife in our society. This is about focusing on the good and positive, showing that we are a nation that loves God, and God loves us.”
More than 1,000 people attended the event, observing the re-enactors’ Revolutionary War-era camps and formations. The event culminated with a production featuring William Bradford, Thomas Jefferson, John Jay, Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln and crowd favorite George Washington.
A 52-piece orchestra and a 100-voice choir performed between the re-enactors’ speeches, with Fr. Eduard Perrone, pastor of Assumption Grotto Parish in Detroit conducting the musicians.
“The purpose of this event was to renew the patriotism of the people and the spirit of our forefathers, and I think it was a success,” Fr. Perrone said. “I was personally moved, and many of the musicians were excited to be a part of this performance.”
Fr. Perrone said patriotism is related to spirituality.
“Patriotism is a virtue, and the Church is always about justice and virtue,” Fr. Perrone said. “God gave us the Fourth Commandment: Honor your mother and father. Loving your fatherland is an extension of that, so there is a faith aspect involved in patriotism.”
The choir and orchestra played a series of patriotic hymns, including “God Bless America,” “My County, ‘Tis of Thee” and the “Star Spangled Banner.” Musicians came from all over Metro Detroit and Toledo and only had one rehearsal before the performance.
A re-enactor portrays John Jay, the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, talking about religious liberty during "We Humble Ourselves," a patriotic event Aug. 29 in Dearborn.“The choir and orchestra came from many different religions and were not used to playing with each other,” Fr. Perrone said. “In a way, it’s symbolic of our country, people from different backgrounds coming together as one.”
Divine Child Parish music director Matthew Simpson organized the choir before the event, saying “We Humble Ourselves” reminded him of the patriotic rallies of the 19th century.
“Our country is rooted in faith, and events like this show what we can return to,” Simpson said. “The sense of history and patriotism drew me into the event and made me want to be a part of it. Having God a part of our national fabric allows us to have a moral compass. There is such a thing as natural law which guides us, adjusting our decisions.”
Most of the Founding Fathers came from Protestant backgrounds — Maryland’s Charles Carroll was the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and Maryland’s Daniel Carroll was the only Catholic signatory of the Constitution in 1787 — but “We Humble Ourselves” media liaison Debbie Bloomfield said the interfaith event still appealed to Catholics.
“This is an important event for Catholics because freedom of religion is guaranteed in the Constitution, which allowed Catholicism to flourish in this country,” Bloomfield said. “There has been so much persecution of Catholics in this country I am just learning about and amazed with. Eventually, Catholics earned the respect of their fellow Americans and realized we have a lot in common. This event is a celebration of the common history we share.”
Bustamante doesn’t have concrete plans for “We Humble Ourselves’” future, but she would love to see the event spread across the country.
“You look at the laws our Founding Fathers gave us, and it shows how it is supposed to be,” Bustamante said. “They wanted a government that was simple and easy to understand, which allowed people to live in freedom and worship God however they saw fit. And if we can spread that message through this, I think this country can flourish again.”
