GRAPEVINE, Texas — JJoy, hope, energy and a spirit of continued collaboration are contagious among the participants of the Fifth National Encuentro in Grapevine.
One of the attendees, a 22-year-old Mexican-American seminarian, said he feels enriched by the exchange of ideas on pastoral needs in areas such as vocations and young adults. He also feels his contributions will be of value to strengthen Catholic Hispanic ministry in the United States.
"In school we do a lot of theorizing and then you come here, and you come back to the reality to see what the needs of the church are," the seminarian, who asked that his name not be used, told Catholic News Service.
"One thing that surprised me is the amount of youth, young leaders, young people working for different dioceses, it's something that I didn't expect to be a reality," he added.
The Encuentro participants, who totaled about 3,200 Hispanic ministry leaders, bishops and members of organizations and ecclesial movements, continued a full day of consultation and discernment Sept. 22 on 28 ministerial areas and 10 priorities which include evangelization and catechesis, family, immigration, justice and peace, and Hispanic youth and young adults.
During an afternoon plenary session, regional representatives highlighted the contributions of "Dreamers," or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients. They were part of the Encuentro process but were unable to be present at this gathering in Texas for fear of being detained and deported due to the state's harsh immigration laws. It was a moving moment in which the audience cheered in solidarity with them.
"I'm very hopeful with the results of this Encuentro that we're going to go back home and really bring consciousness to the whole world, that we're going to make a difference in the lives of those who need us," Sister Norma Pimentel, an Encuentro delegate, told CNS. A member of the Missionaries of Jesus, Sister Pimentel is executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.
Other recurring issues include supporting Hispanic women in leadership roles; the need to continue the role of a missionary church that reaches out to others; more access to leadership positions at all levels; and to reach out to, mentor and guide young adults as ministry leaders.
Unlike previous Encuentros where a national pastoral plan was developed following the national gathering, the results of the Fifth Encuentro, or V Encuentro, will be compiled into a final document that will be shared with all dioceses, so parishes and dioceses can utilize it to reinforce and strengthen their Hispanic ministry groups.
The reason is that the Hispanic Catholic community in the church has grown to be large and diverse in its needs and realities, and what makes sense for San Antonio would not make sense in other dioceses like Green Bay, Wisconsin, or Tulsa, Oklahoma, explained Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller of San Antonio in an interview with CNS. He chairs the Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
"Each diocese has been in a different process even in the V Encuentro," Archbishop Garcia-Siller said.
He also pointed out that the involvement of bishops from most dioceses and archdioceses shows their support for the Hispanic community and commitment to move forward.
"The main thing is that the bishops -- and you see it with the presence of bishops (at this gathering) -- we are assuming this walking together with the people of God in the Catholic Church in which many, many, many are Catholic for the sake of the whole church," Archbishop Garcia-Siller said.
— Norma Montenegro Flynn, Catholic News Service
Ospino: Encuentro reflects 'energy, maturity' of a church 'here to stay'
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Ospino: Encuentro reflects 'energy, maturity' of a church 'here to stay'
GRAPEVINE, Texas —The thousands of Hispanic Catholic ministry leaders gathered in Texas for the Fifth National Encuentro shared views on the maturity and presence of their diverse community and held dialogues on the dreams and challenges that they face.
The contributions of Hispanic Catholics to the church and society show the beauty and excitement of their people and culture, but it can be messy and complicated at times, expressed in a panel dialogue a group of Catholic leaders during the second day of sessions at the Sept. 20-23 gathering.
The coming together of Hispanic Catholic leaders from around the country reflects a mature church, said Hosffman Ospino, a theologian at Boston College and a member of the Fifth Encuentro's organizing committee. But he also sees that as the community is becoming bolder there is also a sense of excitement and "messiness."
"All these processes of the encuentros since 1972 reflect the energy and a maturity of a church that is here and is here to stay," Ospino said. However, the "messiness" is the challenges that must be overcome, such as a fragmented church, a church that struggles to embrace the Hispanic community, the young leaders who are transforming the church."
While talking about the ways to move forward and continuing the collaborations and outreach that they have gained within their parish and diocesan communities, Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, stressed the importance of a pastoral conversion.
"We have to not only allow the spirit to convert our hearts, but also our strategies, our methods and our structures, whether it's at the parish level, diocesan or national," Cardinal Tobin said during the plenary session.
Another participant, Carl Anderson, supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus, stressed the importance for non-Hispanic Catholic organizations to continue opening doors, providing opportunities and embracing Hispanic Catholics.
Ospino also highlighted the leadership of Hispanic women, which was evident during the Encuentro process, where they played a leading role in organizing and pulling through the Encuentro at all levels of the process.
"It is women who are leading the way, but at the same time, the downside of this is that we still fail to recognize and affirm that leadership role of Latino women in our church," Ospino said.
The Fifth National Encuentro, also called V Encuentro, is a process of missionary work, consultation, leadership development and community building that seeks to develop better ways in which the Catholic Church in the United States can respond to Hispanic Catholics. Over 3,000 Hispanic ministry leaders were participating in the Sept. 20-23 event, representing their parishes and 159 dioceses and other national Catholic organizations and groups.
Hispanics represent about 40 percent of U.S. Catholics and nearly 60 percent of millennial Catholics, according to research from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate.
During the afternoon sessions, representatives for each of the 14 episcopal regions -- in which the dioceses of the United States are geographically divided -- reported the results of the small group consultations they held throughout the day.
The task at hand was to highlight the areas that need accompaniment the most, and obstacles for Hispanic Catholics in 28 ministerial areas such as vocations, evangelization, Catholic education, family life, immigration and care for immigrants, among others.
Among the most pressing issues mentioned by participants is outreach to youth and young adults and creating spaces within their communities where they can feel heard, engaged, and supported in taking leadership roles.
Young Latinos face challenges such as feeling abandoned and lonely, said a priest-participant. Those struggles others such as family separations and social media often play detrimental roles in leading them down a path of alcoholism or drug abuse. "Families in crisis lead to youth in crisis," declared the priest.
Pastoral accompaniment during this somber time for the church in the U.S. amid the clerical sex abuse crisis was also addressed. Sister Ruth Bolarte of the Diocese of Metuchen, New Jersey, voiced the concerns and the response of Hispanic Catholics in episcopal region 3 that encompasses Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The crisis has brought up a lot of pain, confusion and questions, and at the same time it is an opportunity for the community to support their bishops and priests through listening, sharing accompaniment and communication, explained Sister Bolarte, a member of the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, who is director of the diocese's Office for Cultural Diversity Ministries.
"Through liturgy and prayer, we respond with a spirit of forgiveness and penitence so we can open those windows of hope, recognizing the pain but at the same time recognizing the opportunity, and what can be done. We want to defend our faith and we want to move forward," Sister Bolarte said.
— Norma Montenegro Flynn, Catholic News Service
Encuentro opens with procession, papal message, prayers for abuse victims
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Encuentro opens with procession, papal message, prayers for abuse victims
GRAPEVINE, Texas — A video message from Pope Francis and a procession of Encuentro crosses representing all of the participating episcopal regions were the highlights during the first day of the National Fifth Encuentro gathering taking place Sept. 20-23 in Grapevine.With hearts full of excitement and joy, about 3,000 Hispanic ministry leaders cheered as they welcomed representatives for each of the 14 episcopal regions approaching the stage and carrying the same crosses and colorful banners that accompanied their gatherings during the multiyear process of discernment and consultation that began at their parishes. The crosses were placed on the stage by the bishops who served as chairs for each region.
Pope Francis captivated the audience with a video message that was received with a standing ovation.
"I see that the Fifth Encuentro is a concrete way for the church in the U.S. to respond to the challenge of going beyond what is comfortable, business as usual, and to become a leaven of communion for all those who seek a future of hope, especially young people and families that live in the peripheries of society," the pontiff said.
He also urged them to continue the process of pastoral conversion at all levels through an encounter with one another centered in the adoration of Jesus Christ.
The gathering, also known as V Encuentro, brings under one roof about 2,700 diocesan representatives, 125 bishops from 159 dioceses and archdioceses across the country, and other members of Catholic organizations. During the four-day event, they planned to continue the discernment process to develop a national pastoral plan for Hispanic ministry.
Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, welcomed the crowd and addressed the need for healing and accountability sparked by the clerical sex abuse scandal.
"As bishops, we have fallen short of what God expects of his shepherds. By this we again ask forgiveness from both the Lord and those who have been harmed, and from you, the people of God." Cardinal DiNardo said.
He emphasized the efforts being made to support and accompany survivors in their healing and to implement stronger protections against sexual abuse.
"Amidst this darkness the Encuentro is a light that shines and illuminates the way forward. The enthusiasm, compassion, the love and the joy of the Encuentro process is a means of grace. A gift to us as we rebuild the church," the cardinal told the Encuentro participants.
Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller of San Antonio led the evening prayer and asked for prayers for the victims of clerical sexual abuse.
"Let us pray to God for the victims of the crimes that led to this crisis. Do everything you can for the healing of all the victims of these abuses and pray also for the perpetrators and for us, your shepherds," Archbishop Garcia-Siller said.
Remembering the nearly five decades of encuentros in the United States, Mercy Sister Ana Maria Pineda, a theologian at Santa Clara University in California, called the Texas gathering a historic moment.
"We are the elders and the offspring of the sacred history woven with the many threads of the past and the present and looking toward the future," she said. "We recall the past and how God has traveled with us throughout these many decades as Catholic Hispanics, Latinos."
Sister Pineda has participated in all the encuentros since 1972, when the first Encuentro took place in Washington. During that very first gathering, priests, bishops and lay leaders proposed significant ways to attend to the pastoral needs of Hispanic Catholics.
In 1977, the second Encuentro also was held in Washington with the theme of "Pueblo the Dios en Marcha" ("People of God Going Forward").
"In my memory, it is like a Pentecost moment," Sister Pineda recalled. That year about 1,200 Hispanic Catholic leaders reflected on issues such as evangelization, ministries, human rights, education and political responsibility.
Sister Pineda described it as a turning point in which they shared stories of joy, sorrow, neglect and hope. They were drawn together as a Hispanic community and became aware of the unique contributions they offered to society and the church. In turn, the church was motivated to respond more authentically to the needs of that growing community.
The third Encuentro, in 1985, focused on youth, the poor and human dignity, and led to the creation of a national pastoral plan for Hispanic ministry.
Encuentro 2000 embraced the many culturally diverse communities in the United States and the cultural and religious contributions that also enrich the church, Sister Pineda said.
Bishop Michael F. Olson of Fort Worth welcomed the participants, including international guests such as Archbishop Christophe Pierre; Guzman Carriquiry, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America; and bishop-representatives from the Latin American bishops' council, or CELAM, as well as from Canada, El Salvador and Mexico.
Through a process of missionary work, consultation, leadership development and community building, the Encuentro seeks to develop better ways in which the Catholic Church responds to Hispanic Catholics in parishes around the country and to strengthen them as leaders and missionary disciples.
— Norma Montenegro Flynn, Catholic News Service
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Continue to be an evangelizing church, nuncio tells Encuen-tro delegates
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Continue to be an evangelizing church, nuncio tells Encuen-tro delegates
GRAPEVINE, Texas — Quoting from Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation "The Joy of the Gospel," Archbishop Christophe Pierre encouraged Hispanic Catholic leaders and bishops to continue working toward being an evangelizing church by seeking an encounter with Christ and taking initiative while accompanying those on the peripheries."The church which 'goes forth' is a community of missionary disciples who take the first step, who are involved and supportive, who bear fruit and rejoice," Archbishop Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, said Sept. 20, the opening day of the Fifth National Encuentro.
Nearly 3,000 ministry leaders at the gathering in Grapevine were selected to represent 159 dioceses across the country.
During the Sept. 20-23 event, participants were taking part in listening and dialogue sessions to discuss a wide range of issues they consider to be priorities in Hispanic Catholic ministry for the church in the United States.
The Fifth National Encuentro, also called V Encuentro, is a process of missionary work, consultation, leadership development and community building that seeks to develop better ways in which the Catholic church can respond to Hispanic Catholics in parishes around the country. It also seeks to strengthen them as leaders and missionary disciples.
As in previous encuentros, the goal is to develop a national pastoral plan for Hispanic ministry for the present and for years to come.
Archbishop Pierre, in his keynote address, praised the work done by Encuentro leaders to reach those on the peripheries as they answer the call to be missionary disciples.
In remarks delivered in both English and Spanish, the papal nuncio warned against judging and condemning the church and considering it distant. "We are the church, if there's need for a conversion it starts with us," he said.
He also challenged the leaders to seek new ways to reach out to those who are indifferent and to those who have abandoned the church or are on existential and spiritual peripheries.
"What leads to a change of heart in Christians is precisely a missionary spirit," he said.
The archbishop described the characteristics of an evangelizing church: getting involved, taking initiative, staying committed, accompanying others, bearing fruits and feeling joy.
He reminded participants that as Pope Francis said: "The church in the United States, as in other parts of the world, is called to 'go forth' out of its comfort zone and become leaven of communion."
The nuncio also urged everyone to get involved and not just remain as spectators and invited bishops and clergy to keep their vocations alive.
"Accompaniment entails guiding, encouraging and supporting, and uniting. The church that actively does this is a synodal church -- a church that walks together. One speaks of synodality in the church and synodality of the church," he added.
He explained synodality "in" the church as a church that journeys together renewing the life and practice of faith through constant discernment and action involving many forms of participation and action. Synodality "of" the church, he said, refers to the journey of the church with humanity through history.
"The Encuentro process has shown the effectiveness of synodality 'in' the church -- listening, speaking, participating by asking critical questions and discerning the path forward. If communion is a sharing of the faithful in the mysteries of faith and mission of the church, synodality is the sign and fulfillment of communion."
Bearing fruits requires discernment and patience, he stressed. "Patience in the art of discernment and accompaniment allows the whole church to move forward."
Archbishop Pierre told participants not to forget about joy along the journey. "Joy is the greatest experience of the church that goes forth. The Eucharist is the source and summit of all life in the church. The Eucharist is the sacrament which nourishes Christian joy."
He concluded by inviting others to live the joy of the Gospel.
"It is my sincere hope that as we gather for these days, we may be the church that Christ wants us to be -- with him at the center of our lives, our conversations and our ministry, confident that with the Holy Virgin of Guadalupe to accompany us and to intercede for us, we may always move forward in hope, making known the joy of the Gospel."
— Norma Montenegro Flynn, Catholic News Service
GRAPEVINE, Texas 
GRAPEVINE, Texas — Quoting from Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation "The Joy of the Gospel," Archbishop Christophe Pierre encouraged Hispanic Catholic leaders and bishops to continue working toward being an evangelizing church by seeking an encounter with Christ and taking initiative while accompanying those on the peripheries.