Diocese of Richmond prepares its leaders

On June 11, 2016, the Office of Hispanic Ministry in the Diocese of Richmond had its annual gathering of Hispanic Parish Ministers. The focus of the meeting was the process of Encuentro, focused on highlighting the initiatives that have changed the face of Hispanic Ministry at all levels throughout the years. Currently, the diocese is in the process of working on the V Encuentro. For parishes that have accepted to be part of this process, it will begin in 2017 with a training of its leaders. The goal of the training is to discern ways in which the Church in the United States can better respond to the Hispanic/Latino presence, and to strengthen the ways in which Hispanics/Latinos respond to the call to the New Evangelization as missionary disciples serving the entire Church. During the training the youth ages 15-16 realized that they want to learn more about their Hispanic identity and their bilingual identity.

On Thursday July 28, 2016 the diocesan V Encuentro team held their first gathering for parish leaders at the Botanical Gardens. During this gathering 12 leaders from different parishes were able to learn about the history of Encuentro at a national level as well as how it evolved our diocese. Leaders had the opportunity to participate, discuss portion and share their thoughts and experiences amongst each other. Participants voiced that the V Encuentro is a great opportunity for the Catholic community to share their hopes and grow together. It will help many people seek and find their identity as well as learn about other cultures amongst the community. In deep appreciation of their leaders, the Office of Hispanic Ministry in the Diocese of Richmond extend their deepest gratitude for the service they provide to their parish communities. They encourage them to carry on their pastoral work with the hope that their ministries will continue to flourish and create new leaders; leaders that will bring with them the message of Christ instilled in our culture and traditions for future generations to come. 2016 © ENAVE.  All Rights Reserved.