Catholic Diocese Tucson

6 CATHOLIC OUTLOOK MAY 2019 By MICHAEL BROWN Managing Editor It had been six months since delegates from dioceses throughout the country gathered in Texas for V Encuentro, with a promise of a final document later this year. However, for the 10 dioceses of Region 13 – the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming – plans to move forward are continuing, with representatives gathered at a spring retreat at Redemptorist Renewal Center April 2-4 to fashion a mission statement for the region. “This is a very beautiful statement,” said Michelle Montez, executive director for the Pastoral Ministries Division in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe on the final day, April 4. Montez and Roberto Rojas, a member of the V Encuentro National Team of Accompaniment and senior advisor for Hispanic Outreach at Catholic Relief Services, led a series of sessions culminating with the mission statement, and a discussion on next steps in the wake of V Encuentro. The mission statement read: “We are pastoral leaders of Hispanic Ministry, delegates of the bishops of Region XIII serving the People of God, in particular the Hispanic/Latino community in its diversity. Guided by the Holy Spirit and under the protection of our most Holy Mother, the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe, Star of the New Evangelization, we collaborate with each other sharing a vision of Communion in Mission.” Four bullet points followed to complete the statement: ”We live and promote a daily, personal encounter with Christ; We support integral formation, with emphasis in the promotion of Missionary Disciples; We collaborate with each other along with the Church and its leadership; We celebrate our diversity in unity and charity.” “Wherever you go, this should be your calling card,” said Montez, said of the role the mission statement should play following the retreat. Rojas said he knew of only one other region of the country – Region 11 comprising California and Nevada – to write its own mission statement, and that occurred “many years ago.” Rojas praised the delegates for their efforts and “how you worked with each other really well.” Montez said the mission statement reflected the effort of a group of leaders who had grown together since V Encuentro was first begun. “When I first met this group three years ago, I knew all these people were not on the same page,” she said. Rojas said he was impressed by how easily the regional representatives got along, especially how they could relax and spend social time together after each day’s sessions. One of the most discussed questions was how to deal with the Spanish term Pastoral de Conjunto, which doesn’t translate directly into English. However, the group agreed that “Communion in Mission” best approximates a clear definition. By MICHAEL BROWN Managing Editor The impact of the V Encuentro is bigger than anyone expected, including the US bishops, said Roberto Rojas, a member of the V Encuentro National Team of Accompaniment and senior advisor for Hispanic Outreach at Catholic Relief Services. “I don’t think anybody fully understood what it would mean,” Rojas said during a break in a retreat for Hispanic ministers, gathered at the Redemptorist Renewal Center April 4. Planning for the V Encuentro began in 2013 and involved gathering input from lay Catholics in every parish – Hispanic or otherwise – in the country. “I think we have really been able to capture the voices of the people in the pews,” he said. Rojas and Michelle Montez, executive director for the Pastoral Ministries Division in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, led a retreat that helped Hispanic ministers from 10 dioceses - representing Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming - form a mission statement to use as they move forward implementing the goals of regional and national meetings held in 2018. The Fifth National Encuentro of Hispanic/Latino Ministry (V Encuentro) was a historic ecclesial or Church gathering of 3,000 Hispanic/Latino Ministry leaders/ delegates from dioceses, ecclesial movements, schools, universities and Catholic organizations from across the country. The first Encuentro occurred in 1972. For more information please view youtu.be/MH2Qx5bpao8 . A national goal of V Encuentro was to identify Hispanic leaders in Church ministry as Hispanic Catholics continue to increase and integrate themselves into parish, diocesan and national leadership roles. By the middle of this century, demographic trends suggest that Hispanic Catholics will make up the majority of US Catholics. Rojas noted that leadership on the elevation of Hispanic leaders to roles in parish, diocesan and national positions will be coming from the more grass roots level. “We have to celebrate the fact that we have taken the lead ourselves,” Rojas said, acknowledging that such a “Pentecost moment” or lay led effort is “countercultural to how we think of Church in the US.” This different leadership genesis takes the pressure off the USCCB, although not entirely. Rojas suggested that the national bishops’ conference could strongly urge dioceses to be more active in their own identifying, training and elevating Hispanic candidates. He said that as Hispanic leaders earn master’s degrees from Catholic universities, the pool of viable candidates continues to expand, but diocesan leaders never ask those schools for the names of those candidates when looking to fill positions. That needs to change. Dioceses also need to see Hispanic candidates for positions besides those that only typically serve Hispanic Catholics. “Hispanic Catholics are not separated from the Church…. We fully understand that we are not just serving the Hispanic Catholic in the US,” he said. “We are capable of serving everyone.” Church leaders also have to work harder to encourage potential Hispanic leaders to consider a call to ministry. Hispanic Catholics “will be the first to admit” that with so few diocesan and national Hispanic ministry leaders as role models, Regional Hispanic ministers rally around common missions Encuentro impact bigger than expected, says national board member Regional Encuentro retreat held in Diocese of Tucson for Southwest Hispanic ministers See ROJAS on page 7 “ Wherever you go, this should be your calling card,” said leader Michelle Montez “ We have to celebrate the fact that we have taken the lead ourselves,” Rojas said