Instituto Hispano
Celebrates 25th Anniversary
Rev. Eduardo C. Fernández, S.J., S.T.D. Professor of Pastoral Theology and Ministry
Instituto Hispano Today
Slightly before 8:00 a.m. on Monday, July 15, 2013, an unofficial procession appeared on Holy Hill in Berkeley. A group of students — Latino pastoral workers from 14 states and 23 dioceses such as Anchorage, Santa Fe, Boise, San Jose, and Oakland — followed a young, Mexican-American, 20-something woman in a wheelchair, from the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University ( JST) down the street to the extra-large classroom at fellow Graduate Theological Union member school, Church Divinity School of the Pacific. In no time, the 61 students (a record class size), among them several permanent deacons, two women religious, a parish priest recruited by one of his parishioners, and many lay persons, had organized the classroom; opened their notebooks, laptops, or iPads; and smiled. They were ready to begin an intensive two-week series of courses taught completely in Spanish. Classes included Pauline Letters, Vatican II, Sacraments, God and Trinity, Ecclesiology, Violence and Reconciliation, Pastoral Planning, and Ignatian Spirituality. Their instructors, most of whom teach in institutions of higher education, hailed from Mexico, Spain, and the United States.
The Vision
Twenty-five years ago, Instituto Hispano founder and then-JSTB faculty member, Father Allan Figueroa Deck, S.J., envisioned creating an institute to provide pastoral agents with quality continuing theological education and offer an “ambiente casero”, a warm, welcoming, home environment, where they could creatively study, pray, network, and recreate together. This dream has taken root in beautiful Berkeley with the hard work of later directors Allan Ramirez; Gloria Loya, P.B.V.M.; Jill Marshall; Paulina Espinosa; and Cecilia Titizano. The Instituto Hispano has become an integral part of JST. The tender seedling has matured and is providing spiritual and theological shade where these children of God can find refreshment and in some cases, retooling, before returning to the Lord’s vineyard.
Photos this page: Olga Flores proudly displaying her Certificate in Hispanic Theological and Pastoral Studies; Instituto Hispano founder, Rev. Allan Figueroa Deck, S.J. Facing page: top to bottom: Jaime Alvaro performing during the fiesta; Instituto participants, Angelica Leon and Rosa Villalobos; award recipient, Rev. Virgilio Elizondo; 25th anniversary cake. All photos by Torrey Elsner.
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