The Hispani
Celebrating the Bea A
t Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, we are truly blessed to have a richly diverse parish family, one that reminds us just how beautiful, colorful, and creative Our Lord is. Appreciating this gift is a wonderful way to be faithful stewards of our Catholic faith. “We have a large Hispanic population at our parish,” says Coordinator of Hispanic Ministry Ricardo Veloz. “It is made up of 80 percent Guatemalans, and the rest are from countries such as Mexico and Venezuela. It is very important to create a welcoming environment for them and make them feel at home at our parish.” With the gracious help of the Hispanic Ministry, this goal of hospitality can come to life, day in and day out. This ministry hopes to serve all those whose first language is Spanish. Its primary focus includes helping with Spanish liturgical celebrations, sacramental preparation, and evangelization; as well as responding to different social needs of the Hispanic community. The Hispanic Ministry also collaborates with all the organizations, groups, or individuals of the parish that wish to offer assistance to Hispanic families in need. “Many of our Hispanics are first-generation immigrants who do not speak English well, so we work with them in their own language, while also encouraging them to learn English,” Ricardo says. “We also help them bring their various needs to our parish ministries and point them towards local service groups and other resources. I work closely with Catholic Charities, such as to help them obtain food or financial help if needed. I like to serve as a sort of bridge for them.” The Hispanic Ministry helps coordinate parish Masses in Spanish, which take place on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m., followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions, as well as on Sundays at 1:30 p.m. The ministry also offers Pre-Baptismal Preparation and Pre-Marriage Formation classes in Spanish. They also help to organize: the Hispanic Prayer Group every Sunday after Mass in the Fallon Center; the Hispanic Prayer Group for Young Adults (ages 18-35) on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Fallon Center; the Hispanic Youth Group of 04
