4 minute read
The Hispanic Ministry: Celebrating the Beauty of God’s Family
At 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.”
Advertisement
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 Adolescents (ages 13-17) on Fridays at 6:30 p.m. in the School Cafeteria; and the Hispanic Women’s Group on Fridays at 6 p.m. in the Fallon Center.
Furthermore, the ministry coordinates Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults classes in Spanish (RICA in Spanish).
“I enjoy working with those going through RICA,” Ricardo says. “I love seeing them rediscover their faith and get engaged in the life of the Church. They are very excited to be part of the parish.”
Ultimately, the Hispanic Ministry provides a wonderful way for our parish to live out the stewardship call to hospitality, and savor the many “colors” of Catholicism in all of their splendor.
“Many of our Hispanic parishioners are looking for a community and a family, so they don’t feel alone in this new country,” Ricardo says. “They are seeking a place to pray, live out their faith and be social together. Many of them live alone but when they join a Hispanic Ministry group, they find a family and they are very committed to it. Our goal is to help them keep their Catholic faith and Catholic Hispanic traditions. We want to motivate them to be more active as disciples of Jesus and implement the stewardship of time, talent and treasure into their lives.”
