Six Catholic churches in Arkansas are among the first to get involved in the Diocese of Little Rock’s newest outreach to Hispanic teens and young adults.
The Office of Hispanic Ministry recently formed the Equipo Promotor Diocesano de Pastoral Juvenil (Diocesan Youth Ministry Promoting Team). Deacon Marcelino Luna, director, and Jose Dionicio “Nicho” Vazquez, associate director, would like the team to help other parishes start their own youth and young adult groups as well as lead diocesan events around the state.
At least one member from each Hispanic youth group was asked to attend the first program Aug. 18 at St. Joseph Home in North Little Rock.
The participating churches included Holy Redeemer, Clarksville; St. Joseph, Conway; Holy Redeemer, El Dorado; Immaculate Conception, Fort Smith; St. Edward, Little Rock; and St. Edward, Texarkana.
With the theme, “Let us Build Today the Future of the Church,” the participants, who were 17 to 25 years old, discussed their role in the Church. The program theme became a reality when the participants were asked to build a scale model of a church. To reinforce the construction theme, signs around St. Joseph Home said “Catholics Working” and “Reduce your speed, we need to talk. God” and yellow caution tape circled the room.
The participants created the walls of wood and decorated the outside of the building with small stones. Inside the church were an altar, pews, crucifix and an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
“For some this was a very simple task since they had experience in construction work, which made it easier for them. But for others, it was more complicated,” Vazquez said. “When finished, each and every one of the participants was smiling, since their own creativity allowed them to make the most beautiful adjustments.”
Vazquez said the activity was meant to show them that they have talents they can contribute to their parishes.
“The Church is not a building. We are the Church,” he said.
Rosy and Jose Luis Galvan, members of Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith, said each of the 35 participants was invited to join the promoting team.
Rosy Galvan, a 22-year-old education major at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith and team coordinator, said the team was first formed last year after several people from Arkansas attended a national Hispanic youth convention in Indiana.
“After that we realized we needed to form our own youth ministry team,” she said. The youth and young adult groups around the diocese “need to be more connected and work together for the same purpose.”
She said the parish groups told the team they need more support from adult parishioners, but most of all they need access to resources and materials for their programs.
“They are getting together in weekly meetings, but they don’t know what to present,” she said.
Galvan said the team would like to get more members involved in promoting events for youth and young adults. Other members of the team include Karla Ramirez and Javier Rodriguez of Clarksville, Samuel and Blanca Ramirez of Conway, Rogelio Perez of Fort Smith, Mauricio Robles of Little Rock, Cristian Canizalez of Rogers, and José Pena, Ernesto Fraire and Angel Hernandez of Springdale. Vazquez and Luna are consultants to the team.
Vazquez said the team is now working to build up a group for 18 to 25 year-olds at St. Raphael Church in Springdale. The team will lead a spiritual retreat at Little Portion Retreat Center near Eureka Springs in November, a family retreat in December and the youth ministry promoting team retreat in January.
“They help the parishes that don’t have youth groups,” Vazquez said. “They will lead retreats. It’s a very good group.”
Luna said the seminar will be repeated in Hope, Monticello and Jonesboro in 2008.
Click here to return to the Catholic Youth section index.
