September 18, 2018

Western Mass. Delegation joins for liturgy, readies for V Encuentro

REGIONAL
Story and photos by Kathleen Harrington

Pictured are (left to right) Deacon Pedro Rivera-Moran, Jacquelyn Luna, Jacqueline Enriques, Teresa Sanchez, Lucy Ramos, Father Ryan Rooney, Josepina Duran, Sister Rosa Torres, and Deacon Kevin McCarthy. Missing from the photo is Gina Czerwinski.

SPRINGFIELD – Delegates from the Diocese of Springfield gathered on Monday to celebrate Mass in advance of their travel to the Fifth National Encuentro.

The four-day meeting in Texas is the culmination of a multiyear effort to assess the needs of the growing Catholic Spanish-speaking population. Ten people from across the diocese make up the team of delegates from western Massachusetts.

Deacon Pedro Rivera-Moran, director of Latino Ministry for the Diocese of Springfield will be joined by Father Ryan Rooney, pastor of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Springfield; Deacon Kevin McCarthy from Blessed Sacrament/All Souls Parish in Springfield; Sister Rosa Torres, a Missionary of Our Lady of Perpetual Help serving at Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish in Turners Falls; Lucy Ramos and Teresa Sanchez from the Office of Latino Ministry; Gina Czerwinski, director of catechetics and youth formation; Jaquelyn Luna from the Office of Faith Formation; Jacqueline Enriques; and Josepina Duran.

An estimated 3,000 people will meet in Grapevine, Texas beginning Sept. 20.

The National Fifth Encuentro or “V Encuentro” will include sessions to discuss the issues identified throughout the country in regional meetings. New England is Region 1 and will be led by Cardinal Sean O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston.

“We will be assigned one session each,” explained Deacon Rivera-Moran. “Each of us has a different one so that we can share our ideas and concerns. The good news is that we have a common vision.”

Keynote speakers include Archbishop Christopher Pierre, from the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D.C. Archbishop Pierre was appointed by Pope Francis in 2016 to serve as the Vatican’s only representative in the United States.

Other keynote speakers include Cardinal Joseph Tobin of the Archdiocese of Newark, N.J., and Bishop Daniel Flores of the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas.

The daily sessions will cover the role of Catholics in evangelizing; how to prioritize pastoral care and outreach to Hispanics/Latinos; integrating Spanis- speaking Catholics into the life and leadership of the community; and incorporating youth, young adults, and people with disabilities in the life of the church.

The topics were compiled during a multiyear process that assessed the pastoral needs of the growing population of Hispanic and Latino Catholics in the U.S. The recommendations were submitted to the national committee for inclusion in the creation of a pastoral plan for Hispanics/Latinos in the Catholic Church in the U.S.