Hispanic Ministry program

CLIFTON  Social restrictions to help stop the COVID-19 pandemic have postponed an official graduation ceremony for now, but it has not delayed 17 passionate lay leaders of Spanish-speaking parishes in the Diocese from celebrating their recent pioneering achievement as the first class to complete a diocesan Leadership Certificate in Hispanic Ministry with Speciali­zation in Evangelization.

The three-year Spanish-language program equipped these Catholics to be more fervent and effective leaders in service to their homes, families, parishes and local communities and in spreading the Gospel — while already armed with initiatives that they developed to help improve their parishes in the mission of evangelization.

Originally, the six-course program started in the fall of 2017 with 31 local Catholics with the goals of preparing them for greater leadership roles in their parishes. The 17 who were graduated with the certificate completed two courses each academic year for three years in the following subjects: “Introduction to Evangelization,” “Hispanics and the Church in the United States,” “Leadership Skills and Competencies,” “Chal­lenges in Ministry Today,” “Pastoral Leadership” and “Evangelization: Integration Seminar,” said Ivannia Vega-McTighe, diocesan assistant director of evangelization, who helped establish the program.

For the final certificate course, students demonstrated what they have learned by researching and developing an initiative — a “pastoral project” or “case study” in consultation with their pastors — to help their parishes evangelize more effectively. Last month, students officially were graduated with the completion of the last class, which was offered to them online as they followed shelter-in-place restrictions at home, Vega-McTighe said.

“The program has given me knowledge [of leadership] that I can bring back to my parish. This was an opportunity to develop myself to give to others,” Sonia Castro, director of religious education at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish in Dover, said of the program, co-sponsored by the Diocese and the Center for Ministry and Spirituality of the College of St. Elizabeth (CSE), Convent Station. “I’m happy now that I’ve graduated. Now, I want to do much more to evangelize,” she said.

For her Pastoral Project, Castro developed a ministry to encourage women of her parish who attend Mass — but “don’t think that they have anything to offer” — to get involved in parish ministries. Last year, she ran a retreat for these women.

“I wanted to let the women know that they have a place in the Church. This is their home. The retreat motivated some of them to get involved,” Castro said.

The program was designed to help local parish leaders of Hispanic parishes to reach out to their ever-growing core population.

Before graduation, students were expected to have gained the following skills:

• Be able to articulate a Church-based vision for Hispanic Ministry by reviewing its priorities, achievements and “historical memory” in the U.S.;

• Develop an understanding and sensitivity about the link between faith and culture necessary for Hispanic Ministry by reviewing forms of prayer, value systems and popular religiosity of Hispanics;

• Demonstrate culturally specific abilities in planning, facilitating, communicating, budgeting, volunteer recruitment, training and retention, public relations, marketing and conflict resolution from the Hispanic perspective;

• Acquire the ability to balance personal goals with ministerial duties to become healthy and effective leaders and avoid burnout;

• Exhibit an ability to create approaches to Hispanic Ministry on personal, local and national levels to effectively meet the challenges of a multicultural population with changing pastoral needs.

Many of the students made great sacrifices in their finances and time — often juggling two jobs and a family as well — to make it to weekly meetings at the Pope St. John Paul II Pastoral Center in Clifton — a satellite center for St. Paul Inside the Walls: the Diocesan Center for Evangelization in Madison, where Hispanic Ministry holds its programs. CSE provided adjunct professors to teach the courses and financial scholarships for students while the Diocese also offered scholarships through its Lay Ministry Endowment Grant. Vega-McTighe long advocated for a leadership program for Hispanic Ministry, which started to take shape three years ago with help from Anthony Santa­maria, dean of CSE’s School of the Arts.

“The program gives students the tools to be leaders by advocating for their parishes and priests — supporting their mission,” said Vega-McTighe, who noted that students on the non-credit track still earn the certificate but not college credits. The other track of students can earn credits to apply to a bachelor’s or master’s degree in theology if they so pursue it. “I’m proud of the students. They have a sense of accomplishment. Now they can speak about our faith and build the Church with confidence,” she said.

Two other graduates are Raul and Martha Nombera of St. Mary Help of Chris­tians Parish, Paterson. They have served as Extra­or­dinary Ministers of the Eucharist, in Pre-Cana classes and help with religious education.

“We gained skills and competencies so as lay leaders we can help people know about Jesus. We learned what Church documents say about evangelization, the responsibilities of lay people in evangelization, the organization of the Church and more about the realities of the Church in our own parish and through­out the U.S.,” said Raul Nombera. The couple developed a plan to enhance the parish’s religious education program by incorporating more technology, establishing catechist training and initiating religious formation for parents. “I thank the Lord for this opportunity. I’m enthusiastic to do more for the parish and Diocese,” he said.

Most student projects focused on religious education while others addressed the need for hospitality to make their parishes more welcoming, said Maria Moncaleano, diocesan coordinator of faith and leadership formation. She also taught three courses as a CSE’s adjunct professor and helped facilitate the program.

Another CSE instructor was Maricela Quintina, who said the program provided “the proper formation for these leaders to help the Church minister to and with the Hispanic community.”

For her pastoral project, Diana Bedoya, who serves young adult ministry of St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morris­town, developed a program to teach music ministers how to sing and play their instruments in a liturgical environment to “help people sing about God and guide people to God.”

“I loved all my classes. I wanted to learn more and more,” Bedoya said. “As a leader, I need to know where I’m going. The program is helping me lead other people and explain why we want to be with God and follow our faith traditions. We need more conviction with our traditions,” she said.