CLIFTON As the Diocese marks the Year of the Eucharist, the annual Hispanic Summer Institute was centered on the theme of the Eucharist, “the Source and Summit of the Christian life.” The institute was held from June 13 to 17 at the Pope John Paul II Center here in partnership with the diocesan Hispanic Ministry Office at the Evangelization Center at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison and St. Elizabeth University in Convent Station.
The Institute featured a week of workshops on different topics on the Eucharist and was coordinated by Maria Moncaleano, diocesan director of the Hispanic Ministry Office. The theme for the workshops, which were presented by Spanish-speaking priests of the Diocese, included the Eucharist as Mystery presented by Father Cesar Jaramillo, parochial vicar of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson and Defender of the Bond in the Diocesan Tribunal Office; the Eucharist as Sacrament by Father Danny Pabon from the Archdiocese of Newark; the Eucharist as Sacrifice by Father Yojaneider Garcia, diocesan director of the Catechesis Office and Faith Formation; the Eucharist as Thanksgiving by Father Darwin Lastra, pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Pompton Plains; and the Eucharist as Celebration by Father Brando Ibarra, pastor of Mary Help of Christians Church in Paterson and dean of the Paterson Deanery.
More than 100 people attended the Summer Institute receiving continued formation in order to recharge their faith and deepen their knowledge on Catholicism.
Presenting on the first day of the Institute, Father Jaramillo said, “The theme for this year is the Eucharist, which is very appropriate in light of the fact that we are currently in the midst of the Year of the Eucharist in our Diocese. I believe the Institute complements so many other initiatives that are taking place throughout the Diocese to continue raising awareness for the great gift we have been given in the Holy Eucharist.”
Last fall, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney launched the Office of Hispanic Ministry in the Diocese. One of its missions is to develop leadership opportunities for Hispanics, which will enable them to take an active role in the evangelizing mission of the Church.
“The people want to be formed. They want to be catechized so they can serve their communities with greater zeal and confidence,” said Father Jaramillo, “They look the Diocesan structure to provide those opportunities, which can help them grow. Fortunately, the Office of Hispanic Ministry has been doing just that.”
Father Jaramillo cites the Pentecost Project that was held at the Cathedral during Lent and Easter, also led to the significant response the Summer Institute received this year. He said, “People were left with a sense of hunger for more and so once provided with the opportunity to participate in the Summer Institute, they jumped on it. This is a perfect example of how we achieve one of the main objectives of the Office of Hispanic Ministry, which in Spanish, is referred to as ‘Pastoral de Conjunto.’ It refers to a pastoral and real collaboration between all agents of evangelization — parishes, institutions, groups, associations, agencies with the goal of accompanying people in their journey of faith and leading them to a personal encounter with Jesus Christ.”
For many years, the Diocese has had a strong partnership with St. Elizabeth University. In addition to the Summer Institute, the Diocese partners with the university in the Certificate of Leadership in Hispanic Ministry program.
Father Jaramillo, who was born in Colombia, said, “Programs like the Summer Institute are especially important for Hispanic lay leaders because they provide them with a concrete opportunity for continued formation in the faith. By way of it our Spanish-speaking community can not only be introduced to the rich and vast Catholic intellectual tradition but they can also develop bonds of friendship to others around the Diocese who are also looking to assist their respective parish communities to grow and prosper. Furthermore, this type of collaboration between a university and our own Center for Evangelization helps to dissipate the prejudice that exists in some sectors of the Church that somehow our Hispanic community is not well-versed, theologically and intellectually speaking, in the magisterium of the Church.”
Information on upcoming opportunities: Office for Hispanic Ministry.