The Council of the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services (ICCRS) recently elected Andrés Arango as a council member for a three year term.
ICCRS is an international organization under the Pontifical Council for the Laity. It has its venue in the Vatican and operates as a coordination, information and communication center to serve the worldwide Catholic Charismatic Renewal, also making a link between the Movement and the Holy See. The ICCRS Council is composed by 14 councilors (priests, lay and religious people). The councilors represent ICCRS in several continents and in the diverse types of ministries and communities.
The election comes in recognition of Arango’s extensive experience in evangelization, particularly with Latino communities. Arango is the first lay Latino person from the United States elected for this service. Oreste Pesare, executive director of ICCRS, expressed in his letter of appointment: “On behalf of our President, Michelle Moran and of all the members of our International Council, I am very happy to officially communicate to you that you have been elected as new Council Member representing ICCRS in the Spanish-speaking North America, Central America and the Caribbean. We praise the Lord for having chosen you to serve with us the entire current of grace of Charismatic Renewal in the Catholic Church.”
Arango is the Bishop’s Delegate for Hispanic Ministry and Director of Evangelization in the Diocese of Camden. Arango’s accomplishments while serving the Catholic Church include, chairman of the National Hispanic Catholic Charismatic Renewal Committee and Vice-president of the Latin-American Catholic Charismatic Committee. Arango also serves as a consultant for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs. He has been engaged in active ministry, preaching at retreats and conferences both on the national and international level together with his wife Kathia. They are also the proud parents of twin daughters. Arango is the author of the book “Con Poder… la Experiencia de Pentecostés (With Power… The Experience of Pentecost).”
Andrés has a Master of Theological Studies from the Franciscan School of Theology (Berkeley, California), a bachelor’s in Production Engineering (EAFIT University, Medellin, Colombia), an associate of arts in philosophy (Misionero del Espiritu Santo Seminary, La Ceja, Colombia) and a Certificate in Leadership Formation from the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services Institute (Rome, Italy).