Bishop Dennis Sullivan recently presided at a Mass and commissioning at Pope John Paul II Retreat Center in Vineland for members of the Camden Diocesan Hispanic Ministry Commission, marking a new year for its 29 members who have pledged to represent the Hispanic Catholic community of the southern six counties of New Jersey.
Andres Arango, Bishop’s Delegate for Hispanic Ministry and Director of Evangelization for the Diocese of Camden, calls the organization “a voice for the needs and opportunities of Hispanics, to serve them better.”
The goal of the commission, made up of Catholics from all over the diocese, is to present the needs, opportunities, challenges and strengths of Hispanics in the Diocese; to help non-Hispanics to understand, respect and value the spiritual expressions of Latino cultures; to find unity in the diversity of the different Hispanic groups; to work toward the recognition of Hispanics in parishes; and to minister at a diocesan level to Hispanics based on the pastoral needs.
The commission, as a whole, meets once every two months, but its various subcommittees, which focus on certain aspects of faith life such as youth and young adults, vocations, liturgy, lay ministry formation, evangelization and social justice, meet every month.
The members of the Hispanic Ministry Commission are Andres Arango, Ex-Officio; Damaris Thillet, Ex-Officio; Kathia Arango, Ex-Officio; Father Ariel Hernandez; Father Jaime Hostios; Father Joel Arciga; Brother Juan de la Cruz; Deacon Arnaldo Santos; Deacon Samuel Soto; Sister Agueda Durazo; Sister Graciela Rosas; Alba Lopez; Amada Fernandez; Celia Gutierrez; Delia Mondragon; Dioscelina Rosario; Erick Duran; Hortensia Negron; Hugo Cayetano; Israel Negron; Lazaro Rosario; Margarita Moran; Maria Isabel Duran; Maribel Santos; Nelva Ancona; Patricia Aponte; Ramon Marte; Rose Soto; and Socorro Rodriguez.