Liturgical ministers, musicians, hospitality ministers, youth and young adults from across the Diocese of Camden are encouraged to participate in an upcoming bilingual retreat and formation day, geared toward equipping all with the tools to enrich their ministries in their parish communities.
“It is our goal to have very well-trained liturgical ministries, musicians and hospitality ministries,” said Andrés Arango, the Bishop’s Delegate for Hispanic Ministry and diocesan director of evangelization. “Also, because of the strong presence of the Latino Catholic community in our Diocese, we want to have it bilingual so that we can train our people in Spanish as well.”
The Liturgy and Hospitality Retreat and Formation Day will take place on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Catholic Community of Christ Our Light, 402 North Kings Highway, Cherry Hill. The program is free, and registrants can attend one of four tracks – with one each in English and Spanish: a youth track, and another centered on hospitality. Participants can register online, and will have the option of purchasing lunch at $15 per person.
A goal of the formation day, Arango said, is “to have well-recognized and trained speakers who understand the reality of the multicultural Church” to help ministers serve Catholics throughout South Jersey.
The formation day will be preceded by a bilingual Friday Night Concert, which will also be held at Christ Our Light on Sept. 27 beginning at 7 p.m. All are welcome and tickets are free – with a free-will offering option. To reserve tickets, visit tinyurl.com/yrht4cse.
“The concert will help them grow in their personal relationship with Jesus, praising and worshiping Him,” Arango said. “The formation day will help them gain more pastoral skills to serve the parishioners with a more welcoming and inclusive spirit.”
The guests for the Sept. 28-29 events are: Recording artist Curtis Stephan; bilingual singer-songwriter Iván Díaz, former choir director of the National Catholic Youth Conference who also helped produce the theme song for World Youth Day Lisbon 2023, “Feel the Rush in the Air”; Santiago Fernández, a leading Spanish-language liturgical composer who is certified in pastoral and liturgical ministry; and John T. Kyler, musician, educator and author of “Welcome All as Christ: Reimagining Parish Hospitality.”
During his session, Kyler will be discussing the importance of hospitality in parish communities, and will share practical ideas to ensure communities are as welcoming as possible.
“Hospitality must be more than coffee and donuts, as important as those are,” he said. “Hospitality is the work of everyone. It cannot be limited to just hospitality ministers. Authentic hospitality also requires that we carefully examine all aspects of parish life, being open and honest with ourselves about opportunities for growth.”
He hopes that all those who attend the retreat and formation day will feel renewed in their call to welcome all to their parish communities.
“Our parishes can be incredible places of welcome, transformation and evangelization,” he said, “if we are willing to remain open to the movement of the Spirit.”
Arango noted the emphasis on encouraging youth and young adults to get involved, as well.
“We need youth serving youth,” he said. “The youth are the ones who understand the reality of their peers and will be more effectively led by the Holy Spirit to serve other youth.”
Fernández will be leading the Spanish session during the retreat and formation day, and plans to share similar sentiments while also presenting content that takes into account “the pastoral reality of our Hispanic communities.”
“Liturgy and hospitality go hand-in-hand, especially when we celebrate bilingual Masses,” he said. “I will talk about ways in which we can be unified more effectively when we are together at these Masses, despite our cultural or language differences.”
Fernández said that he will also encourage attendees to expand their horizons within their faith communities.
“Sometimes, we get too comfortable attending the same Mass at our parish, singing the same songs, seeing the same people and praying the same way,” he said. “Of course, there’s nothing wrong with being part of a parish family, but these diocesan events are wonderful opportunities for people to step out of their comfort zone and experience Church in a new way.”
Register for the retreat and formation day here, or call Ann Marie Ours at (856) 583-2904 for more information.
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