Last Saturday, 13 Hispanic ministry leaders from the Diocese of Camden took part in a regional workshop in the Cathedral of Trenton, engaging with other ministry leaders from seven dioceses of Pennsylvania and New Jersey to prepare for the fifth National Encuentro of Hispanic Ministry in 2018.
The V Encuentro (meaning “Encounter” in English) will continue the strategic plan of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to discern ways in which the nation’s Catholic Church can better respond to Hispanics/Latinos, and help them in responding to God’s call to become missionary disciples for the faith.
The April 23 Trenton event was designed to develop and train V Encuentro diocesan teams, who in turn will help develop parish teams, in preparation for parish and diocesan Encuentros to be held next year. In 2018, the regional Encuentros will take place, followed by the National Encuentro later that year.
Andres Arango, Bishop’s Delegate for Hispanic Ministry in the Diocese of Camden, gave a presentation on the Theological Principles of the V Encuentro, while Damaris Thillet, diocesan associate director of Worship and Christian Initiation, led all in praise and worship.