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The
Office for the Hispanic Apostolate opened its doors on
September 3, 1996.
The Administrative Assistant of the
Office is Olga Lucía
Sánchez.
The
Office for the Hispanic Apostolate reports to the Bishop. It
resources the diocese to meet the pastoral and social
justice needs of Hispanics, and raises awareness within the
diocesan community of the gifts that Hispanics have to offer
to the larger Church. The Office works in collaboration with
the staff of the diocesan offices, encouraging integration
and avoiding duplication of services. It promotes
collaboration of Hispanic ministries throughout the diocese
with each other and with the diocese.
In
concert with the Hispanic Commission, which is available for
advice and counsel, the Office conducts needs assessments of
the Hispanic population and presents its findings and
recommendations to the Bishop and appropriate diocesan and
community agencies to incorporate them into their planning
process.
The
Office coordinates training programs for Hispanic leaders
and seeks to educate the diocesan community as to the
realities of the Hispanic population.
The Hispanic Commission
The
Hispanic Commission of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond was
established in January of 1996 as a consultative body on
Hispanic issues to the Bishop of Richmond, through the
Office for the Hispanic Apostolate. The Commission is made
out of 12 Hispanic leaders of different countries of origin
and regions of the diocese. Members are appointed to a
three-year tem, renewable for three more years.
Presently, the members of the Hispanic Commission are:
|
Carlos
Bonilla |
a
native of Puerto Rico, parishioner of Holy Cross
in Lynchburg |
|
Ricky
De Jesús |
a
native of Puerto Rico, parishioner of Sacred Heart in
Richmond |
|
María García-Lara |
a native of Mexico, parishioner of St. John in Highland
Springs |
|
Regina Gómez |
a native of the USA of Panamenian
ancestry,
parishioner of St. Luke in Virginia Beach |
|
Eduardo
Guerrero |
a
native of Mexico, parishioner of St. Joseph in
Martinsville |
|
Benny
Malavé |
a
native of Puerto Rico, parishioner of Our Lady of Mount
Carmel in Newport News |
|
José
Maldonado |
a
native of Puerto Rico, parishioner of St. Timothy in
Tappahannock |
|
Germán Morales |
a native of Venezuela, parishioner of St. Gerard in
Roanoke |
|
José
Ortiz |
a
native of Puerto Rico, parishioner of Incarnation in
Charlottesville |
|
Zaida Rivera |
a
native of Puerto Rico, parishioner of St. Gregory the
Great in Virginia Beach |
|
Alberto
Torres |
a
native of Puerto Rico, parishioner of St.
Augustine in Richmond |
|
Vance
Trznadel |
a
native of Honduras, parishioner of Holy Trinity in
Norfolk |
Since its beginnings, the Hispanic Commission has played an
important role in the development of Hispanic ministry in
our diocese. It started with the formation of its members
according to the documents on Hispanic ministry promulgated
by the Catholic Bishops of the United States. Then the
Commission visited the parishes with a Mass in Spanish to
make an analysis of the needs of the Hispanic community.
After consulting with the different diocesan agencies, and
using the framework of reference of the national vision of
Hispanic ministry, and the specific experience of our
diocese, the Commission developed the Diocesan Pastoral Plan
for Hispanic Ministry, which was promulgated by the Bishop
of Richmond at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart on June 6,
1999.
The
Commission also helped to disseminate information on Census
2000 to increase Hispanic participation, and has been the
principal body in our diocese working to foster the vision
of Encuentro 2000, the event sponsored by the US Catholic
Bishops during the Jubilee year in Los Angeles to promote
multiculturalism in the Church.
Although
the Hispanic Commission will continue to work on special
projects, its main and immensely valuable role will always
be to bring the voices of the Hispanic community to our
Bishop, and to serve as a sounding board for the activities
of the Office for the Hispanic Apostolate.
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