MADISON — This past July 1, we celebrated one year since the opening of the new Office of Hispanic Ministry in the Diocese of Madison.
It has been a great year of laying down roots in the diocese, creating a firm foundation, and listening more intensely to the Hispanic community.
First year
The first steps taken were the writing of a Hispanic Ministry Pastoral Plan, the creation of a Hispanic Advisory Council with 16 members, and the implementation of new Spanish communications through a diocesan Hispanic Ministry page, a section in the Catholic Herald, and monthly bilingual newsletters for priests and parish/community leaders.
The Office also promoted three Spanish parish missions with Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison; led five Hispanic Regional Gatherings with Mass, food, and listening sessions; coordinated a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse with Hispanics and Anglos as one Catholic community; and took close to 20 Hispanic leaders to the Hispanic Catholic Conference in Milwaukee.
In addition, the rapidly growing Office of Hispanic Ministry has made connections with other dioceses in the state and with leaders from Region VII (Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin), most recently collaborating with the Archdiocese of Milwaukee for its’ Hispanic Catholic Conference.
The Office of Hispanic Ministry is also working with the Office of the Permanent Diaconate to invite interested Hispanics to discern the diaconate, and with the Office of Human Life and Dignity for the outreach of Hispanics within social concerns.
It continues to support the Spanish leader formation courses, Trono de Sabiduría, and the Spanish marriage preparation courses within Marriage and Family Ministries.
Diocesan Hispanic Advisory Council
The Hispanic Advisory Council held six meetings this past year and mainly focused on the discussion of the primary needs that emerged within the process of the V Encuentro in 2017 and the sharing of ideas to organize evangelization efforts.
Some of the initiatives that developed within the council were an evangelization committee to support communities with Go Make Disciples, and the planning team for a Hispanic Ministry Fair exposing Hispanic Catholic groups and ministries that support parishes in their evangelizing mission. This fair will happen this November.
Hispanic regional gatherings
This past year, the Bishop and I led five Hispanic Regional Gatherings in the Sauk, Jefferson, Janesville, Waunakee, and Madison regions.
Close to 900 Hispanics gathered at the regional gatherings with close to 600 Hispanic leaders who participated in the listening sessions to provide their hopes, dreams, and needs to the bishop and the Office of Hispanic Ministry.
The main needs presented were the formation of leaders, catechesis, marriage and family, and attention to Hispanic youth.
Next steps
This fall, we are happy to announce that the Office of Hispanic Ministry is operating full-time.
Bishop Hying and the Office of Hispanic Ministry, with advice from the Hispanic Advisory Council, will determine how to move forward attending to the needs of the people and paying attention to the National Eucharistic Revival and the strategic planning of Into the Deep.
A few of the efforts that will take place this second year are: the Hispanic Ministry Fair, a Marian pilgrimage, about five Eucharistic-focused Hispanic gatherings, Spanish parish missions with the bishop, Spanish sessions within the diocesan Eucharistic Congress in 2023, and the strategic planning for Hispanic Ministry in regards to Into the Deep.
Thank you to all who in one way or another support Hispanic Ministry in parishes and around the diocese. Let us continue to pray for our priests, Hispanic leaders, and all diocesan efforts for Hispanic Ministry.
For information about Hispanic Ministry in the diocese, events, and resources in Spanish go to madisondiocese.org/ministerio-hispano
To share your prayer intentions with the entire Hispanic community and us visit madisondiocese.org/unidos-en-oracion