Diocesan Delegation Travels to the Diocese of Texas
Fourteen diocesan leaders from three local parishes participated in a Lay Ministry Conference in the Diocese of Texas in mid-June. Leaders from La Sagrada Familia de Jesús, St. Clement’s Massey, and St. Paul’s by-the-Sea joined 250 leaders from the dioceses of the state of Texas at Camp Allen, northwest of Houston for their Annual Latino Lay Leadership Conference.
Bishop Hector Monterroso, former bishop of Costa Rica and currently assistant bishop and Latino Missioner for the Diocese of Texas, headed up an able team of lay leaders from Texas, as they presented eight different workshops, chiefly around the theme of Evangelism. The preaching for the closing Mass was provided from one of the lay leaders from participating parishes in that state.
The lay leaders from our diocese came away with great enthusiasm and a new network of active leaders from other dioceses – and they committed to continue to meet as a diocesan delegation in the coming months. Andy Díaz, lay leader and vestry member from St. Paul’s by-the-Sea, promptly invited leaders from La Sagrada Familia de Jesús to come to Ocean City and join their parish on Sunday, July 17, with Father Hector celebrating the bilingual liturgy. A great coffee hour feast followed, with Andy adding his delicious tamales to the great variety of delicacies.
The Diocese of Easton will continue its relationship to the Diocese of Texas as we further develop a Latino Ministry and call parishioners to exercise lay pastoral leadership for our growing Latino population.
Watch for much more about this trip and the blessing to come with God’s help and with the faithful cooperation of our diocesan family.