Lorianne Aubut, delegate from the Diocese of Madison, reports at one of the plenary sessions at the Region VII V Encuentro held recently at the University of Notre Dame. (Photo provided by Lorianne Aubut) | ||
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — On Friday, June 8, 10 Hispanic diocesan delegates from nine different parishes, accompanied by the Vicar General Msgr. Jim Bartylla, the Encuentro diocesan Chairperson Edgar Martínez and his son Juan Pablo Martínez, departed for the University of Notre Dame in Indiana to attend the weekend long Regional V Encuentro.
Region VII consists of the dioceses in the states of Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin, with 13 of the 16 dioceses represented at the Encuentro.
Encuentro process
Back in March, the Diocese of Madison held its Diocesan V Encuentro, where close to 100 parish delegates came together to discuss and provide strategies and recommendations to Region VII with the purpose of creating more Hispanic leaders in the Church.
The Region VII V Encuentro is part of the National V Encuentro process, which has as a goal to have a continual pastoral conversation that allows the Church to respond with more fidelity and enthusiasm to the Hispanic/Latino presence in parishes and dioceses, and for the Church to empower the Hispanic/Latino people to live their vocation more fully as joyful missionaries.
This Regional V Encuentro, attended by nearly 200 delegates and guests, began on Friday, June 8, with an opening Spanish liturgy celebrated by Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades, Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend.