Father Nolasco Tamayo, pictured in first image above, diocesan director of Multicultural Ministry, facilitates the opening presentation during a recent two-day training of parish leaders, in which 13 parishes participated. The V Encuentro is a four-year process of consultation, missionary activity, leadership formation and evangelization that is happening around the country in all dioceses leading to a national gathering in 2018. With Father Tamayo are members of the diocesan team, from left: Rafaelina Acevedo (Youth Ministry), Rubelcy Herrera (Charismatic Renewal), Michael Aoyama (Young Adult Ministry/Parish Evangelization), Jaime Díaz (Virgen of Altagracia Committee), Antonio Andreu (Prison Ministry), Ylonca Jimenez (Cursillo Movement) and Génesis Flores (Office of Immigration and Refugees).
Sister Mariana Ramirez, pictured in second image above, a member the V Encuentro Diocesan Team, leads one of the group discussions. During the training participants received presentations on the V Encuentro process and theological framework, the history of the Hispanic Catholic presence in the United States and Rhode Island, pastoral collaboration, and leadership development. After each talk, groups discussed the obstacles and benefits that hispanic Catholics face and the process of implementing the V Encuentro in parish communities. Father Raymond Tetrault gave the keynote address, and Bishop Thomas J. Tobin delivered an inspirational message at the end of the day, inviting participants to take to heart the theme of becoming “Missionary Disciples, witnesses of God’s Love.”
