Your distribution of this press release is appreciated
20 February 2022
Two episcopal presidents, one national and one continental, at Raíces y Alas
The National Catholic Leadership Congress of Hispanic Ministry in the U.S., which will convene between April 26 and 30 in Washington, D.C., will be attended by two episcopal presidents. One of them is Archbishop José Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and the other is Archbishop Miguel Cabrejos, Archbishop of Trujillo, Peru, President of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, and President of CELAM, the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council.
This will be the sixth edition of the Raíces y Alas Congress. It is organized by the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry (NCCHM), which brings together the main Hispanic pastoral institutions in the country, including apostolic movements, religious communities, Catholic publishers, dioceses and educational institutions.
From the Ecclesial Assembly of Latin America to the Synod of Bishops
The presence of Archbishop José Gomez and Archbishop Miguel Cabrejos has a special significance, not only because of the importance of unity between the United States and Latin America, but also because of the profound role that the Latin American Church plays in the leadership of the synodal spirit, at a time when Pope Francis is encouraging it throughout the Church.
The Ecclesial Assembly of Latin America, which took place in November 2021 in Mexico, focused on the value of building a synodal Church, where bishops, consecrated religious, and lay people discern in an spirit of listening, in order to understand the vital processes of different communities, of different people, of the people of God, and try to give a committed response to their needs, their hopes, their struggles.
Several national Hispanic institutions in the United States have taken synodality as a central theme in the last year, among them La RED National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana, the National Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors for Hispanic Ministry, and the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry.
This priority of the Church has also been a major theme at various national and regional congresses and conferences. Leaders in U.S. Hispanic ministry are hopeful that the Raíces y Alas Congress will enhance this spirit, and are mobilized to expand it to various circles where synodality is not yet among the priorities of the pastoral agenda.
Prophetic voices: Ser puentes para una nueva época
The motto of the Congress is expressed in the two main languages of the Catholic Church in the United States, English and Spanish, and reads: “Prophetic voices: Ser puentes para una nueva época.”
According to Elisabeth Román, president of NCCHM and general coordinator of the Raíces y Alas Congress, “Hispanic ministry in the United States is at a key moment. The V Encuentro has given our ministry a strong impetus throughout the country. Now we are coming together again to continue to strengthen not only those experiences and commitments, but also to embrace the challenges presented to us by the synodal spirit, for a Church close to our people, called to renew everything in the Holy Spirit. This mission is expressed in our motto: ‘Prophetic voices: Being bridges for a new era.’”
Registration of journalists
We are looking forward to your presence at this important event for the Church in the United States. Further information can be found on our website: www.ncchm-us.org, both in English and Spanish.
Information for members of the media and the registration form can be accessed through the following link: www.ncchm-us.org/press.
Note: In the previous release we published a registration form that did not include the “submit” button at the bottom. We have now corrected this error. From now on you will be able to send us your application. Thank you for your understanding.
We thank you for spreading the word about this event.
Congress Raíces y Alas
Enrique Soros
Media contact
press@ncchm.us
