On this day dedicated to the Holy Name of Mary let us repeat that wonderful prayer of Saint Bernard, responding to Pope Benedict XVI's invitation to "invite everyone to become a trusting child before Mary, even as the Son of God did. Saint Bernard says, and we say with him: 'Look to the star of the sea, call upon Mary � in danger, in distress, in doubt, think of Mary, call upon Mary. May her name never be far from your lips, or far from your heart � If you follow her, you will not stray; if you pray to her, you will not despair; if you turn your thoughts to her, you will not err. If she holds you, you will not fall; if she protects you, you need not fear; if she is your guide, you will not tire; if she is gracious to you, you will surely reach your destination"' (Benedict XVI, address at Heiligenkreuz Abbey, September 9, 2007). -- Luciano Alimandi

Medjugorje, a small town nestled between mountains in Herzegovina, welcomed more than 50,000 people during this year's annual international youth festival.

According to tradition Sts. Protus and Hyacinth were Romans by birth, brothers and servants in the house of St. Basilla. They were burned alive around 257, during the persecution of Valerian and Gallian. St. Hyacinth is unique among Roman martyrs in that his epitaph and grave in the cemetery of Basilla on the Old Salarian Way were found intact in modern time (1845); in it were the charred bones of the martyr, who had been put to death by fire. Part of the empty tomb of St. Protus was also found. According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is their feast.

This is so cool! St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church pastor Fr. Patrick Baikauskas, O.P, at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana offers

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Almost four years ago I graduated from Northern Chautauqua Catholic School, and not a day goes by where I don't reminisce and smile about the time I spent there.

WASHINGTON— Archbishop José H. Gomez, of Los Angeles, and Vice-President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB); Bishop Nelson J. Pérez, of Cleveland, chairman of the Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church, and Bishop Arturo Cepeda, of Detroit, chairman of the Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs will lead a delegation that will visit the Holy See, September 13-18, to present to Pope Francis the Proceedings and Conclusions of the Fifth National Encuentro of Hispanic/Latino Ministry.

Delegates accompanying the Bishops include USCCB staff, members of the National V Encuentro Team and a cross-section of V Encuentro delegates representing a diversity of ages, geographical areas, ministries and states in life. The delegation is scheduled to meet with the leadership and staff of various Vatican offices, including the Pontifical Council for Culture, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life; the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. The visit will conclude with an audience and encounter with the Holy Father.

“This visit to the Holy See provides an important opportunity to follow up with Vatican offices on what we have seen and heard, what we learned so far, and the next steps in the V Encuentro process. We bring with us the voices and wisdom of thousands of Hispanic Catholics and other leaders who have accompanied us in this process,” said Bishop Pérez. “Meeting with the Holy Father and handing over a copy of the Proceedings and Conclusions will be a very special moment. Pope Francis and Vatican officials have been very supportive of the V Encuentro process and have followed its developments closely. They have accompanied us with their presence, messages and prayers. We are extremely grateful and pleased to have this opportunity to offer them a report on the V Encuentro.”

The USCCB’s Administrative Committee authorized the publication of the Proceedings and Conclusions of the V National Encuentro of Hispanic Latino Ministry during its September meeting. The resource will be available for sale at the USCCB store in October; other related tools and resources will be posted soon thereafter on the V Encuentro website.

The document is expected to facilitate collaboration and coordination on Hispanic Ministry initiatives between the Bishops’ Conference and dioceses across the country. Numerous initiatives are emerging at the local, regional, and national level as a direct result of the V Encuentro.

For the last two and a half years, the Catholic Church in the United States has taken Pope Francis’ call to embrace an experience what it means to evangelize, reaching out in a special way to those in the peripheries (Evangelii Gaudium, 20-24), specifically through the V National Encuentro. The Proceeding and Conclusions, meant to be a practical resource for utilization by dioceses, captures the five steps of the V Encuentro process.

The Proceedings and Conclusions provide a summary of challenges and opportunities, hopes and dreams, gifts and talents, insights, recommendations, strategies, and successful practices for the pastoral care and accompaniment of the Hispanic/Latinos in the United States. Dioceses around the country have already begun a process of incorporating V Encuentro findings to their existing pastoral plans or are in the process of developing new ones.

More information about the V Encuentro can be found at: https://vencuentro.org/

The following is a complete list of V Encuentro Delegates that will travel to the Holy See:

Bishops:

• Most Rev. José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles, USCCB Vice-President

• Most Rev. Nelson J. Pérez, Bishop of Cleveland, Chairman, Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church

• Most Rev. Arturo Cepeda, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit, Chairman, Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs

USCCB Staff:
• María del Mar Muñoz-Visoso, Executive Director, Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church

• Alejandro Aguilera-Titus, Assistant Director of Hispanic Affairs, National Coordinator of the V Encuentro, Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church

Delegates and National V Encuentro Team:
• Junuee Castro, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, Diocese of Salt Lake City

• Dr. Patricia Jiménez, V Encuentro Communications Coordinator

• Ken Johnson-Mondragón V Encuentro Research Coordinator

• Mario and Paola Martínez, Co-Directors, Office of Marriage and Family Life Ministry, Diocese of San Bernardino

• Roberto Navarro, Senior Director of U.S. Church Engagement, Catholic Relief Services

• Luis Peña, Hispanic Ministry Inter-Parish Coordinator, Archdiocese of New York

• Wanda Vásquez Director of Hispanic Ministry, Archdiocese of New York, and Board Member of the National Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors of Hispanic Ministry (NCADDHM), Episcopal Region II Representative

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Keywords: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Fifth National Encuentro of Hispanic/Latino Ministry, Archbishop José Gomez, Bishop Nelson Pérez, Bishop Arturo Cepeda, missionary discipleship, Church in the United States, Holy Father, Hispanic/Latino minister, Catholic Leaders, evangelization, USCCB Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church.

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Media Contacts:
Chieko Noguchi
202-541-3200

Mar Muñoz-Visoso
301-646-8616

 

St. Nicholas of Tolentino, a native of Sant' Angelo, in the diocese of Fermo, was born about the year 1245. As a young man, but already endowed with a canon's stall, he was one day greatly affected by a sermon preached by a Hermit of St. Augustine and decided to enter this newly-founded Order. At first he lived at the hermitage of Pesaro and then at Tolentino where he died in 1305. His whole life was remarkable for its great austerity which was inspired by his great love of the cross. According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is his feast.

This is so amazing! Archdiocese of Los Angeles priest Fr. Goyo Hidalgo recently revealed the moment he knew he “really wanted to

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Peter Claver was born of a distinguished family in Catalonia, Spain. He became a Jesuit in 1604, and left for Colombia in 1610, dedicating himself to the service of black slaves. For thirty-three years he ministered to slaves, caring for the sick and dying, and instructing the slaves through catechists. Through his efforts three hundred thousand souls entered the Church. He is the Patron of the Negro Missions.

This is so heartbreaking! In a previous ChurchPOP article, we reported that Milano said her life “would be completely lacking all its

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