by Olivia Martin-Davies
olivia.martin@theleaven.org
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — César Argueta didn’t know why he’d been invited.
Argueta, a parishioner of Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park, was referring to the invitation Father Ramiro Sanchez Chan, CS, outgoing archdiocesan director of Hispanic ministry, extended to him to attend the encuentro.
The Region IX Encuentro was held from July 25-27 at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas — a conference at which Hispanic youth and leaders from the dioceses and archdioceses within the states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska gather to hear about different challenges in youth ministry, how to adapt to them and start a dialogue.
“The first question I had,” said Argueta, “was: ‘What am I going to do because [Father Chan] said this was a youth convocation — and I said, ‘I’m not young!’
“But if Father invited me, I thought, well, the heavenly Father wants me to hear something so that I can do something.”
This was precisely the focus of this year’s encuentro, whose sessions centered around sharing the Gospel through three actions: listen, teach and send.
Listen
Archbishop Shawn McKnight celebrated the Mass on July 27 and Father Ramiro gave the homily. His focus was on sharing the Gospel through active listening.
“This type of listening,” explained Father Ramiro, “asks you to listen — not in order to respond, but in order to understand the other person.”
He added that active listening is vital to understanding truth, and the most profound truth that young people need to hear is that God loves them without judging them.
This message struck Juan Valadez, a parishioner of St. Paul Parish in Olathe.
Valadez has helped out with St. Paul’s youth group since graduating from high school. He has seen firsthand that listening well helps others feel seen, known and loved.
“For me, the biggest takeaway is just being able to control myself and just being able to listen so I can understand where they’re coming from,” said Valadez.
Teach
The encuentro reached beyond sharing tools for ministering in parishes. For Argueta, it has taught him how to go deeper into his vocation as a husband and father.
“In one way or another, God always lets us know the answers to what we’re asking him,” said Argueta. “I’ve always been asking God how I can better help my children to stay on the path to holiness, what more do I need to do as a father.
“And this gathering of the encuentro . . . really helped me understand how I need to be close to my children.”
Send
Jackie Cruz López, a parishioner at Our Lady of Unity Parish in Kansas City, Kansas, has been trying to start a youth group at her parish since rediscovering her faith during college. She commented that thanks to the encuentro, she now feels her plan has a path.
“I think the spreading of ideas is what’s really helpful because if you are stuck within your own bubble of what’s going on in your parish, you’re gonna burn out and you’re not truly gonna be able to evolve and adapt the ways in which you serve the community,” said Cruz López.
She found discussions around intercultural ministry especially helpful and applicable to her community.
“It’s really important to bring them both together (the Hispanic and American contexts),” Cruz López said, “so that you’re ministering to the whole person.”
In order to minister effectively, there needs to be personal reflection.
“[R]emember the wonderful things the Lord has done for you,” said Father Ramiro, “and from there . . . people are gonna help you, but most important, people are gonna follow Jesus.
“That is the purpose of the mission.”
