Regional Encuentro helps form new generation of Hispanic leaders
Every year, Hispanic leaders from Catholic dioceses in New Jersey and Pennsylvania come together for the Region III Encuentro. National gatherings have roots that go back to 1972, part of a nationwide effort supported by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to engage new generations of Hispanic Catholics and involve them in the life and mission of the Church. Annual regional meetings began in 2016.
Deacon Asterio Velasco, Director of the Hispanic Ministry for the Archdiocese of Newark, brought a group of 25 leaders from the Archdiocese to this year’s event, which took place on May 24 in Hammonton, New Jersey.
The group from Newark was “multi-generational,” according to Deacon Asterio. Having a diversity of voices and experiences is important in the Encuentro process, he explained. “We want to keep longtime participants involved, because these people have years of experience in their parishes. At the same time, bringing in ‘new blood’ with new ideas and new experiences is healthy and important for the community.”
Six men who had been ordained permanent deacons on May 19 for the Archdiocese of Newark were part of the delegation.
Forming new generations of leaders and communities
As the Hispanic population has continued to grow in the region, the Encuentro process has played a key role in developing the Church’s missionary response.
The last national Encuentro, held in Grapevine, Texas, in 2019, was “a new step in our Hispanic ministries,” Deacon Asterio told Jersey Catholic. “It allowed us to contact new leaders in the different parishes around the Archdiocese and involve them in our missionary efforts.”
Yearly regional gatherings since then have helped support and strengthen ministries in Newark and other dioceses in the formation of Hispanic leaders and communities.
The Encuentro process has also allowed local leaders to develop a sense of what is happening outside their parishes. “We want people to become aware that there is a bigger Church, starting at the diocesan level, because the parish is nothing unless it is in communion with the bishop,” Deacon Asterio stated.
Local leaders from the Newark Archdiocese are also encouraged to participate in larger Encuentro gatherings, as they did in 2018 when 35 delegates from the Archdiocese traveled to Texas.
“I will never forget the opening Mass, which was celebrated by Cardinal Tobin,” Deacon Asterio said. He recalled how surprised he was to see hundreds of priests already at their seats before the Mass had begun. “Then I realized that it was because there were so many bishops who had to process in. I counted 120 of them!”
Bearers of Hope
In keeping with the Jubilee Year of Hope, the theme of this year’s Encuentro was “Bearers of Hope.” There were presentations, moments of prayer, and sessions that allowed participants to discuss the challenges and missionary opportunities that arise in parishes across the region. A shared meal allowed people to meet leaders from other parishes and dioceses.
The afternoon session focused on working with immigrants in the Hispanic community and other populations. Immigrants, particularly the undocumented, are often treated inhumanely, Deacon Asterio said. “When I see them while celebrating the Eucharist, I often ask myself: Are we treating them the way Jesus called us to do? These are phenomenal people who are sons and daughters of God, just as we are,” he told Jersey Catholic. He added that accompanying immigrants has always been a priority of the Archdiocese of Newark, particularly for Cardinal Tobin.
Bishop Joseph Williams of the Diocese of Camden accompanied the participants and celebrated a Mass at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Hammonton. “What a sign of hope we have as we see Latino leaders in this Jubilee Year of Hope coming together to foster unity,” he said in his homily. He encouraged Encuentro participants to be “builders of hope in your communities.”
You can find more images of the 2025 Region III Encuentro here. For more information about the Hispanic Ministry of the Archdiocese of Newark, please visit their website.
Featured image: The delegation from the Archdiocese of Newark to the 2025 Region III Encuentro gathers outside the event at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Hammonton, NJ. (Photos by Joe Warner/Catholic Star Herald)
