These months have been a great challenge for everyone but at the same time an opportunity to learn and embark on new ways that before we would have never even imagined starting. The Office of Hispanic Ministry at the Diocese of Kalamazoo has also done everything possible to continue supporting parishes and the community in general during this time of pandemic. We have offered diocesan retreats through Zoom or Facebook and will continue to offer them in order to continue our spiritual and human growth, as well as by telephone; we want to provide the support needed. The Instituto San Agustín (ISAK) continues to offer classes through Zoom, and it maintains contact with students and mentors. We thank all professors, students and everyone in general for the willingness to try something new and to come together through the screens.
Now summer has arrived and with summer begins our ministry with and to the migrant farmworkers. As a diocese this summer, as in previous summers, we will continue to accompany our migrant population through visits. Although the visits will be a little shorter and following all the protocols, we are happy to continue accompanying our migrants. We have about 300 camps to visit.
We are pleased with the generous response from the parishioners of different parishes to help us as volunteers of the Diocesan Team to make these visits possible. This summer, due to the pandemic, the diocese was unable to bring the priests and sisters who come from outside of the country and who have always helped us with this ministry, but the response from our parish communities has been admirable. We thank several of our Hispanic priests for their availability to also visit camps and the priests of Holy Cross of Notre Dame for their support with the masses in the camps. Finally, we thank the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Divine Spirit and the Sisters of the Divine Face for also supporting this ministry with migrant farmworkers.
Through new ways and from home, we are here to continue supporting and accompanying you.
May God and Our Lady of Guadalupe bless you and accompany you in this beautiful time.
VISIT OUR WEBPAGE
www.diokzoo.org/multicultural-hispanic to find out what we are offering or contact us by phone 269.903.0197 and leave a message. We will call you back as soon as possible.