Get to Know your Hispanic Ministry Team

Hispanic Ministry exists today thanks to the efforts, love and dedication of many people who were pioneers in the Diocese of Kalamazoo. The Hispanic Ministry forms part of the Secretariat for Parish Life & Lay Leadership. M. Veronica Rodriguez, Associate Director, Sister Maryud\ Cortes-Restrepo, Associate Director, Dr. Angelica Valdes, Coordinator of St. Augustine Institute, and Maria Trumm, Support Specialist, make up the Hispanic Ministry team.
 
The mission of Hispanic Ministry is to proclaim the reign of God. As members of the Church in the Diocese of Kalamazoo, we proclaim that God is present when we recognize ourselves as brothers and sisters in Christ. We demonstrate our love by welcoming and serving all as full members of the Church. Hospitality and solidarity are gifts which other cultures bring to our diocese and to the Catholic Church in the United States. All Catholics from all cultures are encouraged to be hosts to newcomers and to participate as full members of the Church in parish life and in other Catholic institutions, organizations and in the diocese as a whole.
 
Who is each person from the Hispanic Ministry Team?

M. Veronica Rodriguez, Associate Director, is who directs the Office of Hispanic Ministry. This has to do with everything that is related to Hispanics/ Latinos of the Diocese of Kalamazoo and includes ministry to the migrant farmworkers, St. Augustine Institute and ministry to young people. As an advisory team, the Office of Hispanic Ministry has the Hispanic Diocesan Pastoral Committee (Comite Diocesano) which is formed by representatives from the different parishes who serve the Hispanic/Latino community. The office also seeks the advice of the priests who are in charge of those parishes.
 
Dr. Angelica Valdes, Coordinator of St. Augustine Institute of the Diocese of Kalamazoo (ISAK) — Hispanic Pastoral Leadership Formation Program in Spanish. During the fall of 2011, the Hispanic Ministry Office, with the support of the bishop, developed ISAK, a three-year, intermediate-level program designed to form pastoral leaders within a Hispanic/Latino context. The program is based on the concept that participants are subjects and agents when it comes to learning, not just recipients. Dr. Angelica Valdes is in charge of coordinating everything that has to do with the courses provided during the year for ISAK.
 
Maria Marcela Trumm, Support Specialist. Maria supports Hispanic Ministry in all the administrative operations. If you want to register for an event or workshop from the Office of Hispanic Ministry, you need to contact Maria. She also organizes everything that has to do with those events or workshops and motivates the people via phone calls or emails.
 
Sister Maryud Cortes-Restrepo, from the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Divine Spirit (MSDE), joined the Hispanic Ministry team on July 1, 2019. As part of the Hispanic Ministry team, Sister Maryud is in charge of the pastoral support for the parishes of the diocese, especially the parishes who serve Hispanics/Latinos. If your parish needs pastoral formation for your Eucharistic ministers, readers, catechists, etc. in Spanish, contact Sr. Maryud. She will be visiting the parishes that serve Hispanics/Latinos in order to learn more of the needs and be able to better support them. Welcome Sister Maryud to the Hispanic Ministry team!