V Encuentro update: Engaging in the heart of the process

Parishioners urged to join a March 11 presentation on The Joy of the Gospel by Father David Boettner

By Blanca Primm

V Encuentro, a four-year process of ecclesial reflection and action that invites all U.S. Catholics to intense missionary activity, consultation, leadership development, and identification of best ministerial practices in the spirit of the New Evangelization, is entering the parish-orientation and facilitator-training phase.

The V Encuentro is a priority activity of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ 2017-20 strategic plan. V Encuentro starts at the grassroots level and calls for development of resources and initiatives to better serve the fast-growing Hispanic population in dioceses, parishes, ecclesial movements, and other Catholic organizations and institutions.

Following the V Encuentro parish team training held in December, every parish team should be organizing a V Encuentro parish orientation and facilitator training in preparation to conduct the V Encuentro sessions that are the heart of this four-year process. At the end of these sessions and toward the end of spring, every parish should hold a parish Encuentro to share the findings and results of the sessions.

The Diocesan Encuentro will take place Oct. 21 at Knoxville Catholic High School. Every person who participated in the five sessions at their parish is expected to attend. Everyone is welcome. If you have not heard about the V Encuentro yet, ask your pastor.

As part of the Diocese of Knoxville’s V Encuentro efforts, the offices of Hispanic Ministry and Christian Formation are organizing a presentation by Father David Boettner, rector of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, on Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel) at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City, 10 a.m.-noon on March 11.

Registration will start at 9:15 a.m., and a donation of $5 per person will be requested for expenses. The presentation will be in English and Spanish.

For more information on the V Encuentro, visit vencuentro.org or contact Blanca Primm at bprimm@dioknox.org. ■

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