Hispanic Youth Ministry inspires with inaugural Diocesan Youth Day
By John Mecklenborg
Father Jorge Mejia, shown above, celebrated midnight Mass for the first Hispanic Youth Day on Nov. 9 at St. John Neumann Parish. Concelebrating the Mass with Father Mejia was Father Julio Padillla, associate pastor of the Church of the Nativity in Thompson’s Station, Tenn., in the Diocese of Nashville. (Photo courtesy of Pastoral Juvenil Hispana)
The Diocese of Knoxville celebrated its inaugural Diocesan Hispanic Youth Day on Nov. 9 with an unforgettable night of spiritual connection and worship at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut.
The event, guided by the inspiring motto ¿Qué buscas?, Ven y ver (“What are you looking for? Come and see”) brought together more than 200 young Hispanic Catholics to explore and celebrate their faith through Mass, eucharistic adoration, inspirational talks, and musical performances.
The celebration commenced with music, traditional Guatemalan and Mexican folk dances, and talks from diocesan leaders, with Sister Maria del Pilar Hinojosa Aguilar, MAG, and Father Julio Padilla encouraging the young adults to grow in faith and vocation and offering advice for how to find friendships rooted in God.
“Hispanic youth are constantly looking for a space to encounter God,” said Magdiel Argueta, event organizer and coordinator for Pastoral Juvenil Hispana (Diocese of Knoxville Hispanic Youth Ministry). “Hispanic youth … often work up to 60 hours a week making events like this invaluable for building a relationship with God, meeting like-minded peers, and celebrating culture.”
“They are far from their families, living in a foreign land… [working] to achieve certain goals,” Mr. Argueta noted.
“I was seeking a personal encounter with Jesus,” said Wendy Diaz, 20, of St. Patrick Parish in Morristown. “The talks opened my eyes to what God expects and wants from me.”
Following the talks, Estación Cero, a Catholic rock band hailing from Bogotá, Colombia, energized attendees with a nearly three-hour performance. Bringing a unique mix of pop, Latin rock, and worship music, the band blended its spiritual messaging with reverence to the Lord providing the soundtrack for an unforgettable Holy Hour of adoration and eucharistic procession.
“The moment of adoration was unique,” continued Miss Diaz. “That special encounter with our Lord has no words to describe it. I just know that in that moment, many young people were called.”
The evening was capped with Father Padilla and Father Jorge Mejia presiding over midnight Mass, with the celebration ending after 1 a.m.
More than 200 youth and young adults took part in the first Hispanic Youth Day, held Nov. 9 at St. John Neumann Parish. The second annual Hispanic Youth Day is set for November 2025 at St. Patrick Parish in Morristown. (Photo courtesy Pastoral Juvenil Hispana)
Jackie Altamirano, 24, of Thompson’s Station, Tenn., recounted: “It was something very beautiful and special. This was my first experience attending a gathering with so many young people.”
Miss Altamirano rarely has an opportunity to practice her faith with other young adults and was thrilled to travel to an event that encouraged her to grow in faith and meet like-minded youth.
“Young people, come! It’s … unforgettable, you can have fun in a healthy way,” she said.
“I was just looking to have fun and spend a weekend out, but it turned out to be an unforgettable experience,” said Stacy Olmos, 26, of Columbia, Tenn. “I went with so much uncertainty and realized that true happiness comes from God. I am very thankful … seeing so many young people enjoying and rejoicing in that joy was the best thing I could have experienced. I know that as young people, anything related to retreats or God often seems boring, and I understand; I used to think that way, too. But if you had seen what this experience was like, you would know it’s an event you cannot miss.”
Reflecting on the inaugural celebration, Mr. Argueta said, “My biggest takeaway was witnessing the deep thirst our youth have for God and seeing them travel from distant places to encounter Jesus and worship alongside other young people.”
Mr. Argueta reported that many attendees traveled from Middle Tennessee and neighboring states for the free event, adding that organizing and executing the day exceeded 300 percent of Pastoral Juvenil’s annual budget.
“By deciding to hold this event, I … took on a significant financial challenge,” he said.
This required a fundraising campaign from June through October to cover costs and promote the event regionally. With it proving to be a challenging process, Mr. Argueta said he held dear to John 15:16 during production of the event: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.”
Magdiel Argueta, event organizer and coordinator for Pastoral Juvenil Hispana (Diocese of Knoxville Hispanic Youth Ministry), and Father Julio Padilla of the Church of the Nativity led the Hispanic Youth Day. (Photo Dan McWilliams)
Mr. Argueta was able to cover the costs.
The Diocesan Hispanic Youth Day was inspired by Mr. Argueta’s experience doing pastoral work in Honduras, where Catholics celebrate a National Youth Day and Diocesan Youth Day. He wanted to bring a similar celebration to East Tennessee, and in February 2024 he presented the initiative to the Diocesan Pastoral Juvenil Council. Upon approval of the project, the council of volunteers from several parishes in the diocese began work immediately.
Building on the successes of the inaugural event, the council is looking toward the future.
“Hearing [attendees’] feedback about the event fills me with enthusiasm and confirms that it was a resounding success,” Mr. Argueta said.
Plans have already begun for next year, with the second event set for Nov. 14 at St. Patrick Church in Morristown. Pastoral Juvenil hopes to double attendance in 2025 and looks for continued openness from priests and parishes toward the growth in their ministry.
