[00:00:00] Jim Jansen: Hey everybody. Welcome to the Equip Cast. So today I sit down with Deacon Gregorio Ade. Deacon and I, uh, work together on the parish support team. He is the director of the Hispanic Ministry Office here for the Archdiocese. We have a great conversation just giving people kind of an intro to Hispanic ministry.

Unique challenges, but such a huge blessing for the church and really a huge part of the church around the United States, and specifically here in the Archdiocese of Omaha. If you've ever wanted to just understand a little bit more, know how you might take a first step to welcome Spanish speaking or English-speaking Hispanics into your community and your ministry.

Steon is the one you want to learn from. Uh, we have a great conversation. He's been a great guide for me, and you're gonna love today's conversation. Take a listen. Hey everybody. Welcome to the Equip Cast, a weekly podcast for the Archdiocese of Omaha. I'm your host, Jim Janssen. Now let's dive into some encouragement and inspiration to equip you to live your faith and to be fruitful in your mission.

Let's go.

Deacon Gregorio Elude, welcome to the Equip Cast. How you doing? 

[00:01:18] Dcn. Gregorio: Very good, Jim. Thanks for the invitation. 

[00:01:21] Jim Jansen: So Deacon, I am so excited for our conversation today. We've known each other probably, I mean, you started working here at the Archdiocese a few years before I did, but we, you know, we met right away when I came.

We bonded over our, you know, family, or you've got two daughters and I've got three daughters amongst sons, but I've got, you know, three daughters who were bonding about that. I'm a South Omaha boy. You live and work in South Omaha. Anyway, we had a lot in common, but we've gotten to work a lot closer together.

We became teammates about a year ago. We worked together on the parish support team. I am super excited for the conversation. 'cause to be honest, I think, I mean, maybe I'll just speak for myself here, but I'm pretty sure I'm not just speaking for myself. I think as a, you know, as an English-speaking person, I have Sesame Street level fluency in Spanish, right?

I can say Awa er, I can't, yes I can. All the really important words. Uh, but that's about it. I know how important Hispanic ministry is for the church. Particularly the church, you know, in, in the United States, here in Nebraska. I mean, we'll talk about, you know, statistics later, but a huge part of the Catholic church here in, in the Archdiocese.

But it can be a little intimidating, right? Because I, you, I don't, don't speak Spanish it. And you've been such a good teacher and guide for me. I'm excited to be able to share that because it's something that, it doesn't have to be. As intimidating as it might seem, you don't have to become fluent in Spanish at least immediately, that there's some really cool things.

So I'm excited about today's conversation, but I wanna give you a chance, deacon, introduce yourself. Who are you? Tell us a little bit about your faith story. 

[00:03:11] Dcn. Gregorio: Sure, Jim. Thank you very much. So I was born in Mexico and I came to the United States in, um, 1999 after the, uh. So, and I came to United States as many people came from Mexico, Guatemala, Salvador, to make a lot of money bags and bags of money, and then come back to our own country and to start a business or something like that.

[00:03:40] Jim Jansen: And then you wanted to go home?

[00:03:41] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes.

[00:03:41] Jim Jansen: So you're gonna, you're gonna come here, you're gonna work, make money and go home. 

[00:03:43] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes. But after 26 years, I have no money. But the good thing is that I have no money. 

[00:03:53] Jim Jansen: I'm sorry. That's only funny because we work for the church and I feel like, which I'm really grateful You do.

Sorry, keep going. That was just struck me as particularly funny. 

[00:04:01] Dcn. Gregorio: Yeah. But. God has something special for everyone. Yeah. In different moments. So in, in 2005, I meet him, he invites me, and then the money, that's is not important for me. Mm-hmm. Because if I have Jesus and millionaire, so 

[00:04:22] Jim Jansen: Yeah. Yes, I remember. I mean, it's funny, we, we were talking about this a little bit, you know, before we turned on the mics and, and I remember when we first met, you know, like, you love, you know, football, soccer, as do as do I, and I mean, I don't know.

I. I don't know very many American men that aren't distracted by their career ambitions and making money. And it was just like, wow. It's like the same thing. It's like distracted by sports and making money. How did God break into your life? 

[00:04:56] Dcn. Gregorio: It was the, um. Very special moment. I wasn't on a crisis in in my family, and then I claim to God, actually, I told him, God one time, a priest told me that you never get wrong.

But I think at this time you get wrong. You got it wrong. Yeah. Yes. You got it wrong. So, but he respond me with a retreat. Mm-hmm. So, and that retreat changed completely, completely my life. I'm here today because on, uh, February 6th, 2005, I attend a retreat that I was not supposed to attend. I was not invited, but I went to see really, really, so.

What good can I get from that retreat? Hmm. When I get in the retreat, one of the leaders told me, so who are you? I said, my name is Gregorio. Okay. So how do you feel? I don't know. I say I'm looking for something, but I don't know what, and he told me, wow, you'll find what you are looking for. And I thought, yeah, right.

Whatever you. What I was looking for, it was somebody or something to feel an emptiness that I had in my, in my heart. 

[00:06:22] Jim Jansen: Yeah, deacon, that's awesome. And you are obviously, I'm calling you Deacon, you. You're married, you've got lovely wife children. When were you ordained a deacon? 

[00:06:33] Dcn. Gregorio: Was on May 2nd, 2015. 

[00:06:37] Jim Jansen: Okay. 

[00:06:37] Dcn. Gregorio: So 10 years ago.

[00:06:39] Jim Jansen: Yeah. And happy anniversary. 

[00:06:40] Dcn. Gregorio: Yeah. I never Thank you. Thank you. Jim. If I can add something, I never. Think to work full time for the church. Mm-hmm. So it was October, 2014. I was living in Norfolk and I was in my last year of formation at the, so I was thinking to work in Norfolk, but about, yeah, at the end of October, deacon Luna, who was the, the human resources director for archdiocese.

Yeah. And he was part of the formation. He told Greg.

Out to be the ministry director and thank you.

So he, he insists he doesn't, I said, he didn't force me, of course, but he said, think about it, because we have been looking for three years. Mm-hmm. But in prayer, your name came out. Wow. And I say again. No, thank you. Yeah. But, so at the end, I finish here. When I ask my wife and my daughters when, when they offered me the job, actually it was three months later because I.

So he told me again, so I came to from Norfolk to an to an interview In the old Chancery. Yeah. And then it was Wednesday. Luna and three priest, they, uh, interview me and they told me This Friday, this coming Friday, we'll give you a, a notice if you get the job or no. Okay. So it passed one Friday to Fridays.

Three Fridays. I said, thank God they don't call. You thought you were off the hook. Yes, but the week after on Thursday, he calls me, uh, Gregorio, if you want the job. I say, and he said, what do you want? What do, what do you think? I said, I need to talk with my wife. Yeah. And with my daughters. So then when, when I, I was able to talk with my daughters and my wife and they say.

We have been following you from different places, so two hours is not too bad. 

[00:08:57] Jim Jansen: Mm. Yeah. To move to Omaha. To move to Omaha, yeah. Yeah. Because you were trained as an accountant and then you had worked other different jobs, so you had, I mean, even going through the diaconal formation, you were not planning on working for the church.

No, never. And it's been, it's been a while now. You've been how, how many years have been working? 10 years. 10 years. Yeah. 

[00:09:19] Dcn. Gregorio: Yeah. 

[00:09:19] Jim Jansen: This is, and you, you support all the roles, right? So you're a member of the parish support team. So whether it's youth ministry, religious education, pastors, associates, evangelization coordinators, marriage prep, all the stuff that happens in parishes, you support those roles for our Spanish speaking parishes and ministers.

[00:09:41] Dcn. Gregorio: Yeah. And also some parishes that do not have ministry. Right. But Hispanics are everywhere. Yes, every single parish of the archdiocese there is at least one family living there. So sometimes parishes from, from Omaha and also from the rural area, they contact me, oh, they can, we need help with this. And of course, I'm always able to have like a yes with marriage prep, with convalidations, quinceaneras.

[00:10:07] Jim Jansen: Yeah. Now explain quinceaneras. That means 15, right? Correct. Okay, so so what it talk about just briefly, like the quinceanera tradition? 'cause for those of us, I was vaguely familiar with it, but it's a celebration at the 15th year. So 15th year birthday for young girls. What is it like? 

[00:10:26] Dcn. Gregorio: So it is something cultural.

Mm-hmm. So the, they said came from the, from our ancestors, 15 years was the, the time when girls came to be adults. Right. So when they can married, so like a rite of passage. 

[00:10:40] Jim Jansen: Get married. Married, okay. Yeah. 

[00:10:42] Dcn. Gregorio: Mm-hmm. It is a big celebration. Yeah. Many parties.

[00:10:45] Jim Jansen: Yeah. It's a party.

[00:10:46] Dcn. Gregorio: Of course. And they spend a lot of money.

I don't like that, but yeah.

[00:10:51] Jim Jansen: Yeah, yeah. Beautiful dresses and like there's a celebration in the church. Yes. But you've been able to help parishes and, you know, individual, kind of like parish leaders. Make it a real moment of grace. Whether they're hearing the gospel, that it's more than just a party. It can become a deeper draw for the girl and for her whole family into faith.

[00:11:16] Dcn. Gregorio: Thank you for mentioning that, because there is a, a special place of the church to make that an opportunity to evangelize families, but also the girl. Yeah, I, I just a call recently from. And of a girl who attend a retreat for a qui retreat. Because, because there is a requirement that if a girl wants to have a, a celebration in any of our churches, they need to have a formation.

Yeah. And the, the Hispanic Ministry Office offers a retreat once or twice a year. So this aunt told me, I wanna tell you, I.

Her mom told me that after the quinceaneras retreat, this girl is not the same. Mm-hmm. She changes completely. Mm-hmm. And she said, what, what do you teach them there? I said, well, I, I teach nothing. Maybe that's why, because there is a group of young people. Mm-hmm.

Three encounters. Mm-hmm. The encounter with themselves, the encounter with their family, and the encounter with, with God. 

[00:12:40] Jim Jansen: Oh, that's beautiful. Encounter with themselves, their family, and God. Yes. Oh, that's so good. 

[00:12:45] Dcn. Gregorio: There is a, there is a special moment on those, on those, uh, retreats. So, but there is an opportunity, an opportunity to evangelize even in.

And, and I, in my parish, pretty much I do all the quinceanera mm-hmm. And family who never attend church. So they'll, they'll come to, to the party. Yes. Yeah. So when I address, address the mm-hmm. The girl for the little family, I, I can see how many people. Attend the church usually. Mm-hmm. Because they, it's in the way of they respond.

Mm-hmm. Sometimes they want to be with, with their hats in the church. Yeah. So, and then I also address the family. Yeah. They's called ES boys who accompany the RA sometimes also like, uh, girls who. The, how you say the, the court of honor. 

[00:13:45] Jim Jansen: Yeah. Court of, well, yeah. It's almost like a bridesmaid or like there's this little entourage that follows the girl.

[00:13:50] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes.

[00:13:51] Jim Jansen: Yeah.

[00:13:52] Dcn. Gregorio: So also to them, so I give a message to the quinceanera. Mm-hmm. But also for the girls, the chamber and, and for the family. 

[00:14:00] Jim Jansen: Yeah. Oh, that's so good. I mean, it reminds me, I think in every culture, weddings and funerals, people show up there that we don't get to. Talk about Jesus with very often, but they're there.

Uh, 'cause they're grieving or they're helping celebrate and quinceanera is beautiful moment, unique right. To Hispanic culture. Mm-hmm. Where you get to preach the gospel. 

[00:14:27] Dcn. Gregorio: Yeah. That's a big opportunity. Yeah. That's what I think. 

[00:14:30] Jim Jansen: Okay, so let's, I mean, we're already like really in it here, but I just wanna give you a chance to give, give people some background about Hispanic ministry in the United States and then particularly here in in the Archdiocese of Omaha.

You know, we're, we have listeners all around the country, all around the world. We're here in the Midwest, maybe not like Texas or Arizona, but we have a significant Hispanic population. Talk about, give us some background data here. 

[00:14:58] Dcn. Gregorio: Sure. So I, I belong to an association called NACODA. National Association of Diocese and directors of Hispanic ministry, they do very often are working with the U-S-C-C-B, uh, statistics of the population. Mm-hmm. So the last census, uh, says that 40% of adult Catholics in the USA are Hispanics. Wow. 40%. 40% of adult 

[00:15:26] Jim Jansen: Catholics Yes. Are Hispanics. 

[00:15:28] Dcn. Gregorio: Catholics under 18 are almost 60% Hispanics.

[00:15:34] Jim Jansen: Yeah, that, that's huge. I heard that a few years ago. Mm-hmm. So I'm gonna say that again. Catholics under 18 years old, so if you just look at the young Catholics, over 60% are Hispanic. 

[00:15:49] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes. 

[00:15:49] Jim Jansen: That's huge. In short order, the vast majority right now, 40% of adult Catholics. But 60% or more in short order will be Hispanic.

Yes. I mean, right. 'cause they're gonna grow up and very fast. Those of us who have children, they grow up very, they, they grow up very fast. So this isn't like, I think sometimes it's easy to imagine, depending on where we go to church, I dunno to imagine Hispanic ministry, the Hispanic population to be.

Smaller than it is again, particularly if, if you, if there aren't a lot of Hispanic families that you see in your parish. But my goodness, this is like, that's, that's huge. 

[00:16:39] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes, of course. Yes. In diocese, it was an process called a quinto. Encounter and they made some statistics and it says that Omaha has 30% or 30% of the Catholics in the Archdiocese are Hispanics.

Yeah. And that's, that's huge. 32%, sorry. Yeah, 32%. 

[00:17:04] Jim Jansen: And, and again, we're not Texas or Arizona, you know, we're not as, as close, but there's a. There's a large number of Hispanics that have been part of the life and community of faith here in Nebraska for years, and just depending on where you go to church and the neighborhood you live in, you just may not see that.

Deacon, I want you to talk a little bit, there's so many, praise God, right? A number of groups, parishes, individuals, associations dedicated to serving. Spanish speaking Catholics, Hispanic Catholics. Talk about some of those, you know, some of the parishes, some of the different groups that are live and active in Hispanic ministry.

[00:17:50] Dcn. Gregorio: Sure, of course, Jim. So I, first of all, I would like to, uh, to say of course, thanks to God because his. The most important thing in this ministry, but also to Archbishop Lucas, because he always support Hispanic ministry. Mm-hmm. So my office was open because of his desire. Mm-hmm. So it was open 10 years ago.

So also to all the priests who work in Hispanic ministry, that they make a big, big effort to learn in Spanish. Mm-hmm. To be with the people. And even some priests that who are not part of a parish consider Spanish or with Hispanic ministry. Right. But they are open.

Visit the parish, ask for help. Right? Like a marriage prep or, or ra or baptism, right? Something like that. 

[00:18:54] Jim Jansen: And they've done hard work to position themselves to do that because you know, for many of them it meant learning a language, learning about the culture, at least being able to do. Some of the sacramental rights in Spanish or again, just being aware of some of the cultural differences.

That's a lot of work. It's not like they're just sitting around board wondering how they can find something to do. 

[00:19:16] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes, and also I would like to, to ask for forgiveness to all the priests that sometimes, and this is something cultural I can explain a little bit more when they feel trapped after mass.

Because, because there is cultural that if we want see.

Yeah. When we will find, we'll find him for sure after mass. Yeah. They know where he is gonna be. Yes. And it's not the same, it's not the same in in the English speaking. Yeah. 

[00:19:49] Jim Jansen: Yeah, in in English. Like father stands out, you know, in the whatever in the foyer. Talks, shakes, some hands, tells a joke, and then he gets to go back, you know, I don't know, 10, 15, 20 minutes, whatever he gets to generally go back in the scr, sacristy change clothes, but.

In our Spanish speaking parishes. There's a whole line of people waiting for counsel and blessing and conversations and, and it's a different, it's a different experience for our priests. Yes. So you're apologizing on behalf of Yes. All the people that, that ambush father after mass. 

[00:20:25] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes, of course.

Absolutely. So in arch, in the arch of Omaha, we have. 17 parishes with Hispanic ministry. Wow. Who celebrate about 30 masses. Wow. On, on the weekend. 

[00:20:39] Jim Jansen: Wow. 30 weekend masses in Spanish. 

[00:20:41] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes. And that depends on the weather, because on winter it's about 30, but on summer, with all the quinceaneras and weddings, the, the number.

[00:20:52] Jim Jansen: Goes up dramatically. Yes, yes. Oh, that's a really good point. 

[00:20:55] Dcn. Gregorio: Yeah. Yes. So, but there, there is a, um, very active and vibrant people who speak Spanish in the parishes. Mm-hmm. And one of the, of the things that is different is the, the demanding of work. I have a, a, a friend priest who he.

English. Mm-hmm. 90%. Mm-hmm.

Celebrations, what he did in two years in the other, in the old parish. 

[00:21:39] Jim Jansen: Wow. Wow. Just because the increased number of Hispanic families meant his workload went up so much more because there's just that much demand for the sacraments and blessings and quintane celebrations and all the stuff. Yes. Yeah.

[00:22:01] Dcn. Gregorio: And, of course, there is something else that is cultural also. That evangelize to a wounded community is very hard. This wounded community, it is like, uh, looking for refuge in the church. Mm-hmm. If they have s.

I can go. Mm-hmm. Oh, with el? Mm-hmm. I'll go see El, the priest. 

[00:22:34] Jim Jansen: Yeah. The church still feels safe. Yes. Whereas an English speaker might start by going to a counselor. Mm-hmm. Or a friend or someone else. Hispanic families often start with the church. Yes. Which is beautiful, but that. That, that creates a workload more.

[00:22:53] Dcn. Gregorio: Yeah. More and more. Yes. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. It's very, the, the Hispanic ministry for prison, and that's, I pray for the priest, always for deacons, of course, for the, the leaders, people who works in the parishes. Mm-hmm. Also, mm-hmm. 

[00:23:07] Jim Jansen: Yeah. It's very demanding. 

[00:23:09] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes. Very, very demanding. So, but God gives the grace. When we are in the ministry.,

So, and also you also talk. Hispanic and Anglo community. Mm-hmm. Because we're one church. Amen. That's what the, the archdiocese says. One church encountering Jesus, equipping, disciple, living mercy. So, but, but there are people who speak Spanish, people who speak French, of course English and people of speak, uh, native languages from Guatemala, right?

Yeah. Africa, other places. Mm-hmm. Spanish speaking people. There is a, a big difference in the church with, with some ecclesial movements. Yeah. Those ecclesial movements are like, uh, how can I say? Engines, A powerful engines of evangelization. 

[00:24:17] Jim Jansen: Yeah. They are. They're, and again, for those of. Those of us who have not experienced it, they're these communities of faith.

Right. Almost, again, this is not a good, but like the Knights of Columbus or in my experience, you know, being part of a focus, focus considers itself an ecclesial movement where it's this community often dedicated to evangelization. There's multiple of these kind of organizations working within the parish, and they're, yeah, they're very, very powerful, very, very fruitful for evangelization.

Deacon, can you give a couple of examples for people of these, of these movements, like kinda like who they are, what they do? 

[00:25:06] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes, of course. We have like a. Charismatic and for Christ. Called, called. And there are a group in St. Peter, my parish, called Servants of the Living Christ or also a School of Evangelization.

These, uh, four groups, they are real. Laboratories of faith. 

[00:25:30] Jim Jansen: Yeah. Laboratories of faith. Yes. Yeah. Oh, I love that. They're like incubating the faith for people. 

[00:25:37] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes. And, and so we talk a lot and Jim and, and the parish support team about the, the clear path of discipleship. Mm-hmm. And with the four. Stages or stage.

[00:25:47] Jim Jansen: Yeah. The four steps, like the ministries where people get connected, where they meet Jesus, where they grow as a disciple and then they get equipped as a missionary. That that image of a clear path, you're like, oh, I've seen that before. Yes. 

[00:26:03] Dcn. Gregorio: So there's four groups. They have their own clear Yes, and And they do an excellent, excellent job.

I have seen them working a. Time. Time. So they put a lot of air effort after working 10 hours. Mm-hmm. Five days a week. They, and like, uh, they work since seven until five, 6:00 PM mm-hmm. And they, 7:00 PM they have a meeting. They have the, they they call like, uh, growing meetings. 

[00:26:34] Jim Jansen: Yeah. 

[00:26:34] Dcn. Gregorio: Or worship and, and prayer.

[00:26:37] Jim Jansen: Yeah. These are people, they have a day job, they work really hard all day. And then they give themselves to these groups. To grow as disciples or then to help form other people to grow, to get together for communal worship. Again, outside of mass, just prayer and adoration music. It really, and it's beautiful, like they're bearing great fruit 'cause people's lives are being changed by their retreats and the friendships that they make.

I, I've used this, the, the, the groups. It's rare, but sometimes if I, if I'm coming across an individual who has worked in Hispanic ministry or is familiar with ecclesial movements, 'cause there's some places in Europe as well that they're more familiar. Where if they've experienced that, it's like, okay, that's what a clear path is.

You know how these groups, they know where they meet people, where they introduce 'em to Jesus, how they help them mature as a disciple and how they equip them to be missionary. What if. People's eyes light up because if they're familiar with the, the work of these groups, they're like, oh man, that would be amazing if our parish felt like that.

[00:27:44] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes. And also, Jim, there are some groups focused on, on couples. On families. Yeah. Marriage and family, like, uh, yes. Yeah. The worldwide encounter, marriage encounter. Marriage encounter. Mm-hmm. The Christian family Movement. There are. So I have seen, um, lives and families, families transformer through these, through all these groups.

And of course there are some kind of, uh, groups like, uh, devotionals, like the Nocturnal Adoration. Mm-hmm. Being there. Yeah. But I think, and, and I can say in 2000 I was living in Madison, so, and, and the priest there asked me to be an, um, EHMC Oh yeah. Uh, extraordinary minister of the Eucharist. Yes. And then, so I, I was there and then somebody told me, oh, the father says that the, a EHS needs to be the first one in nocturnal adoration.

So I went to nocturnal admiration and I was there for four years. Not all in one sitting though. Once a month. Once a month. The whole night. Yeah. But I, in those four years, I never know to who I was adoring. It was until February 6th, 2005 when I meet Jesus and I say, oh, this is the one that I was adoring. For four years. 

[00:29:17] Jim Jansen: Yeah. That's really good. 'cause I want to talk about the, just the devotional culture, kind of popular religious religiosity, you know, in, in the Hispanic kind of cultural sensibility. Devotionals have a really big place. Big, and of course they're beautiful, but sometimes like in your own story, people don't make that connection.

Where they don't connect it to, to Jesus and to the church or maybe to their parish. Talk a little bit about that, the challenge and then how you, how you help people bridge that. 

[00:29:57] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes, so the versions are beautiful entry points. Is it beautiful in what entry? Like, uh oh, entry points. Yes. Yeah, yeah. Yes, but without formation.

Then the devotions can fall into an empty ritual or even sometimes superstitions. Mm-hmm. So I say without formation, it. 

[00:30:21] Jim Jansen: Wow. Without formation. Right. The full kind of catechetical It could become a deformation. Deformation, yes. Yeah. Teach people to be su superstitious rather than actually deepen their faith.

[00:30:33] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes.

[00:30:34] Jim Jansen: Oh, that's good. 

[00:30:35] Dcn. Gregorio: Yeah, so that's why I, when I, I have chance, I try to say, because.

For Our Lady of Guadalupe. Mm-hmm. Churches are packed. Yes. Ash Wednesday people came just at the end of the mass. Mm-hmm. Just to receive the ash. Yes. But not to mass. So what I, what I say, our Lady of Guadalupe will always lead to Jesus. 'cause we are, yes, we're Christian first and then we are, uh, guanos.

Yeah. Second. Yeah. But, but there, there is a, a confusion that, oh, I'm guano, but I do not go to, to confession. I do not go to Mass, but I have faith in, in La Virgin de Guadalupe. Yeah, in our Lady Guadalupe. But it's not enough like the rosary. So we can pray. Rosa. If we don't believe, let's say we can believe in Jesus.

The, the Bible says that even the devil believe and and tremble. Mm. But it's not the same believing Jesus that believe to Jesus, right. 

[00:31:53] Jim Jansen: Like to believe Yes, but to love and to trust. 

[00:31:56] Dcn. Gregorio: Yeah, and to be what he says when he says...last Sunday. 

[00:32:00] Jim Jansen: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Some of the things that Jesus says make me uncomfortable. 

[00:32:06] Dcn. Gregorio: The, the divine mercy or of the, the second Sunday of Easter.

Mm-hmm. He appears to his disciple say, my peace I give you, whoever you forge, forgive, the sins will be forgiven. So that means that I need to go to confession. Mm-hmm. If I pray the rosary three times, five times a day, but if I don't go to confession, then. Spirituality. Yeah. Yeah. That, that can happen if we do not are aware or if we do not accompany the people.

We, I think a company is the word yes. To, to watch, to supervise, to correct the people. Mm-hmm. 

[00:32:49] Jim Jansen: Yeah. Well, and I don't think, it's not lost on, on me. Pope Francis was the one who kind of popularized that word for us. Right. The accompaniment. Mm-hmm. And he knew right. The Hispanic, Latin American culture, although he's like ethnically and Italian, I think Spanish was his first language.

Mm-hmm. You know, I mean, so he, he knew that. And there's something. Special that I think he was able to bring for the whole church as, as he, yeah, kind of recognized his, his own experience and, and the need for that. Deacon, this might be a good time for you to talk a little bit about some of the unique challenges that, uh, you faced in Hispanic ministry because I, I remember you were very helpful for me in kind of educating me.

It's different, right? It's not just we speak English, they speak Spanish, they speak French, they, it's like there's a, there's a real difference in the ministry that goes well beyond the language. 

[00:33:45] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes, of course. And I think there are many, many challenges. As I mentioned before, Spanish or people who speak Spanish, many of them came from a, from a, a wounded history.

So. Like, uh, right now there is a big fear of deportation. Mm-hmm. And even if we have not seen like a big re traits, but the, the fear is still there. 

[00:34:12] Jim Jansen: Right. There's a fear about deportation. Even though there hasn't, at least here in in Omaha, there have not been mass deportations that we've experienced. It still doesn't alleviate the fear.

[00:34:27] Dcn. Gregorio: Of course, yes. Also, the, the unstable jobs, sometimes they, they like, uh, I found a, um, a guy recently, he was working, but they told him not to, or he's not able to work. He was looking for something else. After three months, he found something for a week and then no job again, so, mm-hmm. A challenge. Of course also many adults struggle with liter literacy.

Yeah. Literacy lit. Oh, that's a hard word. One of the, of the hard words for me. For, for me too. So, so yeah. So like, uh, bulletin books, even subtitles Yeah. Are not helpful because they cannot read. 

[00:35:13] Jim Jansen: I remember you talking this, Ian, we were talking about some, again, when I was new to my role and beginning to think about.

Faith formation resources that could be available in English and Spanish. And I remember just so you know, saying like, Hey, deacon, I think this, this resource could be good. And it's like, oh, okay. And you know, we were talking about it and you're like, it, and I, I said, it has subtitles. And he is, oh, well that's not as helpful.

I'm like, oh, really? It's like, it's like, is it not a good translation? It's like, no, they can't read. Some Right. Some people can't, can't read. And I remember thinking, oh no, I mean just like, just realizing like the depth of the, the challenge that like, wow. Like that if someone, you know is, uh, was, you know, not given the gift of literacy, that wasn't their educational background, of course simply adding a subtext isn't gonna help.

They actually need to be able to hear it in their native, native language. That was a huge moment for me. I remember and I realized that it was like, oh boy, just had never connected the dots. 

[00:36:19] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes. That also came with a, with a inability to understand and to speak English. Mm-hmm. Because there is a, a low Right.

Completely not education or very low education. So, and there isn't the mind to come to the United States to make a lot of money. Mm-hmm. Bags and bags of money that states. As I say before, so, and one of, of the, for me, one of the biggest challenges is the cons. Consum. Consum, consumerism. Consumerism. Yeah.

Yeah. Because for many people the, their work is their God. Yeah. But they work a lot. They make a lot of money. More bread. The table. Table, but the problem is that never are extra bread in the table. Mm. Because buying a lot of things, so. 

[00:37:22] Jim Jansen: Right. Well, you know, deacon, I, I don't know if I ever told you this story, but I was, uh, got a chance to go to a retreat with a priest who did some work with the Chinese.

Immigrant community in Philadelphia, and he told this really powerful story of this immigrant man who literally had been tortured for his faith in China, and he refused to disclose the location of the priest. Finally got to immigrate with his family to the United States, and initially was overjoyed. At his ability to publicly practice his faith, go to mass, you know, he got a job and then he's like, okay.

He starts to buy into the American dream and he wants to make money, and he eventually gets his own business. And what the priest began to see is first he'd come to Mass every day, and then it'd just Sundays, and then he'd miss some Sundays, but he'd always hit Easter and Christmas and then he stopped coming Easter and Christmas.

And I remember this priest. Taking the moment to say like, I wanna make sure you understand what happened here, what communist torture could not do to wreck this man's faith American consumerism did in about five years. Yes. And I was like, oh man. Like it was heartbreaking and consoling in, in the sense that the obstacles we face, although different than the direct torture and persecution is no less damaging if we're not careful. 

[00:38:52] Dcn. Gregorio: And that's exactly what happens. Yeah. For people who came at least from Mexico. 

[00:38:56] Jim Jansen: Yeah. I want you to talk a little bit about just the difference between, and this kind of pivots into the geniuses of the Hispanic, uh, ministry and the Spanish speaking community, but there's a, there, there's a real challenge.

In the Spanish speaking community. I just wanna let you talk about that because it feels like in the Anglo community we're overwhelmed with catechetical resources, books, and tapes, and videos and pamphlets, and on and on and on, and on and on. You could never consume it all in a lifetime. That's not the same in the, uh, Hispanic community.

[00:39:38] Dcn. Gregorio: So, and that came because the law education. Yes. Starting with that. So pretty much, if I, you can say how, what's the percentage of English speaking Catholics who went to Catholic schools? Mm-hmm. It's, the percentage is, is... 

[00:39:58] Jim Jansen: pretty high or at least high school college degrees. Pretty high. 

[00:40:02] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes. Not, not in the Spanish speaking.

Yeah. People. So that's one thing. So when they came to, to the parish, and most of the people who are very active in the parishes are because they belong to any of the eal moments that we, we just talked before. Yes. So, and they, that happened to me. So when I meet Jesus, I say, oh, he's inviting me. Mm-hmm.

What. So then, and that's part of, of my story because I, I was attending Mass in Norfolk and then I saw a little, uh, nun sister Margaret Garcia. Yes. She was doing a lot of work for Hispanics, working 3:00 AM in the morning, starting making some tamales and then doing a ES to raise money to help, uh, poor people.

And, and I say, I. So that was like the call to the service. Yeah. And and diaconia means, uh, a server. Server, yeah. Yes. So I met Jesus, but I have seen in my own experience without formation. Mm-hmm. It came the deformation because.

If nobody 

[00:41:28] Jim Jansen: Right. You can't give what you don't have. 

[00:41:29] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes. So, yeah, if nobody accompanied me to do the things right. So I'll do what I can. What I think is, is, is right. 

[00:41:39] Jim Jansen: Right. And you've been able to do a lot of formation for Right. Cate formation for group leaders, for individuals. We're, we're working hard to help parishes develop their own clear path of discipleship.

'cause as, as wonderful as the groups are relatively small percentage of the total Spanish speaking population, or all the parishioners, not all of them are going to groups. I mean, what, what percentage you think about any Sunday mass, what percentage are engaged with the groups.

[00:42:13] Dcn. Gregorio: On Sunday mass, let's say.

Maybe 40, 50%. Yeah. Or maybe a little bit more that, that depends also on what church. Sure. Which church? It varies. Compare to parish. Yeah. Like, like our lady Guadalupe, you go maybe 80% Sure. 80% of the people who is in the, in the, in the pews are connected to groups, are connected now or well connected to any group.

[00:42:36] Jim Jansen: Right. They were the gateway that that brought them in. But for many parishes. You still have a large percentage of those that are coming to mass who don't have that deeper connection to say nothing of those who aren't coming to mass. Mm-hmm. Deacon talk about there's some really beautiful gifts that the Hispanic community can offer the church at large.

Just some just right. Challenges are. Really special gifts and I want to give you a chance to talk about those 'cause those have been really inspiring and hopeful for me. 

[00:43:13] Dcn. Gregorio: Sure. I think if I can resume in one phrase, Hispanic Catholics have a unique gift that they live the faith with their hearts. 

[00:43:26] Jim Jansen: Yes. 

[00:43:27] Dcn. Gregorio: And, and of course the family is a domestic church.

The, the need to be in, in a family environment mm-hmm. Is very important. So it is at home where in a sharing mail, they pray together. They pray the rosary together, and this is something that this is changing because the excessive work of the parents. Sometimes kids are alone at home. 

[00:43:56] Jim Jansen: Sure. So you're saying there's a natural strength of familial connection and community.

But that, that, that's, there's a vulnerability there. If mom and dad are working too much, yes, it can change. Yeah. Mm-hmm. I can see, I, I can see that it is a treasure. I mean, you can feel it when you connect, you know, at, at Hispanic parishes or you go to a Spanish speaking mass, you just feel like, wow, everybody here, like knows each other and loves each other.

And there's just, you can feel the deep, the deep networks. Did I ever tell you this? On one of my pilgrimage, uh, down to our lady Guadalupe in Mexico, I had a chance to go to a beautiful Holy Hour. With, uh, you know, some, uh, Mexican college students and I was flabbergasted 'cause they were praying. You talked about like with their hearts, you could see it, like you could see the devotion and it was very different than the kind of stoic, Germanic culture that I came from.

And I was just, it was over, over overwhelming and really beautiful to see the sincerity, like their hearts and their minds. But I mean, their hearts, their emotions were, were being poured out before the Lord. It was really beautiful. 

[00:45:02] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes. And, and the sacrifice. So like, uh, after working 50, 60 hours in a week.

And then they have a retreat on the weekend. Yeah. And they work all weekend. Yes. And the retreat is serving? Yeah. It's in a gym. Yeah. So it's in a gymnasium. Yeah. Where there are no, no beds. So they, they asleep in the floor. Yeah. With one little blanket underneath and one of one on, on top of them. Yes. Yeah.

And sometimes they don't.

To Jesus. Yeah. That's what that mother, that's what is important for them. Yeah. To bring more souls to Jesus because they want, as the apostle say, we cannot stop what we saw in here. So if they feel like, uh, Jesus gives them. They want to share the joy with other people. Yeah. They don't care to, to spend the whole night suffering sometimes with, with call, sometimes with the cat.

[00:46:13] Jim Jansen: Yeah. Or, or with, if you, if you give them a bed, they may not take it because they're like, no, no, no, no. Like my sleeping on the floor is releasing grace for the people I'm trying to bring to Jesus on this retreat. 

[00:46:25] Dcn. Gregorio: Mm-hmm. 

[00:46:26] Jim Jansen: Yeah, that's, that's it really gives me hope. I mean, the fruitfulness. Again, I think because of the deep relationships, because of the deep sincerity, loving the Lord, kind of like with, with all their heart, there's a great fruitfulness in evangelization, in, again, positive stereotype.

Stereotypes are only half true, but like wow, it's really beautiful to see the fruitfulness of evangelization and that's really hopeful as. You know, I mean, for most of us, if we're watching the, the numbers for faith engagement for the church, it's pretty discouraging. But there's a, there's a hidden gem, uh, in our Hispanic Catholics, um, very fruitful for evangelization.

Deacon, I wanna give you a chance. I, I kind of started just like owning my own, you know, gosh, you know, you can be a little overwhelming and intimidating. You know, especially if your Spanish isn't very good, how might you encourage a parish leader who's listening to this, maybe just an individual who they wanna say hi to that Hispanic family.

They, they wanna, you know, they, they notice them, they want them to feel welcome in their parish. How do they get started?

[00:47:42] Dcn. Gregorio: I think for to start is you don't need, you do not need perfect Spanish, but just you need an open heart. So don't be afraid to start with, with an invitation, with a fateful presence. So even we don't speak if I don't speak English.

Very good. You don't speak Spanish very good. But we speak the language of love. Mm-hmm. And God is love. Yeah. A smile goes a long way. Yes, of course. So. And the language of love and hospitality can break down barriers mm-hmm. Of, of languages. So, and the most important is that the mission, it doesn't belong to the leader, to the priests, even to the bishop, the mission belongs, belongs to.

Wow. Bridge people say, say it again In Spanish ent. So people, we don't need walls. Yeah. We need people, not, not, uh, wall people to That's so good. So. Not ignoring the people. Even if, even if somebody approach to you and you don't speak English, but you can smile and say, okay, I do not, I cannot understand, but then we get somebody who can help you.

Mm-hmm. They'll feel welcome. They'll feel not ignored. Mm-hmm. And that, that's the, the first feeling of them. Because sometimes when they say Oh, they kick me out from their parish or from their office. 

[00:49:35] Jim Jansen: Yeah, just a smile, and you know, that's been my experience when I come as the minority and usually I'm there, you know people quickly 'cause I flock to you and they're like, oh, okay. Deacon knows him so he must be okay. But I feel a warm reception, a hospitality, I feel seen. And even though I don't speak Spanish, I often feel welcome.

Now of course I'm hanging out with your friends who are like, you know, the best people. But whenever any of us have been on the other side of it, when we have been. The, the one on the outside who's new to a community, uh, who maybe doesn't, you know, doesn't know. Man, it feels so good when someone sees you and welcomes you.

Absolutely. Deacon. What, where would, like, if a, if a parish just, and I'm thinking again as an individual, okay. Smile, just go connect. If a parish feels like. Man, we're, we're not in a position where we can or should offer a full mass in Spanish. We can't hire anyone. We don't have anybody to do all of Hispanic ministry.

What are some places where they might be able to get started? 

[00:50:44] Dcn. Gregorio: I think maybe starting with, um, not thinking that we need to have something for the community.

Not like, uh, two parishes under one roof. No, we are only one family, so yeah, there are some people who speak Spanish. Yes, we can welcome them. Yes, I'm somebody else, but how, how we can, or even if I can say different, even the fair, the best bilingual mass. With not, not, um, the open heart. Mm-hmm. To be one family, it'll not work.

[00:51:26] Jim Jansen: Right. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and I love the way you said that earlier. It's like, don't create two parishes, you know, the Spanish speaking parish's. Like, let's be one and there's a way that we can do that. But it has to start with open hearts. 

[00:51:43] Dcn. Gregorio: And, and that is a, a little, little big challenge to, because if not, we start with them and us.

Mm-hmm. Instead, we Yes. Because we are one. Yes. That's, that's what you is saying, John. John 1721. Mm-hmm. That we are. They, they can be one, like you and I are one. Yeah. Not them and us, just one. We, so of course there, uh, starting with some events together, like in Norfolk we start, Norfolk was a separation. The, the Kermes is like a festival.

Oh, okay. Yeah. The Spanish festival called Kermes and then the parish festival. And the mind was kermes for Hispanics and, uh, parish Festival for Anglos. Yeah. But we start and, and I was part of that bringing the Kermes to the parish festival. 

[00:52:42] Jim Jansen: Yeah. Just little integrations. Like what? You had a food booth, I'm guessing?

Yes, yes, yes. Gotta start with food. 

[00:52:48] Dcn. Gregorio: Yeah. So some, um. Celebrations. Now, the, the Feast of Guadalupe is not only for Hispanics in Norfolk. 

[00:52:56] Jim Jansen: Yeah. When I visited in Mexico, so sorry. Like, they're, like Mexican Catholics are very excited to say Our Lady of Guadalupe belongs to the world. Right. Different than maybe other Marian Apparitions where Mary shows herself as a mother to the sick or a mother to, you know, the to, to sinners.

There's a universal aspect to our lead. I Guadalupe, and you're gonna say, sorry, in the parish, you managed to make it. This is everybody's celebration. Yes. That's beautiful. How did you do it? Like what are some of the things you did to draw the whole community together. 

[00:53:34] Dcn. Gregorio: Of course was was with the priest, precise father.

We can bring some of the food boots from the ES to here, and of course, also Sister Margaret Garcia. Yes. Yeah. So it was little by little. But now like they are having a, a, a celebration together. Yeah. Yeah. So it is little by little, but I think the most important is, is to give the first step if I'm open mm-hmm.

To receive my brother in Christ, my sister in Christ. Because the love bond us. Yes. And God is love. So then we can start. 

[00:54:15] Jim Jansen: Yeah. Degan. That's so beautiful. You do so much. Part of your work with the parish support team is to help people with these questions. So maybe it's youth ministry, religious education, right?

Maybe they're, maybe they're thinking about marriage prep. How can people get ahold of you if they have questions? 

[00:54:35] Dcn. Gregorio: Well, there are, uh, few ways they can email me. My email is HMO, that means Hispanic ministry office at archomaha.org. They can also found me and if they go, if they can go to the Arch Omaha website.

Mm-hmm. And there is a, uh, under the ministry tab. Yes. And there is, and says, a minister, so they can found resources there or they can also. Call to, to the Hispanic ministry office. They can call the Chancery (402) 558-3100 and say, I wa I need to talk with Deon Gregorio, the Hispanic Ministry office. Yeah.

And then. 

[00:55:13] Jim Jansen: We'll, we'll get you, we'll get you there. Yes. And the Facebook page, we haven't talked, but there's a beautiful facility. Uh, your office isn't too far away from where I live down in South Omaha. On Facebook. Talk about El Centro. Just real briefly. 

[00:55:26] Dcn. Gregorio: El Centro is Centro Pastor Al in, in English. Tepe Pastoral Center was opened as, uh, a need because Archbishop Lucas had some, uh, listening sessions in 2016.

Mm-hmm. And people in Norma Hase, Archbishop, we don't have retreats. Yes. Yeah.

For the people who speak Spanish, to have retreats mm-hmm. To have workshops, to have meetings. And that's, that's what the, the El Centro's use it for. 

[00:56:03] Jim Jansen: Yeah. It's a beautiful place. 36 in Q for those who are in Omaha. But you've got classrooms, you've got retreat spaces, overnight, a gymnasium, full kitchen. I mean, it's a great facility set up to serve.

Some of the Spanish speaking Catholics in the archdiocese. 

[00:56:20] Dcn. Gregorio: Yes. We have beds, 54 beds. So people can have a overnight retreat there. 

[00:56:26] Jim Jansen: Yeah. But not if you're not, if you're working the retreat, then you have to sleep on the gym floor. Right. Of course. Just offer that for souls without blankets. Yeah. Yeah. You get a blanket for you.

Uh, deacon, thank you. Thank you for everything you do. It's been such a joy to be able to, um, well, I mean, know you for so many years, but to be able to, to work with you. All right, everybody. You know somebody who needs to hear this. So when you, when you figure out when, just let the Lord show you who you need to send this out to and when you are safely at your destination.

Share this out with a friend. Deacon, thanks for being with us. 

[00:56:59] Dcn. Gregorio: Thanks to you, Jim. Thanks for the invitation and thank you everyone. Don't forget that God blessed you. In a personal way to you. 

[00:57:08] Jim Jansen: Amen. Thanks for listening to the EquipCast. We hope this episode has inspired you to live your faith and equip you to be fruitful in your mission.

Stay connected with us by going to equip dot arch omaha.org. God bless and see you next time.