Congar Institute to Co-Sponsor V Encuentro Ministry Series

One of the many fruits to come from the National Fifth Encuentro (V Encuentro Nacional) is a new dual-language series of professional ministry development sessions now being prepared to launch in January. The Congar Institute is a co-sponsor of the series. The series is based on one of the outcomes of the listening that the church did during the Fifth Encuentro, which identified 28 different ministerial areas for which lay Hispanic leaders indicated they needed more professional development (or formation).

The series will provide brief input sessions by an expert in the ministerial area through four on-demand videos supported by downloadable workbooks to be used in the context of a community of learners or individually. Each workbook will include questions and activities for participants to work on individually or in a group setting, along with actions to take. Certificates of completion will be provided for each course and the courses can be integrated into parish or diocesan programs of ministry formation. They can also be used for continuing education credit.

The Ministry Series is intended for leaders in parishes, dioceses, and other Catholic organizations and institutions who would like to improve their service to the Hispanic/Latino community. It can also be used by leaders from other ministries and ethnic groups interested in a particular ministerial area. The series will be provided both in English and in Spanish, including the video and published resources. The cost to access this resource is very affordable: Each connection is $28 and includes 28 sets of videos and workbooks, in English and Spanish. Connections are sold as diocesan membership packages, and organizational and individual memberships. Each connection can be used as much as one likes to provide formation to others.

Two to three Ministerial Areas will be published each month beginning in January 2022. The full pre-recorded 60 minute videos will be launched live on the membership site with a live chat for participants to comment and ask questions. After live events they can view recordings on demand. More information will be available via the Encuentro website as well as the Congar Institute website.

(Information provided by V Encuentro.)