EMAUS II working hard to serve Spanish-speaking community

Friday, Apr. 15, 2016

SALT LAKE CITY — One weekend every month more than 60 Catholics in the Diocese of Salt Lake City attend the Spanish-language lay ecclesial ministry formation program known as EMAUS II, a four-year intensive curriculum in four main areas: human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral. 

The aspirants to EMAUS II are people who are active in parish ministry in a variety of ways: as lectors, musicians, catechists, as members of the prison ministry or the Charismatic group.

“It’s for people who are committed to evangelize,” said Maria Cruz Gray, director of the diocesan Hispanic Ministry.

This is the second class for the Spanish language lay ecclesial ministry formation program in the diocese, opening the opportunity to parishioners to attend comprehensive formation that includes courses, workshops, seminars, retreats, review sessions and spiritual direction for all the participants.

The first group of Spanish-speaking lay ecclesial ministers in Utah was certified last year along with the second cadre of English-speaking LEMs; the diocese certified its first LEMs in 2010.

Since being certified, LEMs have participated in various parish ministries such as religious education and leading retreats, Gray said. Because they came from all over the state, not only from parishes but from missions such as Fillmore, Huntington and Heber, they have been very helpful to the diocese, said Gray.

Parishioners from Saint Mary in West Heaven, Saint Jude Mission in Ephraim, Saint Francis of Assisi in Orem, Saint Thomas Aquinas in Logan, Saint Joseph in Ogden, Saint Therese of the Child Jesus in Midvale, Saint Mary of the Assumption in Park City, Saint Lawrence Mission in Heber, Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Saints Peter and Paul, Saint Rose of Lima in Layton, among others, are participating in the new session for the EMAUS II program, which is projected to be completed by the summer of 2019.

“I think that is very important that we can have access to this formation,” said Mary Jose De Alba, a member of the Hispanic Commission as well as a  Cathedral of the Madeleine parishioner.

De Alba has been serving at the diocese for many years, but this is the first time that she has approached a program that offers a well-rounded ministry formation.

“This is very important not just for me, it is for all of us as a community. Our Lord has put me on this road, and I pray to the Holy Spirit so he can guide me to have the words and mediums to reach those in need,” said De Alba.

For her, the Church starts at home, “and if we project that to our communities, it is there where the real change takes place,” said De Alba, the mother of three young kids, adding that “the sacrifice is worth it.”

Professionals of the Congar Institute such as Cecilia von Bertrab, Dr. Jose Antonio Medina, Dulce Jiménez-Sidles and Sister Ruth Bolarte are in charge of some of the training and learning sessions of the EMAUS II. 

The Texas-based Congar Institute partners with dioceses in the formation of lay pastoral leaders, providing speakers and other resources.