By Alí and Patricia López
HAZELHURST – The Catholic community of St. Martin of Tours selected the lifelong formation of intentional disciples as the Pastoral Priority on which they want to focus. Bishop Joseph Kopacz launched the priorities in 2016 and invited parishes and missions to select one or two they felt would strengthen their community.
Members of the mission planned and executed a retreat for the Hispanic community who attends the Mission of Saint Martin of Tours in Hazlehurst. The retreat was performed February the 3 – 4, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eighty seven people attended the retreat during both days (35 couples and 17 singles).
The speakers, who were invited to conduct each one of the lectures, came from South Bend, Indiana. With a very profound spirituality and knowledge of the themes treated during the retreat, two married couples shared the Kerygma – the apostolic proclamation of salvation through Jesus Christ. Víctor Rodríguez and his wife Luguety de Rodríguez; Oscar Cortez and his wife Yomir de Cortez, shared themes such as, the love of God, sin, salvation, faith and conversion and the Holy Spirit.
Other topics from the Kerygma that were presented and discussed in this retreat included: the role of Hispanic women in the Catholic Church, Why be Catholic?, and formation of a Christian community.
The retreat ended with a Mass celebrated by Father Henry Shelton. At the end of the retreat, the participants had the opportunity to share their experiences during the retreat and were invited to be more proactively involved in different services offered at the mission.