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Hispanic Charismatic Congress
Sioux City to host gathering August 28 and 29

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
(Email Renee)

The Sacred Heart of Jesus is the theme of a Hispanic Charismatic Congress to be held in Sioux City in late August.

Fernando Sanchez, president of the diocesan Hispanic charismatic committee, pointed out that the conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Aug. 28 and 29. He is one of a four-person committee who is organizing the event.

Sanchez, a parishioner at St. Rose of Lima in Denison, pointed out that input has been provided by parishioners in Denison, Sioux City and Storm Lake.

“The focus of the congress will be on the church and family,” he said. “It is important to have families stay together.”

According to Sanchez, this is the sixth year that a Hispanic Charismatic Congress has been held in the Diocese of Sioux City. Last year’s conference was also held at the Sioux City Convention Center and it drew 400 people from various dioceses of the Midwest.

The conference, which will be presented in Spanish, is open to everyone.

“We want to see a lot of people there,” he said.

Father Paul Kelly, pastor at St. Rose of Lima who serves as the spiritual director for the Hispanic charismatic group, reiterated the fact that this congress is open to all people.

“Even if people do not understand Spanish, they certainly are welcome to come for the closing Mass to experience the enthusiasm,” he said. “The Hispanic community brings a whole different level of enthusiasm to the Mass that sometimes is not as present in the English Mass.” The closing Mass is set for 4:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The priest noted that the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus have attended the closing Mass at the congress for the last several years. He said they appreciate the Knights participation.

Sanchez pointed out that the congress will feature four speakers: Father Ajustino Torres of New Jersey, Father Lorenzo Uribe of Mexico, Oracio Trugillo of Arizona and Jose Luiz Andulo of Denison.

In addition to the talks, the congress will offer various opportunities for prayerful experiences such as Eucharistic adoration and reconciliation as well as opening and closing Mass. Praise music will be provided by the group Emanuel from Denison.

Father Kelly said there are several reasons to attend a congress of this nature. He compared it to something like the Christ Our Life conference that will be held in Des Moines this October.

“Every year my Hispanic parishioners look forward to this congress. The value in short is that it helps people focus on the importance of their faith and how it helps direct their lives,” he said. “They get to meet people from various dioceses and gives them a more universal sense of church.”

When the groups are large, he added, it creates a sense of excitement.

“It gives people a shot in the arm in terms of helping them cope with life and raise their families by focusing on the grace that God gives them,” Father Kelly said.

There is no need to pre-register for the event. Check your local church bulletins for more announcements about this special gathering.