CHARLOTTE — El Ministerio Hispano de la Diocesis de Charlotte se está preparando para el "Dia de Encuentro Pastoral Familiar," que se celebrará el Sabado, 5 de Noviembre, en la Iglesia de San Gabriel en Charlotte.
Este dia de encuentro es una iniciativa local del Ministerio Hispano diocesano como parte y preparación del V Encuentro Nacional, "Discípulos Misioneros: Testigos del Amor de Dios"
El Encuentro Pastoral Familiar en la Iglesia de San Gabriel contará con la presencia de Equipos de Pre-cana, equipos de Pastoral Familiar, movimientos Apostólicos que tengan algún tipo de apostolado hacia la familia, o la vida de la pareja, servidores que estén interesados en servir en este apostolado, diáconos, religiosas y sacerdotes de los diferentes vicariatos del Ministerio Hispano de la Diocesis de Charlotte.
Monseñor Silvio Fonseca, Coordinador de la Pastoral Familiar de la Diócesis de Managua Nicaragua, actuará como facilitador del evento. Eduardo Bernal, coordinador del Ministerio Hispano del Vicariato de Charlotte dijo que Monsenor Fonseca, "Tiene gran experiencia en esta pastoral además de participar en diferentes esfuerzos para la familia en centro y sur América. Además de ser el director espiritual del equipo de Pastoral Familiar de la Vicaria de Smoky Mountain por los pasados 4 años." Bernal también agragó que Monsenor Fonseca impartirá una semana de formación e introducción en la Vicaria del Ministerio Hispano de Charlotte durante la semana del 31 de Octubre al 4 de Noviembre.
Bernal describió el V Encuentro como "Un proceso de reflexión y acción eclesial de 4 años que invita a todos los católicos en los Estados Unidos a una intensa actividad misionera, consulta, desarrollo de liderazgo e identificación de buenas prácticas ministeriales en el espíritu de la Nueva Evangelización." El proceso ha sido propuesto como una actividad prioritaria del plan estratégico de la Conferencia de Obispos de los Estados Unidos (USCCB), del año 2017 al 2020. "El V Encuentro inicia al nivel de la base y promueve el desarrollo de recursos e iniciativas que mejor sirvan a la creciente población Hispana en las diócesis, parroquias, movimientos eclesiales, y otras organizaciones e instituciones católicas a la luz de su tema," explicó Bernal.
Pastoral Familiar es la acción evangelizadora que realiza la iglesia orientada por sus pastores al servicio de la familia acompañándola en todas las etapas y situaciones de su existencia
Cesar y Lizeth Colex, facilitadores del equipo de la Pastoral Familiar Hispano del Vicariato de Smoky Mountain, han servido en esa función ahí desde el 2012. El equipo de la Pastoral Familiar de ese vicariato está compuesto de cinco matrimonios, los cuales estamos siendo formados por sacerdotes, monjas, diáconos, doctores y terapeutas familiares, y que tienen como guía espiritual a Monsenor Fonseca.
"A traves de la formación obtenida, nuestro matrimonio y familia ha crecido espiritualmente. Logrando al mismo tiempo también, el compartir con familias evangelizadas y evangelizadoras del plan de Dios," dijeron el matrimonio Colex.
La joven pareja agregó también que, "Los logros obtenidos hasta hoy se reflejan en la mejor evangelización de nuestras propias familias, y a las cuales se ha podido servir por medio de diversos talleres, retiros, seminarios y cursos de formación para las familias. Tambien hemos logrado hacer reuniones familiares a nivel parroquial en las cuales se ora, se aprende y se comparte creando un núcleo de amistad."
Bernal concluyó también diciendo que una de las prioridades del V Encuentro Hispano a nivel nacional es la familia, la cual también es "una de las prioridades del Papa francisco como nos lo deja saber en la exhortación Apostólica la 'Alegría del Amor.' Como Ministerio Hispano de la Diócesis de Charlotte vemos la necesidad y urgencia de responder a este llamado de hacer de la familia la iglesia casera, y así fortalecer la vida de la comunidad de fe que es bendición para la Iglesia y la sociedad."
— Rico De Silva, Hispanic Communications Reporter
OAK RIDGE — Eighteen years ago, artist Peter Strafaci took a trip to the Provence region of France to visit his daughter Christina, who was volunteering in a L'Arche community in Gordes. He had no idea at the time that this trip and a book he would read some years later would inspire a unique exhibition of handmade chalices.
Strafaci, who spent two days with his daughter at the L'Arche community, which ministers to physically and mentally challenged men and women of all ages, came away from the experience with a better understanding of the value of each person created in the image and likeness of God.
"Though my visit was brief, I learned that each resident, despite their physical and mental disabilities, had a purpose to live life to its fullest," Strafaci says. "That purpose was manifested in their nightly community gatherings, at dinnertime, birthday celebrations and when they went to work in the neighboring town making communion hosts for the local churches."
Shortly after his return, Strafaci picked up the novel "Can You Drink The Cup?" by Father Henri J.M. Nouwen. Before his untimely death in 1996, Father Nouwen spent a decade living and ministering at the L'Arche Daybreak community in Toronto, Canada. "Can You Drink the Cup?" was the last of 39 books published by him, and it reflects on his personal encounters with the Daybreak residents and the chalice as a symbol of Christian discipleship. The title comes from the Gospel of Matthew, when Jesus questions the sons of Zebedee: "Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?" (Mt. 20, 20-23).
Pictured: Artist Peter Strafaci spent 10 months creating clay chalices for his "One Hundred Chalices" exhibit. (Photo provided by Peter Strafaci)
"It was this personal encounter, along with my own at Gordes, that has remained with me and was only brought to a conscious level again in the fall of 2013," Strafaci explains.
He had a conversation with a couple that tried unsuccessfully to have a chalice made by a potter, so he told them he would take up the task to make a few and let them know when they were completed. The chalices were ready a few weeks later and when the couple came to Strafaci's studio, they loved them and purchased one.
He decided then to take on the challenge of completing 100 chalices.
"Each time I set out to make a chalice, instead of making one, I would make 12 to 13 at a time," Strafaci recalls. "During the first sitting at my wheel, I would make the cup portion of the chalice first. During the second sitting at my wheel, the stem of the chalice would be made. At a third sitting, but not at the wheel, the cup and stem would be joined together."
He estimates it took at least 40 minutes to create each chalice on the potter's wheel and additional time to glaze each one before firing it in the kiln. He completed all 100 chalices in 10 months.
"As I sat at my potter's wheel, each chalice became a challenge as if I was creating something new for the first time. As the chalices grew in number, each one different from the last and different from the last 25, 50 or 75, I began to see that my work went beyond the physical challenge of making each chalice.
"I saw that each one began to have their own personality, their own sacredness, their own voice – just as Christ sees us.
"Likewise, I began to once again connect with Nouwen's personal story and my personal encounter with nine residents in Gordes. What I saw in each new chalice, Nouwen also saw in the residents at Daybreak."
Strafaci says the more he saw the connections between Nouwen's book title and the creation of the chalices, the more he came to believe there was something beyond what he was experiencing.
"That 'something' was the realization that I needed to share both the meaning behind Nouwen's book title and the works being formed on my wheel," he says. "Five months into the creation of the chalices, the idea of a traveling exhibit and a written talk was born."
Strafaci is looking forward to sharing the chalices and his experiences with people around the diocese. To date, he has three confirmed locations for the free exhibit and talk. He will visit Holy Cross Church in Kernersville from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18; St. Paul the Apostle Church in Greensboro on Oct. 28; and All Saints Episcopal Church next February.
Strafaci looks to Nouwen's writings as he contemplates daily living and uses some of these writings in his talk that accompanies the exhibit.
"Can we embrace fully the sorrows and joys that come to us day after day?" he asks. "At one moment it might seem so easy to drink the cup, and we give a quick 'yes' to Jesus' question. Shortly afterwards everything might look and feel quite different, and our whole being might cry out, 'No, never!'
"We have to let the 'yes' and the 'no' both speak in us so that we can come to know ever more deeply the enormous challenge of Jesus' question."
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
Want to go?
'One Hundred Chalices' is a free exhibit and talk by local artist Peter Strafaci, followed by a question-and-answer period. It will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the education building of St. Paul the Apostle Church in Greensboro, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road.
For more information, contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 336-931-1239.