OPENING PRAYER

Kerry Alys Robinson, Executive Director, Leadership Roundtable Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, Archbishop, Archdiocese of San Antonio, Texas

ARCHBISHOP GUSTAVO GARCÍASILLER: In Evangelii Gaudium there is a phrase that says, “The immense importance of a culture marked by faith cannot be overlooked.” These are the words of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, in the apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium. I offer them to you as we begin this morning as a way to provide a focus on what it is you are here to discuss. You have come to explore how we are to both honor the faith present in the Hispanic cultures that we find in our communities, and more deeply communicate the faith to those cultures.

new direction—more gospel-oriented, evangelical at its core, and with the Holy Spirit leading.

So it is truly a joy to have you all with us here. May we take this opportunity, at the start of this gathering, to call upon the name of the Lord, who we trust will guide us all in our discussions. Let us pray.

KERRY ALYS ROBINSON: Everything we do on behalf of the Church and on behalf of the world we begin in prayer. As we begin this full and exciting day, I would like to introduce Archbishop Gustavo GarcíaSiller, of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, who will welcome us and lead us in prayer.

Archbishop Gustavo was born in Mexico, and as a missionary of the Holy Spirit has traveled as far north as Chicago in his priestly service. We are so grateful for Archbishop Gustavo’s support and enthusiasm for our work and for this symposium, and thrilled that he could be here with us today to welcome us to the historic Archdiocese of San Antonio, and offer a word of prayer to commence this exciting day.

This is a vital task, one that is, as the Holy Father puts it, of immense importance. I applaud you for your efforts here at this symposium and welcome you warmly to our beloved city, named for the great Saint Anthony, a great evangelizer and a great preacher.

As you explore the support and enrichment of ministry to the Hispanic peoples in our Church, remember to draw upon the wisdom of the Church’s teaching, her history, and the leadership of her popes, especially of Pope Francis, who brings his own experience from a Hispanic culture, as he shepherds us all in the power of the Holy Spirit. His experience speaks loudly. His witness reminds us of the presence of the Lord in our midst, and his vision and his outreach are placing our world in the possibility of

All powerful and ever-living God, we, your people, call upon you in thanksgiving this morning. We have built your Church upon living stones, and by your Holy Spirit have extended that Church across the face of our diverse world. We ask you to guide the participants of this symposium today, each and every one of us. Use us, Lord. Help us to be truly open to the prompting of your Holy Spirit as we discuss how best to support and enrich the faith that sustains the lives of the faithful in the Hispanic cultures of our country. May our work today bear fruit in the lives of your people, and thus help to fulfill the work of your Church. This morning we ask intercession of San Juan Diego, who you called to special task of bringing Our Lady’s message of faith to an entire continent. May he intercede for us along with Our Lady of Guadalupe, the star of the new evangelization. We make this prayer to Jesus Christ, who with you, and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, forever and ever. Amen.