The team behind the scenes who made sure the virtual Hispanic Lay Leadership Conference ran smoothly.
Inspiring lay leaders to follow a formation track has been the aim for the Commission on Hispanic Ministry for the last few years. As the Diocese of Texas continues to grow, the need for more Spanish-speaking clergy is also in demand.
The Church Advances When You Prepare was the theme of the 2021 Hispanic Lay Leadership Conference held on June 18-19, 2021. Although the conference is a usual gathering at Camp Allen; this year, the conference was held virtually, allowing interested participants in all of Latin America to join.
Aside from having participants from different dioceses and countries in North, Central and South America, another highlight of the conference was the variety of workshops on formation which allowed participants to share their stories about their call in the ministry.
“Only through deeper discipleship, through study, and practice will the mission of the Church move forward,” said the Rt. Rev. Kathryn Ryan, suffragan bishop of the west region of the Diocese of Texas in her workshop where she gave an outlook of the formation process and the path to ordained ministry. 
The Rev. Joann Saylors, canon for mission amplification in the Diocese of Texas, led a workshop on establishing communities of faith and new church plants. Lay leaders from the Diocese of Texas and other dioceses also hosted workshops.
This was the first time the Hispanic Lay Leadership Conference was held live, via Zoom. A technical team of volunteers assisted with English-to-Spanish translation services and guided participants to the workshops of their choice.
“Empowering our lay leadership, planting new Hispanic Churches, involving more Latinos in decision-making groups in the Diocese, and attracting new people to ordained ministry, is part of the dream we share by hosting this conference,” said the Rt. Rev. Hector Monterroso, bishop assistant of the Diocese of Texas.
As he retires from the Diocese of Texas this year, the Commission on Hispanic Ministry extends heartfelt and special thanks to Bob Schorr for contributing to, guiding, and hosting this conference for so many years.
