Catechetical CDs aim to share Church teachings with Spanish speakers

‘Growing in Your Catholic Faith’ an initiative of Hispanic Ministry

By Rossana Goñi

The Office of Hispanic Ministry has a new evangelization tool to reach the large Spanish-speaking community in the Archdiocese of Denver; it’s a series of CDs that compiles the entire “Catechism of the Catholic Church.”

Vicar for Hispanic Ministry, Father Jorge De Los Santos, O.crs., partnered with the Pastoral Institute of Centro San Juan Diego to tape 18 CDs titled “Growing on Your Catholic Faith” (“Creciendo en tu Fe Católica”). Centro San Juan Diego is an archdiocesan center offering education and outreach to Spanish-speaking Catholics.

The CDs were created to overcome the many obstacles those in Hispanic Ministry encounter in trying to catechize Spanish-speaking Catholics, Father De Los Santos explained, such as students who lack transportation or child care, which prevents them from attending catechetical classes. Recording lectures on the catechism’s content onto CDs and distributing them for a nominal cost through parishes was a feasible option to reach such Hispanics in northern Colorado to educate them in their faith.

“They will be able to listen to the CDs at any time, as many times as they want to and with other people,” Father De Los Santos said.

The CDs are recorded at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary studio with the help of a seminarian.  Ursula Jimenez, an assistant in the Hispanic Ministry Office, is in charge of editing and distributing the CDs to the 43 parishes affiliated with Hispanic Ministry. 

Opening and closing music on the CDs is from melodies composed and performed by Father Terry Kissel, pastor of Our Lady Mother of the Church in Commerce City.

“We are so grateful to Father Kissel for sharing his talents with us,” Father Jorge De Los Santos said.

The CD content is being recorded in Spanish by 18 different Hispanic and Anglo priests from the Denver Archdiocese, all of whom work with Hispanics in their parishes. 

“We know that many of us don’t have the best voice,” admitted Father De Los Santos. “But that doesn’t matter. Part of the goal is for the faithful to experience that it is their priest who is teaching them. Each CD will explain a different part of the catechism in a very simple way and each CD will last from 45 minutes to an hour.”

Thus far, two CDs have been recorded with an initial production of 5,000 copies each. The goal, organizers said, is to make 10,000 copies of each CD.  The plan is to record a new CD each month.  The CDs sell for $2 a piece. 

“So far the response from the faithful has been very positive,” Father De Los Santos said. “We ran out of 500 CDs in my parish the first weekend it was announced.”

Taping additional catechetical CDs is an opportunity Hispanic Ministry plans to explore once the catechism series is done.

“We don’t want to overwhelm people but we do want to offer continuity,” Father De Los Santos said. “I am sure that as soon as we finish with the ‘Catechism of the Catholic Church,’ people will say ‘And now, what’s next?’ So, we might continue with other topics related to other classes offered by the Pastoral Institute of Centro San Juan Diego.”

To purchase “Growing in Your Catholic faith” CDs, call your parish or Ursula Jimenez at 303-715-3247.