School of evangelization called 'perfect for Year of Faith'

English version of St. Andrew School is one of nation's first

Published: January 12, 2013

By Dwain Hebda
Associate Editor

Dwain Hebda

Jaime Torres, associate director of the diocesan Hispanic Ministry Office, holds the original Spanish and new English translation of materials for the St. Andrew School of Formation.

Dwain Hebda

Jaime Torres, associate director of the diocesan Hispanic Ministry Office, holds the original Spanish and new English translation of materials for the St. Andrew School of Formation.

In less than two years, the St. Andrew School of Formation (Escuela de Evangelización San Andrés) has established nine schools at parishes across the state, educated hundreds of retreat-goers on evangelization of the faith and become a fixture in the spiritual lives of many of the state's Hispanic Catholics.

Now, program leaders are ready to reach an even wider audience with an English version of the educational program. Jaime Torres, associate director of the diocesan Hispanic Ministry Office, unveiled the new translated course at the state's first English language retreat Jan. 11-13 at St. Louis Church in Camden. Additional English courses are slated for Feb. 15-16 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Magnolia and again in Camden March 1-3.

"My dream is to have a school of evangelization in every parish in the state of Arkansas," Torres said. "If we form a team of evangelists in English and we count on the support of the priests, I think we can start a positive year of evangelization."

Arkansas is only the second state in the country to teach the courses in English, New Jersey being the other. Program materials were translated by Torres' wife Griselda, director of religious education at St. Theresa Church in Little Rock.

In 2011, Bishop Anthony B. Taylor approved diocesan use of the international evangelization program, which has national ministry offices in Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Hungary, Portugal, Italy, Colombia, Poland, Canada and the United States.

The idea to translate the course was inspired by a request from Father Tony Robbins, pastor at St. Louis Church in Camden, Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Magnolia and St. Luke Church in Warren, who has been an active supporter of the school in those parishes.

"This is something that is perfect for the Year of Faith," Father Robbins said. "When I talk to people, they want to share their faith, but there seems to be a lack of confidence and lack of knowledge there that prevents them from doing that. I'm very optimistic that this program will speak to that."

The program, which takes six years to complete, is structured into classes, delivered through weekend retreats, which take learners on an ambitious journey through three levels of study, each level encompassing seven courses. Each course approaches its subject matter from a variety of angles beyond basic theology or Bible study. Participants also learn how to take what they've learned and bring it to others, both the willing and the skeptical.

Father Robbins said one important point that the courses drive home is an expanded definition of evangelization.

"As Catholics we don't go door to door, but that doesn't mean there aren't opportunities to evangelize" he said. "There are ups and downs in life and any time we help others carry their cross, we are allowing something to take hold that is beyond this life."

Torres said the program fits within existing faith formation and evangelical programs already in place. Moreover, he said, the program can sometimes reach people for whom existing ministries like Search, Cursillo or Little Rock Scripture Study either do not apply or otherwise do not speak to them. In many cases, the impact is profound.

"Some of the people who attend aren't very active in their church," he said of the Spanish-speaking participants. "We hear from their priests after they go back home. Many of them are now doing more than anybody else in the parish."

Torres experienced a similar conversion after he attended his first St. Andrew event in 2003 in California. At the time, his life was consumed by gangs and drugs but after the retreat he was fundamentally transformed.

"Before, I didn't have any place to get information about my faith, even though I needed to learn more," he said. "After that first one, I knew I wanted to serve Jesus all my life."

Torres said he hears much the same from the people who attend the St. Andrew retreats. They tell of doubts that Christ has a use for them after some of the things they have in their past. They don't see themselves as evangelists, fear rejection by fellow parishioners or can't see God at work in their lives. Father Robbins said hesitancy in the face of imperfection is a common roadblock to doing good.

"There are a lot of people who have the misconception that the apostles were always perfect or that the saints were always saints," Father Robbins said. "Often we let that 'woundedness' that we all carry prevent us from fulfilling what God has in mind for us. The whole point of the first course, which is called New Life, is to allow people to experience the healing love of God."

In addition to individual involvement in their home parishes, many who attend the retreat have also felt called to join Torres' leadership team, which helps facilitate future St. Andrew events. Bilingual members of this team will teach the initial courses in English until enough native English speakers can be recruited and trained to lead the courses going forward.

He said watching such enthusiasm kindle in people, multiplying in additional team leaders and parish evangelists alike, is perhaps the most satisfying aspect of the program.

"I feel like I'm doing what the apostles did," he said.