V Encuentro

Novena in preparation for the V National Encuentro

The V Encuentro is a four-year process of ecclesial reflection and action that invites all Catholics in the United States to intense missionary activity, consultation, leadership development, and identification of best ministerial practices in the spirit of the New Evangelization. The V Encuentro is a priority activity of the USCCB’s Strategic Plan for 2017-2020. The V Encuentro starts at the grassroots level and calls for the development of resources and initiatives to better serve the fast-growing Hispanic population in dioceses, parishes, ecclesial movements, and other Catholic organizations and institutions.

V Encuentro: What is next?
Following the V Encuentro parish teams’ training, every parish team should be organizing a V Encuentro parish orientation and a facilitator training in preparation to conduct the V Encuentro sessions that are the heart of this four-year process. At the end of these sessions and toward the end of spring, every parish should hold a Parish Encuentro to share the findings and results of the sessions. See the Parish Team Flow Chart.

Important: Distribution of V Encuentro Guides
The Guides for Facilitators to the V Encuentro Sessions are at the Chancery. They will be distributed to parishes on Saturday, Feb. 4, as part of the Diocesan Hispanic Council (DHC) meeting to be held at the Chancery from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please have your Parish team chair call the Office of Hispanic Ministry to let them know how many groups you are expecting to have.

Note: If your parish is not represented at the DHC meeting please call the Office of Hispanic Ministry to coordinate delivery of the guides. 

If your parish did not participate in the parish teams training, you still have time to participate in the process.

We can help! If your parish teams need assistance in organizing the above-mentioned trainings let the Office of Hispanic Ministry know by calling the office at 865-637-4769 or contacting Blanca Primm at [email protected]. 

Documents to be used for the 5 sessions:

V Encuentro Guide (facilitators)

Missionary and Consultation Journal (participants)

Other Resources:

Parish Team Flow Chart

Parish Fact Sheet/Timeline

Datos Básicos del V Encuentro

V Encuentro Manual in English

Manual del V Encuentro en español

V Encuentro Website

Diocese of Knoxville Team Structure

U.S. Bishops to Launch Nationwide Consultation and Missionary Effort with Latino Catholics

Pope Francis’ Message for the V Encuentro

The V Encuentro process is moving along in our Diocese! The Training and Orientation of our V Encuentro Diocesan Team was a success. Click here to meet the members of our Diocesan Team and the Ministries they represent.

In early November 2016, our Diocese welcomed representatives of five dioceses who came to the V Encuentro Training for Diocesan Teams of our Province of Louisville. The training was led by Father Rafael Capó, director of SEPI*.

In December 2016 the diocese held V Encuentro Training and Orientation for parish teams at All Saints Church in Knoxville. Thirty-one parishes were represented including a representative from Divine Mercy Parish and parishes that currently don’t have Hispanic Ministry. In total there were over 175 parish members from all around the diocese. It was like a new Pentecost where we shared our called to be missionary disciples and witnesses of God’s love and got more familiarized with the process.

The V Encuentro is a process of Evangelization and Consultation for the Catholic Church in the United States. Everybody is welcome. See the Parish Manual for more information on the Parish Teams’ tasks.

An important task for parish teams is to train facilitators and witnesses of the small groups that will go through the five sessions at parish level in the first semester of 2017. After the five sessions are completed every parish is expected to have a Parish Encuentro (Encounter) before the Diocesan Encuentro scheduled for Oct. 21 at Knoxville Catholic High School.

If you have any questions please contact the Office of Hispanic Ministry at 865-637-4769 or email Blanca Primm at  [email protected]   To learn more about the V Encuentro national effort please visit www.vencuentro.org

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* U.S. Catholic Bishops Regions V and XIV Southeast Regional Office of Hispanic Ministry.