Dear Amigos, 

We are in the Easter season and Spring is blooming! Just like you, I am reinvigorated by the signs of new life around us and the promise of eternal life in Christ’s resurrection. After a long, hard year of restrictions and lockdowns, the feeling of renewal that always comes this time of year is especially welcome as the world slowly opens back up and a sense of freedom and hope returns. 

At Centro, my team and I have been working hard during the pandemic and are serving more individuals than before! Growing demand has us offering even more classes this year especially as students adapt to online learning. We continue to assess our processes and protocols in order to provide the services our community needs.

 

Thanks to the success of our distance learning programs and the support of many entities and generous individuals like you that believe in our mission, we have been able to make the best of a difficult situation.

St. Paul tells us that while faith, hope, and love remain, “the greatest of these is love.” While our Catholic faith is our driving force, your love and generosity continue to be an essential element to our success. During this pandemic, we all have been reminded of what it means to love each other and care for those around us, especially the most vulnerable. 

As St. Catherine of Siena tells us, “you are rewarded not according to your work or your time but according to the measure of your love.” Thank you for choosing to love! Please consider supporting our growing ministry by donating today or becoming a monthly donor on our website. By making a recurring donation of just $10 every month, you can make an impact! 

In Christ, 

Alfonso Lara

Prior to the pandemic, field trips to local museums exposed ESL students to art, science, and history while giving them the opportunity to practice their English. Students were often visiting for the first time, stepping outside their comfort zones to better understand the world around them.  

Although these visits are currently on hold, Centro is grateful for continued collaboration with our community partners to engage students beyond the classroom. “Centro always allows us the opportunity to explore different avenues that allow us to teach science to a diverse audience,” says Hugo Valdez, a Museum Program Specialist at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (DMNS) who connected to the GED Science class on March 27. 

Hugo presented on the heart’s basic function and anatomy, showing students how to check their own pulse and then engaging them with a virtual dance party to demonstrate the difference between resting and active heart rates. He even conducted a live dissection that was very well received by students!

“I always enjoy working with the students from Centro San Juan Diego as it is a reminder that learning can be fun no matter how old you are,” says Hugo. “The passion and curiosity for learning is always present with your students and I always look forward to the next time. Their questions are a reminder that science can be fun for everyone if we make it accessible.” 

Thanks to Hugo, DMNS, and our students for their curiosity and dedication to lifelong learning! 

In March of 2020, Centro’s plans to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the passing of former director, Juan Carlos Reyes, were cancelled due to the city’s stay-at-home order.  

Now, a year later, we were blessed to celebrate Juan Carlos with a Mass and dinner on the feast of St. Joseph. Joined by Juan Carlos’ wife, children, and his two brothers and their families, we remembered a loving husband, father, friend, and colleague.  

We will always remember Juan Carlos for his energetic and passionate service to the Hispanic community in the Archdiocese of Denver. Both his spirit and words continue to inspire everything we do at Centro San Juan Diego: