This Sunday, September 25, 2022, marks the 108th World Day of Migrants and Refugees. The Catholic Church has recognized this day since 1914, when Pope Pius X called on Catholics throughout the world to join in prayer for the millions of Italian migrants who were displaced just before the outbreak of World War I.
Over 100 years later, the Church still honors this day, recognizing the continued need to pray for and support migrants throughout the world by providing for their pastoral and corporal care.
In his annual message to the faithful this year, Pope Francis calls on each of us to participate actively in the transformation of our earthly reality so that it can correspond more fully to the heavenly Kingdom that awaits us and the most vulnerable in our communities:
“In the light of what we have learned in the tribulations of recent times, we are called to renew our commitment to building a future that conforms ever more fully to God’s plan of a world in which everyone can live in peace and dignity.”
As a ministry of the Catholic Church and the Archdiocese of Denver, Centro San Juan Diego is committed to its role in participating in the reconstruction and renewal of our community and society, so that in Jesus’ name, everyone can live in peace and dignity until we are called to our perfect heavenly home.
Prayer
Lord, make us bearers of hope,
so that where there is darkness,
your light may shine,
and where there is discouragement,
confidence in the future may be reborn.
so that where there is darkness,
your light may shine,
and where there is discouragement,
confidence in the future may be reborn.
Lord, make us instruments of your justice,
so that where there is exclusion, fraternity may flourish,
and where there is greed, a spirit of sharing may grow.
so that where there is exclusion, fraternity may flourish,
and where there is greed, a spirit of sharing may grow.
Lord, make us builders of your Kingdom,
together with migrants and refugees
and with all who dwell on the peripheries.
together with migrants and refugees
and with all who dwell on the peripheries.
Lord, let us learn how beautiful it is
to live together as brothers and sisters. Amen.
to live together as brothers and sisters. Amen.
Colorado Lawyers Committee Honors Key Legal Night Volunteers
Centro San Juan Diego staff were honored to attend the Colorado Lawyer's Committee (CLC) annual awards luncheon, held on September 14 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
Both organizations have worked closely over the past several years to put on the twice-monthly “Legal Nights” at Centro San Juan Diego. On the first and third Wednesday of every month, clients can receive a free legal consultation from lawyers who volunteer their time to answer questions, advise, and provide further legal resources.
Angela Reyes and Hernandez and Associates, P.C. were special honorees this year, earning well-deserved recognition for their contribution to these legal nights.
Reyes, pictured left, won a Special Recognition Award from the CLC. She has been involved with the Denver Legal Nights since 2006, providing translation support and a warm welcome to clients who come in need of legal assistance. She went above and beyond in 2020 when the Legal Nights were forced to transition to a virtual format, taking on additional responsibilities by communicating directly with clients and ensuring that they were matched up with the appropriate lawyer for their specific questions. The success of Legal Nights “would not have been possible without Angela’s tireless efforts, genuine caring and big heart,” says the Colorado Lawyers Committee. Blessed to witness Angela in action both virtually and at Centro for the past several years, we could not agree more!
Arnulfo Hernandez, Managing Partner of Hernandez & Associates, P.C., (pictured right) represented the legal firm at the luncheon, accepting the CLC award for “Law Firm of the Year.” Hernandez and his firm have also provided excellent support to the Denver Legal Nights over the years, making themselves available to help clients determine significant legal issues, refer individuals to legal services, answer questions about the legal process, and interpret for monolingual individuals. Edain Butterfield, Director of the firm’s Removal Defense Department, volunteered at Legal Night thirteen times in 2021, offering almost 40 hours of pro-bono legal help!
Centro San Juan Diego congratulates Angela Reyes and Hernandez & Associates for their significant work among our community and with the Colorado Lawyers Committee. Thank you for all you do!
ESL Classes Return to Montbello Community
Centro San Juan Diego partnered with the Denver Center for International Studies (DCIS) at Montbello in early 2020 to bring English as a Second Language classes to the Montbello community. Offering these classes at the school gave our adult students an opportunity to learn in an environment closer to home. Once the pandemic began and stay-at-home orders were issued across the country, these classes went online.
Now, about two and a half years later, Centro is proud to collaborate with the Montbello community once again, this time offering ESL classes at Montbello Middle School. The current session of classes started on September 6 and will finish just before Thanksgiving.
Montbello Middle School parents were given special priority in registering for classes, giving them the opportunity to improve their English skills and better integrate into their children’s school and local community!
Sr. Alicia Cuarón Anniversary Celebration
After two years of pandemic-related postponements, Sr. Alicia V. Cuarón finally got the 25th Anniversary celebration she had hoped for in late July. Friends and family, fellow sisters, and other community leaders all gathered to celebrate Sr. Alicia's 25 (now 27) years as a religious sister! Sr. Alicia entered the Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity on July 25, 1995, following a successful career in business and education.
While much of Sr. Alicia’s life has been dedicated to advancing and advocating for the common good of the Hispanic community, becoming a religious sister gave her a special opportunity to focus on this mission in a new way. Her unwavering dedication resulted in the founding of Centro Bienestar of San José, which later became the Bienestar Family Services program at Centro San Juan Diego in 2004. Sr. Alicia directed this program from 2004 to 2014 and played an integral role in helping Centro San Juan Diego become an established resource for the Hispanic immigrant community. In 2008, she was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame. Most recently, she was featured in Rocky Mountain PBS’s series, Great Colorado Women and the Denver Catholic.
Many of the classes and services still offered at Centro San Juan Diego today would not have been possible without Sr. Alicia’s early support and involvement in this ministry. To commemorate both her dedicated service to Centro and further advance her life-long mission to educate and empower the Spanish-speaking community, Centro San Juan Diego established the Sr. Alicia V. Cuarón Education Fund in 2018.
This fund directly supports Centro’s students in their pursuit of education and personal development for the betterment of their families and communities. Today, we invite you to join us in celebrating both Sr. Alicia’s 25th anniversary of religious life and her ongoing commitment to student success by donating to this fund here or by joining us at Raices Brewery this Saturday, September 24th! Please see additional information below, and thank you for your support!
Happy Hour Fundraiser!
Please join Reyna Ponce, mortgage loan officer at Luna Lending, Luke Faulkner, real estate agent at Keller Williams, and Jessica Barer, insurance agent at Goosehead Insurance, on Saturday, September 24 from 4-6 p.m. at Raices Brewing Company (2060 W Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80204) to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and give back to the community!
$1.00 of each beer sold between 5-6 p.m. will be donated to Centro San Juan Diego’s Sister Alicia V. Cuarón Education Scholarship Fund. The event will also feature a silent auction of items from local Hispanic-owned businesses. All proceeds will go to the Scholarship Fund!
