January 7, 2020
My dear brothers and sisters,
I’m very happy to finally be able to tell you that we’re going to be able to do something that we have been dreaming about for years: the Spanish-speaking Charismatic Renewal is going to be able to grow much more quickly now in the whole Archdiocese of New York, and not just in one building in the Bronx!
Juan De La Rosa, whom you all know as Forty, has done great work here at the Centro and in the Renewal for 4 years, and he has now accepted my invitation, with the consent of the hierarchy, to begin to serve as Director of the Spanish-speaking Charismatic Renewal in the whole Archdiocese. Because he’ll be able to travel much more, you can expect lots of help from him in all of our prayer groups and deaneries: from Staten Island all the way up to our Upstate counties. That also means that we’ll be able to expand the Escuela de Líderes to be able to offer classes in many new places and bring formation closer to many more servers.
Suhel Aybar has accepted the position of Assistant Director of the Centro: many of you have known her for years, as a very faithful server and preacher, first with Ministerio Juvenil and most recently at Centro retreats and at the Renovación conferences. I’m thrilled that she too said “Yes” to our invitation, because I can’t think of a more capable person to take on the challenge of continuing to build up and expand the ministry that’s being done here at the Centro.
I know that, with this team that’s now bigger and even more capable, the Holy Spirit must want to do something wonderful and new here in the Renewal. Though we live in challenging times, I firmly believe that the Renewal here in New York is a sign of great hope and that the Lord reigns victorious here and everywhere, now and forever.
Left to Right: Suhel Aybar (Assistant Director of the Centro), Juan De La Rosa (Director of the Charismatic Renewal), Fr. Joseph Espaillat (Spiritual Director of the Charismatic Renewal and Director of the Centro), Cruz Matos (office assistant and bookstore manager)
Didn’t I tell you that you have to LET THE HOLY SPIRIT SURPRISE YOU?
This is one of those very joy-filled surprises, right? And soon we’re going to be able to send more messages with news about some of the other exciting new projects that are being set up right now. You’ll be even more surprised, I promise you! For now, if you want to congratulate Juan and Suhel, you can do it through this website.
Please say a prayer for our whole team, especially for these two in their new positions, and I ask that all of us work together with them, faithfully and humbly, so that, all united in one faith and one mission, the Lord may show the world through us the truth of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. May He bless all of you, your families, your parishes, and your prayer groups. “¡Nos vemos en el Centro!”, and now in the whole rest of the Archdiocese too!
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Joseph A. Espaillat II
Spiritual Director of the Spanish-speaking Charismatic Renewal
Director of the Hispanic Catholic Charismatic Center