NCPD PARTNERSHIP 2013 KEYNOTER NUMBER THREE IN GALVESTON HOUSTON.............

The third Keynote Speaker at Partnership 2013 of the NCPD, this month at the Marriott Hotel West Chase in Houston, Texas; was Maria Mar Munoz Visoso, who spoke to the Convention about 'Building InterCultural Competence For Ministers'.  Mrs. Munoz Visoso is the Executive Director of the Secretariat of Cultural Diversity In The Church, of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.  She is the former Assistant Director of the U.S.C/C.B.'s  Media Relations Department.  Prior to that she served in various capacities doing Hispanic Ministry in the Archdiocese of Denver, Colorado.  She spoke in her Keynote Address of the challenges and opportunities Pastors, Parish Teams, and all Ministers face as the Church grows more and more culturally diverse to effectively work together for all peoples, in the Spirit of the New Evangeliztion in interCultural experiences and settings.  This is particularly true in regards to Disability Ministry, as in my priestly and pastoral experience over the past quarter of a century plus, there is sometimes a lack of awareness, sensitivity, or inclusion, in providing for Disabled parishioners.  This is due in part to a Cultural deficiency in understanding or focusing on addessing the Special Needs of the Disabled who seek to worship, be catechized, receive sacramental preparation, or socialize, in the context of Faith, Fidelity, and Fellowship, in the Catholic Church.  Another insightful sharing in taking part in the NCPD '13 gathering this presentation was as the penultimate Address of the Convocation.............fr.tdp