Photo Courtesy of Hispanic and Latino Ministries

GAINESVILLE—The “Los 72” catechist program in its fifth meeting on Sept. 21 had attendees laughing, dancing and reflecting upon their purpose to serve in the church.  

Packed inside St. Michael Church in Gainesville, more than 50 attendees of the Saturday workshop were joined by speakers and fellow catechists.  

Served warm conchas and cafe con leche (Mexican sweet bread and coffee with milk), catechists were seated at tables, taking notes and joking with new friends representing various Hispanic cultures. Speakers touched on topics about spirituality, vocation and prayer.  

This workshop strives to train Hispanic and Latino catechists, and was formed out of that need, said Yolanda Munoz, director of Hispanic and Latino Ministries for the Archdiocese of Atlanta. The program is taught in Spanish, but open to anyone. 

Through a series of PowerPoint and speaker presentations, attendees learned about the principles of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and how to expand their spiritual journey and share the faith with others.  

Laughter would erupt even during serious conversations, and dance breaks filled participants with energy. Over shared snacks of traditional Latin foods and stories, catechists are made to “feel at home,” Munoz said.  

Graduates of the pastoral theology certificate program are the speakers and leaders of the Los 72 workshops. They obtained their certificates after completing a three-year formation program online through the University of Dallas, coordinated by the Office of Evangelization and Discipleship of the archdiocese. 

Musicians lead participants during the high-energy workshop “Los 72” for catechists, held recently at the Chancery of the Archdiocese. The programs are led in Spanish. Several parishes have also hosted the program. Photo Courtesy of Hispanic and Latino Ministries

Accompanying the leadership group is Sister Miriam Mendoza, a driving force behind the program. She helps choose subjects for the team to focus on. She sits one-on-one with the team members, provides comments on their presentations and prepares them. She often speaks at the workshops, guiding attendees through the lessons.  

At the Sept. 21 meeting, Sister Miriam asked catechists to reflect on what their calling was like.  

“Your calling was the flame that lit a fire in your heart, and you need to protect that fire and keep it burning,” she told them. “The work of a catechist is more than what you can learn, it’s about what you can do with your calling.”  

Los 72 is a strong reflection of Hispanic culture, said Munoz, because of its focus on connection and community support. Learning about the catechism in one’s own native language gives the attendees a sense of comfort, she said. 

Holy Spirit Church in Atlanta, Holy Trinity Church in Peachtree City and San Felipe de Jesus Mission in Forest Park also hosted Los 72 gatherings. Another session took place at the Chancery of the archdiocese. 

“People who came to San Felipe and Holy Spirit told me that they came to a training for a workshop, but it felt like that they went to a retreat,” Munoz said. “It wasn’t only about what they were learning, it was about the atmosphere of the place. People were happy to be together, and they felt a sense of community.”  

The team is trained to teach presentations and classes, how to research and organize facts, how to connect with audiences and how to communicate with parishes. They aim to share best practices and advice with the parish’s catechists, Munoz said.  

Seventy-two team members originally formed the program. After considering a name for the group, Munoz loved the idea of “Los 72,” because it reminded her of Luke 10:1-23, the Bible verses that describe the 72 disciples trained by Jesus.  

Parishes typically reach out to the group and request a workshop, Munoz said, and they will go wherever there is a need. Los 72 plans to hold its next meeting on Nov. 9 at St. Joseph Church in Dalton.