Photo courtesy of Vic Romero

ATLANTA—Rodolmar Serradas still remembers the desire that led her to study pastoral ministry. As a preschool teacher and parishioner of Transfiguration Church in Marietta, she often found herself fielding questions from her students about the sacraments and the church.

Unsure how to respond to the curiosities of children, Serradas sensed a need for a better understanding of faith.

“I have always wanted to deepen my faith, gain knowledge, be able to answer the children’s questions, clarify their doubts and live a faith the way God wants,” she said.

That desire, one she called “a longing of the heart,” stayed with her until she enrolled in the Archdiocese of Atlanta’s Certificate of Pastoral Ministry program.

Now, three years later as a newly certified graduate, Serradas is helping her students and young adults learn more about their spirituality.

At Transfiguration Church, Serradas launched a youth rosary group where teenagers and youngsters gather each month to pray, reflect and spend time in eucharistic adoration.

Through the program, Serradas finds herself more equipped to evangelize and help her parish community.

“It was a gift from God to be able to have the opportunity to learn about him and the beauty of the church,” she said. “I feel that my senses were opened to live my faith in a more conscious and loving way.”

Serradas is among the 56 parishioners in the archdiocese who completed a three-year formation program in May. A graduation ceremony was held at Holy Spirit Church in Atlanta, and friends and family celebrated the achievements of the new leaders.

The certificate in pastoral ministry is offered online through a partnership between the Archdiocese of Atlanta’s Office of Evangelization and Discipleship and the University of Dallas.

The Spanish-language program includes courses that cover areas such as Scripture, theology, pastoral care and other topics. Students additionally receive spiritual formation and guidance tailored to Hispanic ministry.

To join the program, a student must be nominated by a priest.

Monica Oppermann, leader of evangelization strategies in the Office of Evangelization and Discipleship, said the impact of the program continues to grow.

“Since we started, we have had five generations and over 300 people who have graduated,” she said.

Serving the needs of God’s people

Brenda Lopez, Hispanic ministry coordinator at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Woodstock, said that serving her parish is more a vocation than a role.

At the parish, Lopez is the go-to person for Spanish pastoral life, organizing everything that has to do with the Hispanic community, “promoting its full integration into the life of the parish.”

For years, she has organized liturgical celebrations, supported families in sacramental preparation, facilitated small faith communities and offered spiritual guidance to those in need.

Before the program, Lopez felt a desire to grow in faith and better serve her community. She always had a need for a “more solid formation to respond to the needs of God’s people,” Lopez said.

With her certificate, she is more prepared to effectively guide parishioners.

“The training allowed me to serve with greater confidence,” Lopez said. “I learned to keep my eyes open, because a broader look allows me to realize the needs of those who make up the community.”

Lopez said one meaningful moment in the program came during her courses in youth ministry. The discussion helped her understand the need for dedicated spaces for Latino youth to feel seen and loved within the church.

With her certificate completed, Lopez is looking ahead to living out her vocation as a fully equipped evangelist.

“I feel blessed, grateful and responsible,” she said. “I look forward to applying what I have learned in the work of the parish, strengthening existing ministries and creating new spaces for ongoing formation.”

From formation to discernment

The graduates serve across the archdiocese as catechists, mentors and educators. Many of them have long histories of volunteering, and the program enhanced that passion.

Orlando Cespedes of St. Catherine of Siena Church, Kennesaw, has spent some 14 years serving in the parish. He and his wife Millie Cespedes volunteer around the parish as needed.

The couple primarily focuses on marriage preparation, and last year Orlando Cespedes began family pastoral care for couples and families at the parish.

As a recent graduate of the program, Cespedes’ newfound knowledge of faith has only strengthened his passion for volunteering and helping couples.

Orlando Cespedes shared that marriages and families are where the domestic church begins. The program “encourages me to serve my parish in the future, wherever I am called to serve,” he said.

After completing the certification, he is discerning a call to the permanent diaconate.

Teaching with clarity

For Lorena Moreno, evangelization is a calling she lives with steady commitment. Since 2013, Moreno has coordinated the Spanish-language Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) program at St. Matthew Church, Tyrone.

Through years of service, Moreno has sought to accompany adults preparing to enter the faith with clarity. It was the certificate, she said, that gave her the theological tools and spiritual knowledge to do so more effectively.

“This certification has increased my faith and knowledge in the teachings of the Catholic Church,” she said. “The classes, encyclicals and testimonies have strengthened and facilitated me in the way I explain and transmit them in the OCIA classes.”

Unless her priest has other plans, she admitted, Moreno plans to stay in Tyrone to teach in the ministry.

“The Lord is wonderful,” she said. “And here is his servant to help him in his plan of evangelization and transmission of the Catholic faith.”

One flock, one mission

Graduates pointed to the power of community and collaboration during their time in formation. Though the program is online, the group forums and mentorship give students a space to share and be inspired by one another.

“What I enjoyed and nourished my soul was participating in the forums of each class,” said Serradas. “In them there was a reflection of God’s love in each person and situation of life. I saw God’s hand in every contribution to the forum.”

Serradas shared that more than anything, the certificate reinforced the urgent needs of Hispanic parishioners to bond with the parish community, and to live together with others as “one flock.”

For Lopez, evangelizing within the Hispanic community is like “sharing God’s love through testimonies that enrich and transform hearts.”

Oppermann encourages those who wish to join the program to dive into parish life and speak with their priest about participating.