Maria Moncaleano, director of the Office of Hispanic Ministry of the Paterson Diocese, spoke about “Women in the Life and Mission of the Church” at the 2024 Conference of the National Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors for Hispanic Ministry (NCADDHM), held in Miami, Fla. from Oct. 8 to 11.
The Hispanic Ministry Office of the Paterson Diocese represents Region 3 (New Jersey and Pennsylvania) of the 14 NCADDHM episcopal regions. In April, Moncaleano was elected the region’s vice president.
Moncaleano spoke about women’s roles in the Church, especially among the Latino community. She said that in Christ, women and men are clothed with the same baptismal dignity and receive equally the variety of gifts of the Spirit.
“Our vocation as Christians is to honor this God-given difference by living within the Church a dynamic relational reciprocity. We are called together into a communion of loving, non-competitive relationships in Christ and to a co-responsibility to be expressed at every level of the Church’s life,” said Moncaleano, Hispanic Office director since 2021.
The conference, whose theme this year was “Path-ways to Unity from a Synodal Experience,” was still held despite Hurricane Milton’s landfall in the Sunshine State on Oct. 9.
The NCADDHM holds a conference every year. It has been active for 30 years and provides networking opportunities, mentoring, and best practices to the leaders who serve the Latino community, Moncaleano said.
Moncaleano also said that, in reflecting on the “vision from a synodal perspective [expressed by the conference’s theme], it is imperative to give fuller recognition to the charisms, vocation, and the role of women, to honor better this reciprocity of relations in all spheres of the Church’s life.”
She added, “Our synodal path shows the need for relational renewal and structural changes. In this way, we can better welcome the participation and contribution of all as co-responsible disciples in the work of mission.”
Moncaleano said a profound spiritual conversion is needed as the foundation for any effective structural change. She also said women’s active contributions should be recognized and valued, and their pastoral leadership should increase in all areas of the Church’s life and mission.
Moncaleano said women should be able to participate in decision-making processes and assume roles of responsibility in pastoral care and ministry, and their access to formation programs and theological study should be expanded.
“We want the regions, the dioceses, and the parishes to welcome the participation of women. There are some new ideas about how, even in Rome, we can incorporate women’s wisdom and talents among the pastoral needs,” Moncaleano said.