By Alfonso Aguilar
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 3/24/05)

"The First International Catholic Summit was a success, with nearly 6,000 participants and many moving moments," said Edwin Portillo, coordinator of the First International Catholic Summit organized by parishioners of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Falls Church.

"And it was a great success because it was God’s plan," said Portillo, a member of the organizing group New Hope, whose fifteenth anniversary coincided with the summit. "I personally felt overwhelmed with the Palm Sunday Mass, which included the presence of two bishops and many priests from our diocese and other jurisdictions."

"We enjoyed everything — the Mass, the music, the speeches, the dancers," said Susana González, parishioner from Good Shepherd Parish in Alexandria.

"It was a wonderful event, and we are going home full of grace and faith," said her husband Cándido González. "The best of the best was the real presence of our Lord."

The two-day event, held last weekend at the Washington DC Armory, gathered thousands of parishioners from Arlington and surrounding dioceses, in addition to hundreds that belong to parishes from the Archdiocese of Washington, like Augusto Rodríguez and his wife Marta Alicia, parishioners of Queen of the Americas Parish in Washington, and Lourdes Flores, a parishioner of St. Martin Parish in Gaithersburg, Md.

The event included a holy hour, praises, testimonies, confessions, music, liturgical dances and booths with a great variety of religious materials.

On Sunday, Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde and retired Bishop Joseph Madera from the U.S. Archdiocese for Military Services in Washington concelebrated the Palm Sunday Mass.

"The vibrant Hispanic congregation has enriched our diocese," said in Spanish Bishop Loverde.

"I want to recognize the presence of Bishop Loverde because I know first hand that he fully supports diocesan’s program aimed at helping the Hispanic community," said Bishop Madera, who has helped in different capacities in the diocese

"I am also a witness of his sincere love for the well-being of our community," said Bishop Madera.

In his homily, bishop Madera congratulated parents for teaching their children to be Catholic and asked them to pray for vocations within their families. "We need many priests. I am sure that in this celebration many of you, boys and girls, have heard the call to a consecrated life."

And he was right. Fifty people stood up and came forward to announce their desire to become priests or nuns.

"In this site many great artists have performed, but the greatest of all is here with us –our Lord," said Cuban priest Father Pedro Núñez from the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

"What a marvelous event, and you know why it is so beautiful?, he asked the enthusiastic audience applauding those who stood up. "Because this celebration is changing your lives. The change is rotund and powerful."

Other participants in the religious service were Father Horace Grinnell, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua in Falls Church, Father José Hoyos, pastor of Holy Family Parish in Dale City, Father Ovidio Pecharromán, director of the diocesan Spanish Apostolate, Father Núñez and Fathers Moisés Villalta and Father Juan Puigbó from the Archdiocese of Washington.