A Taste of Venezuela

The Sister Parish Partnership Committee and Father Ronald Weyrens, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, hosted a special event June 22 to celebrate the relationship with their sister parish Cristo Rey, in the Diocese of Maracay, Venezuela. More than 100 people attended the evening, which included musical entertainment by native Venezuelans Jonathan Walz and Amilkar Bello and a presentation by Sacred Heart members Henry and Mary Ann Padgett, who were delegates with the diocesan partnership mission that visited the Diocese of Maracay in February 2010.

“When our committee decided to host this event, we were hoping for a crowd of 40 to 50 people,” said Kristi Anderson who heads the Sister Parish Partnership Committee. “Imagine our delight when we hosted over 100 guests! It was a tremendous evening of sharing and fellowship with our parish community, and also brought to the light the ways in which we are all connected through the global church. It’s exciting to foster our relationship with the parish of Cristo Rey.”

Father Bill Vos, director of Catholic Relief Services in the St. Cloud Diocese, and diocesan priests who have served in Venezuela over the years — Fathers Tony Kroll, Todd Schneider, James Statz and Mark Willenbring — were honored guests along with Father Freddimir Villavicencio, a missioner from Maracay, Venezuela, serving in the St. Cloud Diocese, and Father Alexis Torrealba, a priest from Maracay visiting Father Kroll.

This celebration commemorating the interconnectedness of the global church also included a dinner featuring Venezuelan cuisine — chicken adobo with white rice, black bean soup, arepas, baked plantains, guacamole salsa with tortilla chips and, for dessert, corn cake. Over the next few days, “Food, Faith and Fellowship” will share the recipes for the foods served at this enticing feast. CJK

St. Cloud Diocesan Multicultural Ministries director Mayuli Bales, left, and Cathy Peterson, a member of the diocesan Maracay Partnership Committee, receive servings of chicken abobo from Sacred Heart Parish member George Gustin at the parish’s “Taste of Venezuela” event. (Photo courtesy of Karen Reker)