U.S. Hispanic ministry’s Miami model: an insider’s view with Father Rafael Capó

Miami, Fla., Nov 16, 2024 / 07:00 am

Father Rafael Capó has traveled far and wide, from his native Ponce, Puerto Rico, to the center of Catholicism in Rome — and yet in the case of Catholic Hispanic education and ministry, all his roads lead to Miami.

As vice president for mission and ministry and dean of the school of theology at St. Thomas University in Miami, Capó has been immersed in Hispanic ministry for years. 

Since his ordination in 1996, he has worn many hats: pontifical missionary of mercy under Pope Francis; participant in the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Fifth Encuentro Nacional Hispano de Pastoral; adviser to the National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana — and the list goes on. From his vast experience, Capó believes that our contemporary times present unique opportunities for Hispanics in the U.S.

“I’m really excited about the moment we’re living in and the reality of calling Hispanic Latinos to positions of leadership in the Church and society at this moment,” Capó said in an interview with CNA. “We’re at the moment where it’s not that the Church needs to serve and minister to young Hispanics, but we need to realize that we need to empower them. They are now being called to serve the wider Church.”

Through his ministry to young adults in Miami and beyond, Capó seeks to enable young Hispanics to live out their call. Before that, however, he was a teenager struggling with his vocation and in need of guidance — and perhaps a few miracles. 

Losing bags and gaining graces 

Capó’s journey toward becoming a Catholic educator began in the classroom in Puerto Rico. Capó received a Catholic education from elementary through high school. Seeing the example of the priests who were his teachers made him feel drawn to priesthood, despite himself. 

“I was always kind of scared of the possibility that I was being called and was trying to run away from any possibility of being invited to a retreat or anything, because I didn’t even want to consider it,” he said.  

In high school, he had big aspirations to obtain a medical degree from an Ivy League school. He even had a girlfriend at the time. But then came an opportunity that changed his life forever: the first World Youth Day in 1985.

“I was at first really excited because my girlfriend was going,” he said. “But there in Rome, John Paul II was calling young people to open wide the doors to Christ. I was rattled by all those words of John Paul II. Things started to move a bit, deep inside of me.”

During the pilgrimage, his school group decided to tour various shrines around Rome. Disaster struck when one of the teacher’s bags was stolen. While the leaders tried to resolve the problem, Capó decided to strike a deal with God.

“I was by myself there in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament and looking at the image of the Blessed Mother there,” Capó recalled. “The words of John Paul II started to come back. And I kind of started asking God, give me a sign if you’re really calling me to be a priest. If they find the bag, I’ll know that you’re calling me to be a priest. But then as we left the church, I was really scared that they might find the bag!” 

The bag was lost for good, though, and the pilgrims returned home. Even so, Capó couldn’t escape the invitation he kept hearing in his heart. After speaking with a priest, he understood that he didn’t have to go the way of the lost bag. 

“The sign was not looking for a bag. It was like the Lord had found me a long time ago,” he said. 

Capó let go of the “baggage” paralyzing him, turned down his acceptance to Yale University, and entered the Piarist Fathers Seminary. The decision caused a 10-year rift between him and his father.

As a seminarian in Rome, Capó approached Pope John Paul II for his intercession on behalf of his broken relationship with his father. 

“Lo and behold, two weeks after that, I got a phone call from my dad accepting my vocation,” Capó said. “He came to Rome for my ordination to the diaconate. I think it was a miracle.” 

Bringing young Hispanics to God 

Ordained in 1996, Capó was immersed in Hispanic ministry early on. Beginning in 2000, he participated in Pastoral Juvenil’s ministry in the Archdiocese of New York. In 2011, he was installed as executive director of the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Southeast Regional Office for Hispanic Ministry (SEPI) in Miami.

SEPI was established in the late 1970s, created by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and spearheaded by Father Mario Vizcaino. The organization serves Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. SEPI’s outreach and educational opportunities to Hispanics has been instrumental in U.S. Catholic ministry. 

As Capó picked up the reins at SEPI, he also initiated what he calls his “unofficial social media ministry.”  

“I began very informally on social media platforms, just sharing my ministry and my priestly life and what I do, and my interests in fitness and spirituality,” he explained.  

The goal is to teach young adults the importance of exercising body, mind, and spirit. Using hashtags like #FitfortheKingdom, Capó promotes a “calling to strong spirituality for our young people.” The unofficial ministry has taken off, and Capó is an in-demand speaker at young adult groups.

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“His mission to inspire others to be strong in body, mind, and spirit has changed my personal and professional life forever,” said Thomas Lahart, a young adult entrepreneur. “I would not be where I am today without his support and inspiration to be fit for the kingdom. I’m so grateful for his dear friendship and guidance as a young man pursuing the faith. It is amazing to see so many people around the world be set on fire by his message and example.”  

As vice president for mission and ministry and dean of the school of theology at St. Thomas University, Capó strives to help Hispanic students realize their potential.  

“I’m trying to help them explore the possibility of leadership and theological studies, and to go through leadership training,” Capó explained. “To help those that have the abilities, talents, and a special calling to realize that they might be called to serve their diocese, Catholic organizations, and society as well — and be faithful Catholic leaders for the whole Church, not just for the Latino community.” 

One of Capó’s proudest moments was witnessing one of the young adults he has mentored, Isabelle Seiglie, represent the United States at the Vatican’s International Congress of Youth Ministry earlier this year. A doctorate student, Sieglie is a Cuban American and director of ministry programs at St. Thomas University. 

“I was so proud and so honored to see her having the opportunity of meeting the pope and taking part in those conversations,” Capó said. “It was very moving for me.” 

Expanding beyond the Hispanic community 

At the National Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors for Hispanic Ministry (NCADDHM) conference in Miami Oct. 8–11, Capó shared the importance of incorporating young Hispanics into the life of the Church.  

“It’s about including them in conversations, having them sit at the decision table, making them part of all the processes — not just events, but the planning as well,” he said. “Don’t plan for the young people, plan with the young people and include and mentor them so that they’re part of the process.”  

Armando García, Hispanic ministry coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach, Florida, shared the impact of this mentality on his own life: “Father Capó’s trust in me and in young people in the Church was evident when he entrusted me with La Voz del SEPI, a radio program at the Southeast Pastoral Institute in Miami, reflecting his belief in our potential to lead and serve.” 

Reacting to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ updated 2023 National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry, Capó highlighted Miami’s unique vantage point on Hispanic ministry and how it impacts the entire Church. 

“We see progress being made with the apostolic movements in implementing the conclusions of the pastoral plan in all they’re doing with young adult groups,” Capó said. “The young adult groups have built bridges between the Hispanic young adult groups and the mainstream groups, including them in formation. There are many fruits that we can see at the local level here in Miami and that we’re very proud of.” 

Capó gave the example of the Encuentros Juveniles youth movement in Miami.  

“It was born really as a Cuban community youth movement in the Archdiocese of Miami,” he explained. “Through their involvement in the Fifth Encuentro process and being empowered and knowing this reality of the Church in this moment, they are now serving not just the Cuban American community but also the wider youth community.” 

“We don’t have an office for Hispanic ministry in the Archdiocese of Miami because we’re way past that,” he said. “All offices work for the Hispanic community, and Hispanic Latinos in every office work for the wider community. So bridges have been built. That takes time, and that takes generations, and it takes empowering Latino leaders to be able to serve the wider Church.”