November 22, 2020: El Reino De Dios with Ellie Hidalgo

Preaching for the Solemnity of Christ the King, Ellie Hidalgo offers a reflection on building el reino de Dios -the kingdom of God as engaged citizens and Catholics:

"As Catholics, what we believe to be the shape of the heart of Christ the King, determines how we respond and the kinds of communities we construct. And if in our communities we have laws that treat the lives of the hungry, the poor, the sick, the stranger, and the imprisoned unjustly, then it is up to us to take courageous stands and change those laws. The kinship community is constructed when we allow ourselves to be guided by eyes and the heart of the Good Shepherd who sees each one of us and loves each one of us."

Ellie Hidalgo served for 12 years as the pastoral associate for Dolores Mission Catholic Church and School, a Jesuit parish in Boyle Heights, just east of downtown Los Angeles, California. The parish is known for its restorative justice ministries, including special liturgies and support groups for families who have lost loved ones to homicide and for families with loved ones in prison. The first of five children born to Cuban immigrant parents, Ms. Hidalgo graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Theology from Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles). She was commissioned as a pastoral associate for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 2013.

Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/11222020 to learn more about Ellie, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.