RALEIGH, N.C. — The Diocese of Raleigh has completed a three-year pilot program, in collaboration with the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame, to strengthen faith formation among Hispanic families.
The initiative, “Holy Family of Nazareth,” ran from 2023 to 2026 and focused on addressing generational divides within Hispanic Catholic communities. Organizers say the program responded to a growing concern: millions of U.S.-born Hispanic young adults are increasingly disengaging from the Church, creating challenges for families seeking to pass on their faith traditions.
Implemented in select parishes, including St. Stephen Catholic Church and St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, the program offered bilingual, family-centered catechetical sessions held four times annually. Each gathering combined theological formation, prayer, and community-building, with an emphasis on making Catholic teachings accessible across generations.
“This initiative recognizes the home as the primary place of faith formation,” said Katherine Angulo, Program Director, Thriving In Ministry Initiatives, McGrath Institute for Church Life at Notre Dame. As a former diocesan Director of Youth Ministry, Angulo said she was excited to partner with the Diocese of Raleigh to pilot the initiative, which focused on equipping parents to serve as both educators and spiritual leaders within their families in Eastern North Carolina.
For many participating families, the impact extended beyond the classroom sessions. “It has been a great blessing and joy for us to share our experiences and what we have learned through the McGrath Program and the Holy Family Initiative,” said Luis and Angelica Ramírez, participants in the program. “This program has been a great help to our family as we put into practice everything we have learned.”
The couple said the initiative strengthened both their marriage and family relationships. “As husband and wife, our communication has grown stronger, and we have strengthened our relationship with our children by spending quality time together, always putting God first and teaching them the value of family and, above all, service,” they said.
The Ramírez family also emphasized the importance of service in their faith journey. “Our entire family is currently serving as volunteers, and this has helped us tremendously because we all experience the same role of loving God through our service to our community,” they said.
Over the course of the pilot, 12 sessions were delivered under the leadership of Benito Medrano Calderon. In March 2026, the program concluded with 95 certificates awarded to participants, including 64 family recognitions and 31 individual completions.
The three-year structure began with trust-building and foundational themes centered on the Holy Family, followed by deeper exploration of Catholic doctrine in year two. The final year emphasized leadership training, encouraging participants to take active roles in sustaining faith formation within their communities.
Participants expressed hope that the initiative would continue expanding to serve additional families. “Today, our family bonds have become much stronger, and if it were possible to continue working together so that more families can benefit from this program, it would truly be a great blessing,” the Ramírez family said.
Building on the pilot’s success, the McGrath Institute has developed a new bilingual video resource, “The Heart of the Family,” which launched this Easter. The six-session series, created in collaboration with the Diocese of Raleigh and the Archdiocese of San Antonio, aims to extend the program’s reach to parishes, schools, and families nationwide.
Church leaders say the partnership could expand into a longer-term effort, with plans for parish facilitator training and ready-made resources to support catechetical renewal in Hispanic communities.
