The Mexican American Catholic College (MACC) continues its mission of forming leaders for service and ministry in a culturally diverse church.
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MACC is honored to lead the Caminando Juntos: Accompanying Small-Town and Rural Pastoral Leaders
MACC is honored to lead the Caminando Juntos: Accompanying Small-Town and Rural Pastoral Leaders Project, a multi-year effort generously funded by the Lilly Endowment. MACC was selected to partner in the Endowment’s Ministry in Rural Areas and Small Towns Initiative, awarding subgrants to support the rural and small-town ministry outreach programs and formation in twelve partnering dioceses.
The Caminando Juntos Project goes will with MACC’s mission to walk alongside dioceses and their rural communities as they strengthen parish life, equip clergy and lay leaders while building sustainable models of ministry rooted in accompaniment, formation, and cultural ministry.
Now in the implementation phase, Caminando Juntos is actively collaborating with 12 dioceses: Austin (TX), San Angelo (TX), Lubbock (TX), Laredo (TX), San Antonio (TX), Victoria (TX), Jefferson City (MO), Corpus Christi (TX), Tulsa (OK), Sante Fe (NM), El Paso (TX) and Oklahoma City (OK).
Partnering dioceses are currently conducting parish visits, engaging in listening sessions, responding to synodal themes, and developing localized strategies for:
- Convening and supporting a regional network of diocesan leaders serving in rural and small-town ministries.
- Facilitating formation programs to address pastoral needs, including Hispanic ministry, young adult leadership, and lay leadership formation.
- Collaborating with dioceses to create outreach ministry programs for rural parishes that may have limited resources.
- Building capacity for pastoral leaders and fostering multicultural engagement in rural and small-town ministries.
Key collaborators include Catholic Rural Life, with decades of expertise in rural pastoral care, and St. John’s School of Theology and Seminary, offering accompaniment and flexible formation pathways for lay leaders and pastoral workers.
Caminando Juntos is not a one-size-fits-all model. Each diocese is shaping its response based on the unique strengths and challenges of its communities—honoring cultural heritage, local leadership development, especially lay pastoral leadership. From migrant communities in farming towns to isolated parishes, Caminando Juntos is a ministry of listening, learning, formation, and walking together.
Please continue to pray for the Hill Country flood victims and their families from the Archdiocese of San Antonio.
By: Angela Quintanilla – Director of Rural Ministry
Upcoming Events at MACC
Jubilee of the Education World: October 27-November 7, 2025
MACC Deacons Gala: November 7, 2025
Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos – October 31-November 7
In Case You Missed It
With deep gratitude to Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller and our beloved MACC community for joining us during this year’s Annual Pastoral Visit with Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS — especially during the Vatican’s Jubilee of the World of Education.
In a stirring message, Archbishop Gustavo told us that MACC is needed now more than ever. His words affirmed our mission and inspired us to continue walking together in faith, service, and love.
From a moving Mass to a powerful one-hour talk, this visit was filled with moments that reminded us of our shared calling to pursue truth and hope through education.
Watch the recordings and hear his message for yourself:
MACC is pleased to share the publication of Deborah E. Kanter
MACC is pleased to share the publication of Deborah E. Kanter, Pioneers of Latino Ministry: Claretians and the Evolving World of Catholic America (New York University Press, 2025). The book details their foundational work in San Antonio going back to the 1910s. Kanter also explores the Claretians’ involvement at MACC that began in 1976 when Claretian seminarians Richard Estrada and Rosendo Urrabazo immersed themselves in culturally relevant study there.
As Urrabazo recalled, “At MACC, I found my place in history. A lot of the feelings I had, feelings of alienation, of being different, of not being accepted, were not just my feelings, but those of a whole group of people.” Fr. Urrabazo CMF later served as MACC’s second president in 1987–93.
The new book takes the story of Latino ministry national, from Texas to Chicago, California to New Jersey, with stops including Oregon, Kansas, Louisiana, and beyond, to Central America. If there is one religious community that provides a “history in miniature” for 20th-century Latino Catholicism, it is the Claretians. https://nyupress.org/9781479832484/pioneers-of-latino-ministry/
The book can be purchased via all on-line booksellers or order direct from NYU Press, use promo code NYUAU30 for a 30% discount.
MACC Deacons Gala Welcomes Meteorologist Siobhain Anders from News 4 San Antonio!
We are excited to announce that Siobhan Anders, beloved San Antonio media personality, will serve as the Emcee for this year’s MACC Deacons Gala on Friday, November 7, 2025, at St. George Maronite Church.
Join us for an evening of faith, fellowship, and celebration as we honor the ministry of our parish deacons and support MACC’s mission to form leaders for service. Click the link to RSVP today!
Meteorologist Siobhain Anders comes to News 4 San Antonio and Fox 29
If Siobhain looks familiar, there’s a good reason. She’s worked at several television stations from the Rio Grande Valley to San Antonio, making her mark with precision forecasts.
MACC In Action!
Transforming Formation: From Troubled Teen to Master’s Degree Student
By Humberto “Bert” Hernandez, Lay Ecclesial Minister
From school adverse to degree-seeker, Bert Hernandez shares his inspiring journey of faith, transformation, and lifelong learning through MACC’s Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation Program.
MACC Children’s Initiatives Backpack
By Dr. Montserrat Baños, Director of Children’s Initiatives
A metaphorical backpack filled with faith, music, and community –
MACC’s Children’s Initiatives carry forward the spirit of renewal and hope for the youngest among us!
Building Stronger Ministries: A Regional & National Formation Journey
By Antonio Ramirez de León, PhD, Associate Professor of Theology and Pastoral Ministry
MACC’s journey of formation is more than education—it’s a Spirit-led mission to build compassionate, interculturally aware leaders for a diverse Church and world. “Todos, todos, todos”, everyone is welcome at MACC!
MACC’s Hidden Treasures
MACC’s legacy lives in every page, every prayer, every struggle.
“I am grateful to God and to the many people who have helped us, trusted us by coming to us, borne our sufferings, given of themselves to work with us.” Father Virgilio Elizondo – Founder and 1st President of the Mexican American Cultural Center.
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