WASHINGTON—The
V Encuentro announced the winners of the Nuestra
Alegría Viral Video Challenge via social media. Twenty-two groups of young
Hispanic/Latino Catholics across the nation submitted entries for the viral
video challenge representing 11 of the 14 episcopal regions in the United
States and spanning 16 states.

Young
people across the nation were invited to create their own movements and
gestures to the official youth and young adult song, Nuestra Alegría, for the V Encuentro. This challenge was launched
as a means to encourage the participation of young Hispanic Catholics.

The
V Encuentro process is a priority activity of the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops’ (USCCB) Strategic Plan for 2017-2020. The national event will take
place in Grapevine, Texas, September 20-23, 2018.

“Young
people are at the heart of the V Encuentro process. It is wonderful to see
their creativity and love for Christ and the Church in joyful motion,” said Bishop
Nelson Pérez, Bishop designate of Cleveland and chair of the USCCB Subcommittee
on Hispanic Affairs. “I look forward to follow along with the movements as we
sing Nuestra Alegria in the diocesan
and regional encuentros, and at the National Encuentro.”

The
V Encuentro is a four-year process of missionary activity, consultation,
leadership development, and strengthening unity in the spirit of the New
Evangelization. Its goal is to discern the ways in which the Church in the
United States can better respond to the Hispanic/Latino presence and strengthen
the ways in which Hispanics/Latinos respond to the call to the New
Evangelization as missionary disciples serving the Church.

The
first-place was awarded to St.
Francis Borgia Deaf Center Youth Group in Chicago, whose members used sign
language to express the lyrics of the song. As first-place winners they receive
$1,000 and the honor of having the movements used in diocesan and regional
Encuentros and at the national event.

Second
place with a prize of $500 was awarded to Apóstoles
De Ágape, St. John Neumann Catholic Church, Miami, Florida; and the
third-place prize of $250 was given to
River Valley Millenials, Diocese of Little Rock, Arkansas.

Alejandro
Aguilera-Titus, V Encuentro National Coordinator affirmed, “We are very
grateful to all the groups that submitted their videos. Their joy, enthusiasm
and creativity are the young face of the church today. Congratulation to the
winners.”

Four
other groups received honorable mention:

·
Most Joyful: Escuela de Evangelización San Andrés Jóvenes, St. Francis de
Sales, Holland, Michigan.
·
Best Use of Technology: Jóvenes de
Coronado- Sacred Heart Church, Coronado, California.
·
Best Concept and Creativity: Cristo
Joven- Sacred Heart, Washington, D.C.
·
Best Teamwork: Juventus- Saint
Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Voting
for the Nuestra Alegría Viral Video
Challenge took place from July 1-13, 2017 and a panel of judges from across
the nation selected the winners after reviewing the videos on their 18 second
submissions and evaluating that the movements and gestures reflected the
meaning of the song. Catholics across the country also voted for their favorite
groups via Facebook. Video submissions were very creative utilizing flags,
drones, and banners. Some of the videos included children highlighting the
importance of family to contestants.

All
participants of the contest will receive a copy of the pocket book of the
Gospels in September. Stories about the winners and other groups that
participated in the challenge will be featured on the V Encuentro blog and
social media accounts. All video
submissions are available at: https://vencuentro.org/na-videos/.

—

Keywords: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops,
USCCB, ENAVE, V Encuentro, Hispanic Catholics, Latino, Bishop Nelson Pérez, Subcommittee
on Hispanic Affairs, video, Strategic Plan, New Evangelization, Millennials

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USCCB
MEDIA CONTACT:
Norma
Montenegro Flynn
O:
202-541-3200

Source:: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops