Hispanic Ministries

Welcome to the Hispanic Ministry of St. Paul’s Cathedral. We celebrate Mass on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 pm. Everyone is invited to celebrate the Holy Eucharist in Spanish. We also celebrate traditional cultural events such as Día de los Muertos, Posadas, and our annual Serenade for Our Lady of Guadalupe. We also offer First Communions, Baptisms and Quinceañeras.

This year we are presenting a new Guest Preaching Series. This series focuses on issues related to peace and justice within the Latino community. Latino experts in various professions will share their understanding of the gospel by reflecting on their experience, hope and spirituality. Some of the topics to be covered include HIV/AIDS; Border, Immigration and Justice; the injustice of the War on Drugs; Gay and Lesbian issues for Latinos; Addiction and the Family; and the Water Station Program. Guests will also present a forum during our coffee hour. Everyone is invited.

The Guadalupe Art Program is a spiritual empowerment workshop for Latina youth (ages 8 through 17) throughout the Diocese of San Diego. Using the theme of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the central spiritual image in Latino culture, young girls are invited to explore and develop the sacredness of their own lives through art, music and dance. This program also addresses many of the issues Latinas deal with in their culture – the oppression of sexism, abuse, addiction, and violence. The girls have the chance to discuss the positive changes and wise choices they can implement in their lives. The program also integrates ALATEEN, the 12-Step program for teens living in addiction.

Hispanic Ministry is always looking for volunteers. Please know you do not need to speak Spanish to volunteer. For more information, please call the Rev. Canon Mary Moreno Richardson, Coordinator of Hispanic Ministry at 619 298.7261 x332

The Reverend Canon Mary Moreno Richardson

The Rev. Canon Mary Moreno-Richardson is the Coordinator for Hispanic Ministry at St. Paul’s Cathedral and the first Latina priest ordained in the Diocese of San Diego. She is the creator and director of the Guadalupe Art Program, a spiritual empowerment program for Latina youth using art, dance and music. Reverend Mary was born in Guanajuato, Mexico and came to the United States at the age of three. She grew up in Santa Clara, CA. Prior to arriving in San Diego, she served as Senior Episcopal Chaplain at the Central Juvenile Detention Facility in East Los Angeles, where she saw the need to create the first religious support group for gay minors. She also worked as a mental health clinician for the Violence Intervention Program at Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center and lectured and USC’s School of Medicine and Los Angeles School of Nursing. She is a Certified Chemical Dependency Specialist and has worked as a case-manager and treatment advocate at the AIDS Service Center in Pasadena, a case-manager for addicted mothers, and the Latino Coordinator for the Multicultural Community Partnership of Santa Barbara County. Reverend Mary has lectured at the National Conference on Juvenile Justice and the National Latino Conference on HIV/AIDS. She is affiliated with the Task Force for Women in Prison and Children in Crisis, Drug Policy Alliance, and the Bi-national Committee on HIV. Reverend Mary has been a long-time advocate against the “War on Drugs”; she has been featured on the PBS program “Religion and Ethics News Weekly” in support of treatment over incarceration for people struggling with addiction and featured in Mike Gray’s documentary, “Clergy Speak out Against the War on Drugs” and “God Cries When We Sentence kids to Life in Prison” for Juvenile Justice Sabbath. She serves as a chaplain for victims of human trafficking with the ACTION NETWORK. She is on the National Committee of the Status of Women and has served as a delegate to the United Nations. Working closely with El Instituto Nacional de la Mujer de Mexico, she has hosted workshops at the cathedral for migrant women and was invited by El Instituto de Educación para Adultos de Latin America y el Caribe, in Michoacán, Mexico to train other professional women as trainers in the Descúbrete a Ti Misma, The DISCOVER HIV Prevention Workshop for Women. As an advocate for migrant’s rights she participated in Marcha Mígrate II and co-host’s a Spanish language radio program. She was also featured in Latina Magazine and the cover story of Episcopal Life. She was a guest speaker with Ira Glasser at the International Drug Policy Alliance Conference. Reverend Mary was one of the principle speakers in the San Diego Immigration March for Dignity. She serves as a Chaplain in detention for undocumented youth and victims of human trafficking in San Diego. She is also a strong advocate for “Stopping Homophobic Bullying” in schools and society. She is the 2008 Path to Recovery Honoree and 2009 recipient and finalist of the Soroptimist International of San Diego, “Making a Difference for Women Honoree 2009 and Uplifting Citizens of San Diego Tribute & Spirit Award 2009 and Interfaith Committee for Workers Justice, 2009 VOICES 4 JUSTICE Award.

She is married to the Very Reverend Scott Richardson, Dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral in San Diego.