Our Mission
The Encuentro Project, rooted in the tradition of Faith that does Justice, offers participants a faith-based, multi-faceted immersion program in the El Paso-Ciudad Juarez border region to experience a deeper understanding of the complex migration reality and of this community.
The Encuentro Project transform the hearts and minds of participants and open new perspectives about forced migration and asylum seeking by vulnerable people. By providing education, service, activities, reflection, prayer and community, the Encuentro Project motivates participants to engage in peaceful, effective action for greater justice and compassion for migrants and refugee persons as presented in Catholic Social Teaching.
However, we must go out to meet them, and with our faith we must create a "culture of encounter", a culture of friendship, a culture in which we find brothers and sisters, in which we can also speak with those who think differently, as well as those who hold other beliefs, who do not have the same faith."
- Pope Francis, 2013Map of The Encuentro Project
*
Map of The Encuentro Project *
Take a look at all of the groups that have been on Encuentro from across the country!
Our History
The inspiration for The Encuentro Project came from the providential convergence of various events starting in 2017.
Fr. Rafael Garcia, S.J., was at the time working as a chaplain in immigration detention centers and assisting at Annunciation House shelters. Conscious of the immigration reality and the priority of immigration issues for the Jesuits, he was made aware of the availability of a large centrally located house, which had been a convent for religious sisters, and the project began to unfold. Additionally, two Marist Brothers, one from the U.S. and one from Mexico, visited El Paso as they discerned throughout the border their new mission to start a binational border ministry. Fr. Rafael explained the possible Encuentro Project. The two brothers, Bro. Todd Patenaude (U.S.) and Bro. Eduardo Navarro (Mexico) chose Encuentro and the Encuentro house became their first community in El Paso. The house was bought by a benefactor and offered to us at no cost.
A "pilot" Encuentro group was organized that included Mary Baudouin, then UCS Jesuits Provincial Assistant for Justice & Ecology. It was a success! The initial team became the first board of directors of the Encuentro Project, which eventually became a 501c.3 non-profit corporation. The faith-based project developed into an inter congregational collaboration between the Jesuits, the Marists Brothers (from two nations), the Maryknoll Lay Missioners, as well as many committed lay persons.
The name "Encuentro" was inspired by Pope Francis's -- as well as other spiritual leaders -- emphasis on personal encounters as the way to transform hearts. Our first group was organized by the campus ministry of the Jesuit University of Detroit Mercy in December 2018. This began an amazing journey leading to today, joyfully acknowledging that we have hosted around 150 groups: university-college students, adult groups including parishes as well as high school groups.
Interested in experiencing an Encuentro?
For further inquiries, or more information on available dates and contact information for the Encuentro Project click the button below.