A family at a religious shrine decorated with colorful flowers. A man and woman are standing with a young girl, who is wearing a traditional hat and sitting on a small horse toy. The shrine features images of Catholic saints and a statue of the Virgin Mary, with a sign that reads 'Recuerdo de la Virgen'.
Silhouette of a family walking hand-in-hand through a church arch with a cross on a hill below, and text reading 'Accompanying Immigrant Christian Families Across Generations'.

Accompanying immigrant Christian families Across generations

We are committed to supporting immigrant Christian families—particularly from Latin America and the Caribbean—as they navigate cultural, linguistic, generational, and technological challenges.

By piloting a community-based model of Christian parenting support grounded in communal wisdom and professional accompaniment, we aim to nurture the holistic faith formation and wellbeing of children across generations.

The program is funded through Lilly Endowment’s Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative and is designed to be scalable and adaptable to serve diverse immigrant and multicultural congregations throughout the United States.

OUR OBJECTIVES

OUR OBJECTIVES

  • Develop culturally relevant resources and parenting support programs.

  • Listen deeply to immigrant families’ needs, hopes, and challenges.

  • Create curriculum and workshops that bridge linguistic and generational divides.

  • Equip parents and caregivers as active leaders in faith formation.

  • Support congregations as nurturing, empowering centers for immigrant families.

  • Establish artistic and academic programs that enrich children's cultural and educational experiences.

  • Expand the program to serve Asian-American and African immigrant communities.

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Phases of the program

PHASE I

Phase 1 (Years 1–3)

Collaborate with 15 Latin American and Caribbean immigrant congregations to implement listening circles, develop Sunday School curricula, and launch arts and academic enrichment programs. Focus on empowering parents and fostering church partnerships.

PHASE II

Phase 2 (Years 4 & 5)

Refine and adapt the model for Asian-American and African immigrant communities. Strengthen sustainability plans and share insights through research and curricular publications for wider dissemination.

Methodology

Listening Circles are community gatherings held monthly where parents, caregivers, clergy, and teachers share their experiences and build mutual understanding around Christian parenting in immigrant contexts.

Facilitated by trained seminary students and supported by a team of specialists—a sociologist, spiritual director, therapist, and social worker—these circles provide space to explore systemic challenges, spiritual resources, emotional wellbeing, and social supports.

They foster dialogue that bridges generational and cultural gaps while shaping ongoing program development.

LISTENING CIRCLES

A woman and a man joyfully high-fiving a young girl sitting on the man's shoulders in a room with reddish-pink walls.
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A family of five, including two adults and three children, playing Monopoly board game together in a living room with large windows and natural light.

Meet the team

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Rev. Dr. Cristian De La Rosa
Grant Director

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Puanani Calvillo, M.Div.
Grant Administrator 

Daniel Montanez, Ph.D. Candidate
Program Director

Dr. Jonathan Calvillo
Faculty Consultant

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Dr. Filipe Maia
Faculty Consultant

Dr. Rady Roldán-Figueroa
Faculty Consultant

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Dr. Luis Menéndez-Antuña
Faculty Consultant

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Valentina G. San Juan, M.Div. 27’
Facilitator

Claudia Alvarez, Ph.D. Candidate
Facilitator

Luciana Braga, M.Div. 26’
Facilitator

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Oscar Olmos, M.Div. 26’
Facilitator

Mabel Celestino, M.T.S. 26’
Facilitator

Illustration of a multigenerational Christian family walking hand in hand, with a church outline and cross in the background, symbolizing supporting immigrant Christian families across generations.

Contact us

Contact us