Florida Catholic | Retreat Leader Brings Touch Of Empathy

Retreat leader brings touch of empathy

Popular speaker will offer presentations in Spanish at Festival of Faith in May

LAURA DODSON | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 02.29.08

ORLANDO | Adele González is a sought-after speaker for the warmth and personality she brings to her talks.

“Dr. González delivers the good news that there is, in fact, good news,” said Carol Stanton, program marketing director for San Pedro Spiritual Development Center in Winter Park. “She has had years of experience teaching and working with pastoral ministers. She is, herself, a warm and empathetic pastoral presence. Her message often deeply moves others and she is aware and attentive to them.”

Stanton called González a “breath of fresh air” following González’ presentation at a January retreat on evangelization. The retreat was part of the Foundation for Lay Ministry Program — a three-year program of formation to become a lay ecclesial minister.

González seems to touch people personally. Roberta “Bobbi” Govanus, a first-year participant of the program from Corpus Christi Parish in Celebration, said, “Adele helped us appreciate where we are on the journey. We can’t keep doing for others unless we refocus ourselves. We want to go into the world and serve, but God wants to serve us, too.”

González, who holds a doctorate in ministry, spent more than 35 years in ministry at the diocesan and parish levels, and is working as a retreat director, speaker and author. Because her presentations are so popular, González will be one of the speakers at the diocesan Festival of Faith, May 8-10, at the Orange County Convention Center, South Concourse, in Orlando.

Her presentations, scheduled May 9 and 10, both at 11 a.m., will be conducted in Spanish — “El Poder Evangelizador de la Palabra de Dios” (“The Evangelizing Power of the Word of God”).

“Evangelization is the mission of the church and we are the church,” González explained. “We are called not only to proclaim the good news of the love of God for all, but to become good news in our families, world and church today.

“When we proclaim the good news, we are basically proclaiming the mystery of the incarnation: Emmanuel — God with us, the word made flesh and union between the human and the divine,” González said. “We become the good news.”

On a personal note, González, who is Cuban-American, expressed her excitement about the upcoming festival. “In all the talks I’ve given, they’ve always been in English. This is a great opportunity to work with the Spanish community in the Orlando Diocese.”

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Retreat leader brings touch of empathy

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