The Congress was a vehicle of grace for the participants, including two pregnant women who decided after hearing the testimonies not to get abortions.

Los Angeles, California. November 11, 2008. The annual Hombre Nuevo Family Congress is one of the organization’s biggest events of the year. Just a few weeks before the state of California voted in favor of Proposition 8, Hombre Nuevo gathered 7,000 people and thousands more “radio-active listeners” for the 13th Family Congress at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The theme was “Bless the Families, Oh Lord.”

The Family Congress is not a political gathering. It is simply an occasion for married couples to reaffirm their vows and strengthen their union in light of the example of the Holy Family. Hombre Nuevo invites speakers to touch the hearts of listeners who may have been wounded and disoriented by sin, or who need a gentle push to regularize their marriages in the Church. The goal is conversion of heart, healing from sin, and a loving and often humorous style of education in the truth.

Teachers

This year’s speakers were chosen for their knowledge on topics related to family life, communication, and raising children. Fr Mariano de Blas, LC, gave a talk entitled

	Fr Ángel Espinosa spoke on “Defending Love.”

“Happy or Unhappy Marriages,” based on his extensive experience with married couples. His book “Matrimonios Felices” is available for sale on the Hombre Nuevo web site.

Dr Cesar Lozano, who runs the program “Por el Placer de Vivir” (For the Pleasure of Living) on Guadalupe Radio, covered a topic of universal relevance: “How to Deal with Difficult People.”

Fr Ángel Espinosa, LC, spoke on “Defending Love,” educating the audience and the radio listeners about the importance of defending marriage not only on the interpersonal level, with one’s spouse, but also on the social level, given the current threats to marriage as an institution between a man and a woman.

Testimonies and Miracles

The audience listened to powerful testimonies by Marino Restrepo, an internationally renowned speaker; José and Celia Carredano, who are Regnum Christi Movement members from Mexico City; and actor and producer Eduardo Verástegui, who spoke about his own conversion story and gave a passionate speech about abortion.

There are always secret miracles that God works through conferences such as these. Sometimes God allows us to see those miracles, as in the case of two pregnant girls in the audience who decided, after listening to the testimonies, not to abort their babies.

During the Congress, hundreds of people had the opportunity to receive the sacrament of Confession and receive family counseling. There was time for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Eucharistic Benediction, and Mass was celebrated by Fr Juan Rivas, LC, who gave a homily urging families to stay firm in their faith.

Hombre Nuevo is one of many important Catholic ministries that is helping the Hispanic populations in

	Eduardo Verástegui and Fr Juan Rivas, LC.

California and across the United States and Latin America to keep their Catholic faith and to defend traditional values.

In a state with millions of inhabitants, a Family Congress of 7,000 people is only a drop in the bucket – but it is a drop that makes a difference. As Christ himself said, it only takes a few grains of yeast to leaven the dough.

For more information about Hombre Nuevo and its family ministries, visit the Hombre Nuevo and Guadalupe Radio web sites, or read an article about the apostolate.