At Holy Family, Blessed Sacrament, and St. John Vianney (Holy Family Church) in the Bronx, Genny Zapata leads a Spanish prayer ministry called Circulo de Oración (Circle of Prayer). She says the weekly prayer meetings “are held for the glory of God; and we pray for the people, for their needs, their health…The world is in turmoil; we need to forge ahead.”   

“In the Circle of Prayer, the people come to be nourished by the Lord. This is very important, because we are like a family,” Zapata told The Good Newsroom before the ministry’s session at the parish the evening of Wednesday, July 2. “And we encourage daily prayer; we coordinate meetings and retreats – all for our spiritual nourishment, including (special gatherings) during Lent and Advent.”                

As for her own spiritual growth, Zapata said, “They chose me as the leader (six years ago), and I continue this mission that they have given me, working, growing more each day – growing more in the spirit. I have learned a lot, and the retreats we have helped us keep moving forward.  We all work for the Lord.”      

The prayer intentions often include petitions for the well-being of families, communities, and society at large, and for men, women, and youth to pursue conversion and seek to lead others to conversion.

Deacon Edwin Cruz, spiritual advisor to the Holy Family Circle of Prayer, said group leaders encourage people to practice the faith beyond attending Sunday Mass, “so that they develop more spiritually and learn more about the Word of God…And on the last Wednesday of each month, we place the Blessed Sacrament on the altar for Adoration.” (Holy Family is in the Castle Hill area of the Bronx). 

Like other Circle of Prayer groups in the archdiocese, the Holy Family Circle of Prayer ministry stems from the namesake praise and worship program of the Hispanic Catholic Charismatic Center, based in the Morrisania section of the South Bronx, adjacent to St. Anthony of Padua Church. The Holy Family group meets on Wednesdays after 7 p.m. Spanish Mass. 

At Holy Cross Church, in the Soundview area of the Bronx, the Circle of Prayer ministry meets on Thursdays after 7:15 p.m. Spanish Mass. That group is led by Yuderkis Romero, who told The Good Newsroom via telephone, “Service and spirituality go together, especially praying for the poor and hosting healing retreats – always invoking the presence of the third person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit, so that He guides us in all that we do and fills us with His gifts and charisms.” 

Romero noted that praise and worship play a key role in their ministry, as she and her fellow ministry coordinators lead meeting attendees in singing worship songs, both lively and soft, expressing their joy with arms raised high. “Music is very important – we all sing with joy,” she asserted.