Saint Meinrad to Host Lecture on the Evangelizing Power of Latino Culture

Saint Meinrad’s Office of Hispanic and Latino Ministry, St. Meinrad, IN, will host a lecture on “The Evangelizing Power of Latino Culture: A Culture with the Power to Transform the Church.” The lecture will be presented in English by Deacon Charlie Echeverry on Thursday, October 1, 2026, at 6 p.m. Central time in St. Bede Theater.

Deacon Echeverry makes the bold claim that Latinos are the most influential cultural force in the Catholic Church in the United States today, and unlocking their potential can transform, even save, the post-pandemic Church in America.

Born in Hollywood, California, to immigrant parents from Colombia, Deacon Echeverry spent much of his youth living in Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, and the U.S. Virgin Islands before settling in South Florida.

In 2017, he was ordained to the permanent diaconate by Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles. He preaches and speaks throughout the country, is a producer of Catholic film and television, and is host of Living the Call, a podcast about the intersection of faith and pop culture. He has been featured on EWTN, The Lila Rose Podcast, America magazine, Relevant Radio, and Catholic Answers, among others.

Prior to launching his own firm, Black//Brown, Deacon Echeverry held senior executive positions at global companies including The Walt Disney Company, Univision, and AOL. He is vice chair emeritus of Catholic Answers and sits on the boards of John Paul the Great Catholic University, Vagabond Missions, the Catholic Association for Latino Leadership, Guadalupe Radio, Sent Ventures, and SOFESA, a nonprofit that accompanies homeless families.

The lecture will be livestreamed at www.saintmeinrad.edu/events?item=17199.

The lecture is free and open to the public. No registration is necessary. Parking is available behind St. Bede Hall, as well as in the Guest House and student parking lots. For more information, contact [email protected] or call the Office of Hispanic and Latino Ministry at 812-357-6746.