CHICAGO (August 11, 2006) - A week-long mission for Hispanic youth and young adult Catholics will be held August 13 - 20 at St. Clare of Montefalco Parish, 5443 S. Washtenaw Ave. on Chicago's southwest side. Misión Jovenes (Mission-Young Adults), will be held every evening from 5 to 9 p.m., and will include a concert, several workshops and special liturgies.

The celebration is part of "Mission Chicago," an important moment in the Year of Evangelization as proclaimed by Cardinal Francis George, O.M.I., for the Archdiocese of Chicago. It is a joint effort of the Community of St Clare, Center Espiritu Santo, Office for Youth Ministry, Office for Hispanic Young Adults and the Office for Hispanic Catholics. According to Cardinal George, "It is an opportunity to experience the way grace transforms our lives when we open our hearts and minds, our very selves, to the mysteries of faith."

The mission begins at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday August 13 with a concert in the church by Jorge Rivera, Coordinator for the Hispanic Young Adult Ministry, and will feature songs from his new CD, "Reinventemos el amor." Most Rev. Alberto Suarez Inda, Archbishop of Morelia, Michoacan, in Mexico, will celebrate Mass at 6 p.m. on Friday, August 18. Most Rev. Gustavo Garcia-Siller, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago, will be the main celebrant at the closing Mass at 11 a.m. on Sunday, August 20.

Workshop presenters include Rev. Claudio Diaz, Jr., Director of Hispanic Ministry, Oscar Contreras, Director of Street Intervention at Catholic Charities and Jesus DeLeon, Coordinator of Youth Ministry for the near west side.

For more information, contact Rev. Michael Sullivan, Pastor at St. Clare at 773-436-4422, Maria (Cooky) Perez-Eraci at 708-370-3674 or Peter J. Ductram at 773-881-2100. For a more complete schedule of events, please visit www.missionchicago.net .

Established in 1843, the Archdiocese of Chicago serves 2.4 million Catholics throughout Cook and Lake counties through its 366 parishes, and its numerous apostolates, missions, shrines, oratories and chaplaincies.