Juan Miguel Alvarez was born in Jalisco, Mexico, and raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is the director of Haciendo Caminos, an initiative at the University of Notre Dame that seeks to identify and empower the next generation of Catholic Latino ecclesial leaders in the United States. He earned his B.A in theology and his M.Div. degrees from the University of Notre Dame. Juan Miguel previously ministered in the Archdiocese of Chicago for six years; his positions included director of faith formation at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and theology teacher at St. Rita of Cascia High School and Cristo Rey Jesuit High School.
In this episode, we talk about the models of faith in his family, being the only Catholic at a protestant school, his education in theology and experience ministering in a church where everyone, regardless of their job title, was responsible for worship and justice work. He shares a powerful story of the parish’s response to gun violence and gang activity. We also get into the growth of the hispanic community in the united states and how the haciendo caminos initiative is trying to respond.