Fr. Edgardo (Lalo) Jara, ofm

Rev. Dr. Edgardo Jara, O.F.M., affectionately known as Fr. Lalo, was born in San Carlos, Costa Rica, and raised in a deeply faith-filled family. From a young age, he was shaped by his parents’ example of love for God, neighbor, and creation. His early commitment to the Church was evident in his active involvement in the youth choir, liturgy, and as a catechist in the parish Faith Formation Program.

Before discerning a religious vocation, Fr. Lalo pursued studies in business administration. In 1997, he entered the Order of Friars Minor in Mexico. For family reasons, he temporarily stepped away from the Franciscan community and continued his formation in the diocesan seminary upon returning to Costa Rica. However, his Franciscan vocation remained strong, and in 2012 he resumed his journey with the Franciscans. After completing his novitiate in Burlington, Wisconsin, he was sent to the Franciscan School of Theology in California, where he earned a Master of Divinity. He was ordained to the priesthood in February 2017.

Over the past decade, Fr. Lalo has ministered primarily on the East Coast of the United States, serving at St. Camillus Parish in Silver Spring, MD, St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Triangle, VA, and later within the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., where he worked in the Office of Cultural Diversity and Outreach, and later as Director of Evangelization and Pastoral Planning.

A passionate advocate for Small Christian Communities (SCCs), especially within Hispanic ministry, Fr. Lalo has served as an advisor to Spanish-speaking SCCs across the U.S. and as a member of CEB Continental for over a decade. His dedication to grassroots ecclesial communities was the focus of his doctoral research, culminating in a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) from Fordham University in New York.

His missionary zeal extends into the digital sphere. Fr. Lalo was the host of Cafeteando con P. Lalo (“Drinking Coffee with Fr. Lalo”), a podcast produced with Juan Diego Network to support the evangelization and formation of Hispanic Catholics. More recently, he launched Fe + Coffee, a podcast born out of his role as a National Eucharistic Preacher appointed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) during the National Eucharistic Revival, offering reflections on the mystery and centrality of the Eucharist.

A sought-after speaker and preacher, Fr. Lalo has delivered keynote addresses and led retreats and workshops across the country, including in the Diocese of Richmond, Diocese of Monterey, Diocese of Reno, Diocese of Evansville, Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, and Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

In addition to his love for teaching and preaching, Fr. Lalo enjoys hiking, exploring new cultures and traditions, traveling, singing, watching movies, relaxing in a hammock, and—true to his podcast’s spirit—drinking plenty of coffee.