Pastor’s Biography
Fr. Edgardo Jara, OFM, better known as Fr. Lalo, was born in San Carlos, Costa Rica. He grew up in a faith-oriented family where his parents guided him to love God, others, and creation. Even in his youth he took his faith seriously and was evidenced by his being active in the youth choir and liturgy. His commitment was further manifested by his participation in the Faith Formation Program as a catechist. He studied business administration before joining the Order of Friars Minor in 1997 in Mexico. For family reasons, he left the Franciscan Order and returned to his home country where he joined the diocesan seminary.
Following his Franciscan vocation, in 2012 he returned to the Franciscan way of life. Upon completion of his novitiate, in Burlington, WI, he was sent to the Franciscan School of Theology in California, where he earned a Master of Divinity before being ordained a priest in February 2017.
He has been an advisor to the Spanish Small Christian Communities (SCC) in the United States and a member of CEB Continental for the last ten years. His interest in SCC is reflected in his doctoral dissertation at Fordham University, New York, where he completed a Doctor of Ministry degree.
In the last ten years, he has worked on the East Coast. First, at St. Camillus Parish, Silver Spring, MD, then at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Triangle, VA, and lastly in the Archdiocese of Washington, again, but in the Office of Cultural Diversity and Outreach, then as Director of the Office of Evangelization and Pastoral Planning.
Motivated by his concern for the evangelization and formation of the Hispanic brothers and sisters, Fr. Lalo hosted a Podcast with Juan Diego Network, Cafeteando con Padre Lalo (Drinking Coffee with Fr. Lalo) and as one of the National Eucharistic Preachers appointed by the USCCB during the National Eucharistic Revival Process, he has hosted a Podcast, “Fe + Coffee,” to reflect deeper in the Eucharist. He has been a keynote speaker in different diocese congresses across the country such as the Diocese of Richmond, Diocese of Monterey, Diocese of Reno, Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, and a preacher in several parish retreats and workshops as well.
In addition to his love for teaching, Fr. Lalo likes hiking, watching movies, getting to know different cultures and traditions, traveling, singing, taking a nap in a hammock, and drinking a lot of coffee.
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