Parish Staff

Carlos Aquino, is a trained bilingual counselor who serves part time here at St. Theresa Parish. Carlos Aquino, 32-year-old counselor, who holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in professional counseling, has been conferring with clients and lending his insights to help our people.

A Mexican-American himself from Chicago, Carlos Aquino has a tight grip on the needs of our Hispanic. “I’m a familiar face,” Carlos points out, describing his dark Hispanic features that mirror the faces of his clients.

”Cultural differences, stereotypes, financial woes, documentation issues and other mounting concerns have a definite psychological impact on Hispanics living in America. These particular issues might lead to substance abuse or domestic violence among countless other destructive behaviors, he added.”

“The Family is the central component of the Hispanic culture, but it often deters individuals from seeking help. The family unit is traditionally close and often becomes fully removed from outside society. This often forces a person who needs counseling services to keep problems hidden within the walls of the home.”

“Various other factors impede Hispanics from seeking professional counseling assistance, including misgivings about revealing intimate life details to apparent strangers, language barriers and cultural differences.”

“This church is safe ground for them to talk.”

Fees for counseling have been discounted on a sliding scale based on income levels of families in need of services.

Carlos Aquino’s guidance and expertise point out that: “this is a safe place for them to share anything. This is a judgment-free zone”

For Carlos, the key to success as a counselor is making clients feel as comfortable as possible during sessions. Revealing some of his own personal life experiences is a technique he often utilizes for establishing trust between counselor and client.

Carlos’ familiarity with the Hispanic culture is invaluable when it comes to relating to clients. Many times even social service workers do not realize the role of socialization in a certain culture and how different people can have different perspectives and views regarding daily barriers. These may or may not be barriers to others.

Carlos provides counseling opportunities at high schools and outreach agencies, including Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Joliet, across Kankakee, DuPage, Grundy, Will, Lake and Kendall counties. “I’m all over the place.”

Carlos is an independent counselor; he is constantly searching for grants to continue to advance his mission.

Sr. Dolores McKinney:

Hispanic Pastoral Minister at St. Teresa Parish

The Rivers Run Wide

The first 20 years of my life were spent in New York City, the youngest of 3 brothers and 1 sister. My father died when I was 7 which provided my three brothers-5, 13, and 18 years older than I-with parenting experience and my sister and me with the challenge of an 8 year difference. Living in a four-family house with Italians on the second floor, Greeks on the third floor, and French on the fourth was just a small part of the blessings of the cultural diversity, linguistic variety and ethnic richness that has been a part of my whole academic, social and professional life.

I traded the banks of Hudson River for those of the St. Lawrence when I entered the Congregation of Notre Dame of Montreal and a French-speaking training period. After several years of teaching on the elementary and secondary levels in the US, I went to live on the X'equiquel River in Olintepque, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. Already fluent in Spanish, I was easily integrated into the apostolic work of the Diocese, first in the Catechetical office and later as Secretary of Education.

The Mayan Indian Village of San Miguel Acatan borders the Blue River in a remote mountain area in the Diocese of Huehuetenango. That's where I served as the principal of the parish school after leaving Quezaltenango. Since little Spanish is spoken there, I studied the Mayan language of K'anjobal. But my stay there was brief because at the request of the Bishop and the priest's Council I accepted responsibility for the program of spiritual and practical formation of the rural communities' Church leaders.

My ten-year tenure as director of the formation program for more than 350 Animators of the Faith and the 2,500 catechists was a constant revelation of the strength and depth which the message of Christ provided for these men. Because of the pervasive climate of violence which characterized Guatemala, they had to be ready to face death, torture, domestic or foreign exile, as a result of their loyalty to the teaching of the Gospel. Many ended their life as martyrs, killed in the midst of a liturgical service or murdered on their way to prepare a group for the vaccination of their children, or slaughtered in wholesale massacres. My interaction with these men has put names and faces on those to whom Jesus has promised his kingdom.

Since leaving Guatemala 17 years ago, I have been Coordinator of Patient Relations in a hospital in New York City; spent a semester in Japan; lived in Cameroon, Africa for 2-1/2 year; worked in the CND Finance Office in Wilton, CT.; and now I have found my way to the Kankakee River.

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