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The Team

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Dr. Harold Recinos

President

 

Dr. Recinos is a professor of Church and Society at the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. Professor Recinos received his Masters in Divinity in 1982 from Union Theological Seminary, a Doctor of Ministry in parish ministry in 1986 from New York Theological Seminary and the Doctor of Philosophy with honors (Ph.D.) in cultural anthropology in 1993 from the American University in Washington, D.C. In addition to numerous articles in scholarly publications and journals, Recinos' publications include Hear the Cry! A Latino Pastor Challenges the Church (Westminster John Knox Press, 1989), Jesus Weeps: Global Encounters on Our Doorstep (Abingdon Press, 1992), Who Comes in the Name of the Lord? Jesus At the Margins (Abingdon Press, 1997), Good News from the Barrio: Prophetic Witness for the Church (Westminster John Knox Press, 2006), Harold J. Recinos and Hugo Magallanes, eds. Jesus in the Hispanic Community: Images of Christ from Theology to Popular Religion (Westminster John Knox Press, 2009). Harold J. Recinos ed. Wading Through Many Voices: Toward a Theology of Public Conversation (Rowman and Littlefield, 2011).  Since the mid-1980s, Harold Recinos has worked with the Salvadoran refugee community and with marginal communities in El Salvador for social justice.   Professor Recinos is an ordained elder and member of the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. 

MariaJose Recinos

Director, Senior LPC

 

MaríaJosé has always been surrounded by need.  She grew up amid El Salvador's bitter civil war (1980-1992), when her family walked 45 minutes to a cathedral each Sunday to worship with Archbishop Oscar Romero.  Romero spoke of uplifting the poor, but was killed by a sniper in 1980, while standing before the altar in Mass.  His ideas influenced Maria Jose to become an advocate for the poor while studying with Jesuit professors at the University of Central America,  as a teacher to displaced children in the 22nd of April community in El Salvador during the civil war,  and  director of a mutual assistant association serving immigrants and refugees in Washington, D.C.  Since completing graduate at SMU and LP licensing,  Maria Jose has provided counseling services to Immigrant newcomers to Northern Texas and worked in various and different capacities in Alto de Miraflores to empower teachers,  parents and children and improve the delivery of mental health services.  She established The Oscar Romero Center (ORC) is a small 501(c)3 non-profit organization to facilitate work with marginalized communities in El Salvador and Dallas, Texas to help them move with dignity toward sufficiency and abundance.   

Edwin Oswaldo Pineda

Community Organizer and Youth Leader 

 

Edwin received his Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Central America José Simeón Cañas, San Salvador, El Salvador, C.A. He was raised in barrio San Jacinto where residents live in a permanent condition of economic crisis and poverty. He is very familiar with the struggle of living in conditions that reflect intense urbanization; severe deficiencies of housing, basic infrastructure and educational institutions; environmental destruction and vulnerability to natural hazards; pervasive fear of violence and crime; inadequate drinking water, electricity and transportation. He works with marginal communities in the capacity of community organizer and youth leader. In particular, with the Oscar Romero Center Edwin focuses on working with educational institutions and groups to build capacity and promote educational institutional development. 

Montserrat Tornè

Psychologist

 

Montserrat is a clinical psychologists and instructor at the University of Central America José Simeon Cañas. She brings to the Oscar Romero Center team an extensive background in working with at-risk children and providing community workshops in marginal schools.   She has also devoted the last fifteen years of her life to providing individual and group therapy to children, youth and adults in situations of sexual abuse and family violence.

Denise Flores

 

Denise comes to the Oscar Romero Center with a wealth of experience gleaned from many years in the business community and non-profit management work.   She holds a degree in political science from Southern Methodist University,  Dallas, Texas.   She has dedicated her life to advocating for and improving the lives of vulnerable populations in our community.   

Jesseca Aziz

SMU Student

 

Jesseca was born and raised in Dallas. This Spring she will graduate from Southern Methodist University with her Masters of Divinity and a concentration in Hispanic Studies. Her ministry has included working with young adults, immigrants, and the formerly incarcerated through community organizing. She currently resides in Carrollton with her husband Nabil.    

Valeria Facchinetti

Volunteer

 

Estudiante de 2 año de licenciatura en comunicaciones de la Universidad Centroamerica José Simeon Cañas, participa activamente en la ejecución de actividades en favor de niños y jovenes siendo voluntaria en la organizacion de fiestas navideñas y apoyando en el aprendizaje del idioma ingles.

 

Second year student of Communications at the Central America University, José Simeon Cañas. She participates actively in many activities in favor of children and youth. She volunteers in the organization of nativity parties and giving support to the teaching of the English language.
 

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Montserrat Tornè

Volunteer

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Montserrat Tornè is a clinical psychologists and instructor at the University of Central America José Simeon Cañas.    She brings to the Romero Center team an extensive background in working with at-risk children and providing community workshops in marginal schools.   She has also devoted the last fifteen years of her life to providing individual and group therapy to children, youth and adults in situations of sexual abuse and family violence.  

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