Dedicating his life to Hispanic youth

By Carmen Aguinaco

Rey Malavé may be graying, but those who know the history of the Catholic community in the U.S. know he is still quite young, in spite of the years. The civil engineer from Puerto Rico is the vice president and land development director for an engineering consulting firm, a proud father, and has earned several awards among them, the Archbishop Flores Medal from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Youth Ministry Award from the National Federation Catholic Youth Ministry.

Malavé has dedicated most of his life and spare time—which is not a lot but seems to multiply miraculously—to Hispanic youth. He participated in the First National Encuentro for Hispanic Youth and Young adults, has been on the board of various organization, and presided for several years the National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana (La Red), among others.

Whenever anyone asks why he doesn’t give this up already, Malavé ponders it briefly but says “God is always showing me there is more. So as longs as God keeps calling, I can’t refuse.”

This has been going on for 29 years.  It began when Rey was 23. After having worked in youth ministry in Puerto Rico, he relocated to the US with his wife and remembers how alone they were. They visited the local parish where they were welcomed with open arms, and in just two weeks the couple was working to organize a youth group in the parish. Their efforts continued to grow and expand throughout the entire diocese until Malavé became Coordinator for the Diocese of Orlando of Hispanic Youth and Young Adult Ministry.

As time went by, Malavé has seen plenty of joy and pain. His eyes become teary when he remembers the many young people he has worked with. “Many work as leaders in the parishes and ministries and there are those that have been ordained, and it fills me with pride,” he says. “They are fruits of the seeds I planted so long ago. But there have been others that have unfortunately been lost; seeds that have died by turning to drugs. That is always the hardest thing for me.”

Rey gets great satisfaction from his children and their music ministry. “It has been accomplished thanks to God and to my wife, Mabel. We never put one foot forward unless it is a shared response. She supports everything I do and she prays. Every Wednesday, she presents my work before the Blessed Sacrament. That is how we get things done, without it we could do nothing.”

Your turn
What do you think you can achieve with your life? Are you capable of saying no to God’s call?