Born in San José el Rinconcito, Santa Rosa, Guatemala, Sister Elsa is a member of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. She completed her novitiate in Yuscarán, Honduras, and later served in ministry there before feeling called to accompany migrants in the U.S. 

During her 10 years as part of the Hispanic Ministry team, Sr. Elsa has been deeply involved in faith formation for children and adults, teaching sacramental preparation, leading Stations of the Cross, singing, and offering a vibrant presence at Masses.

Sister Elsa believes in "ministry of presence"—spending time with parishioners, visiting homes, and building community ties. She travels across the state to serve rural and urban Hispanic communities, fostering deep connections through Scripture, music, retreats, and participatory liturgies.

Fr. Ngange Emmanuel Giantar is a priest of the Diocese of Kumbo in Cameroon. He completed his studies in philosophy and theology at the Saint Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary, Bambui. Following his ordination in 2011, he served as assistant pastor at St. Matthias Mulumba Parish and later at Christ the King Parish, where he also ministered as chaplain at St. Rita’s Catholic Technical High School in Nkambe.

He also served as a teacher of Latin, music and religious studies at St. Aloysius Minor Seminary in Kitiwum. In 2018, Father Emmanuel was sent to Spain, where he learned Spanish, earned a licentiate in catechesis, and ministered in eight parishes over four years. This experience deepened his pastoral skills and cultural competence, particularly within Spanish-speaking communities. 

Father Harding is a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate religious congregation. He earned a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.) from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas (Angelicum), and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) at the Pontifical Gregorian University, both in Rome. 

Since his ordination, his priestly ministry has included serving as pastor at St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Houston, TX, San Eugenio Parish in Tijuana, Mexico, and Christ the King Parish in Chincha, Peru. Father Harding has also served in ministry at St. Joseph Shrine in Lowell, MA, San Fernando Catholic Church in Los Angeles, CA and multiple parishes in Habana del Este, Cuba. He also was the rector of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Brownsville, TX. 

Originally from Sanford, Father Sevigny served as the director of the Office of Hispanic Ministry from 2020-2025. He now continues his pastoral support of the community.

Father Sevigny was ordained in 1978 as a priest for the St. Mary Province of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin in White Plains, N.Y. The Capuchins, who follow the teachings of St. Francis of Assisi, are especially known for their preaching and their missionary work.

Following his ordination, Father Sevigny was assigned to a Spanish-speaking parish in New York’s Lower Easter Side. Recognizing that he could not fully serve the parish because he was not proficient in Spanish, he spent time serving in Guatemala and Honduras to improve his language skills. He also spent a summer attending a language school in Bolivia.

Father Sevigny served in parishes in New York for 25 years. He also served at St. Joseph Church in Portland in the 1980s, along with churches in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Prior to coming to Maine, he served as chaplain at Massachusetts General Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, both in Boston, Mass.

Sister Mirian Maradiaga, RSR, a native of Honduras, is a member of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary and has served in the Hispanic Ministry in Maine since 2015. Drawn to religious life by the joy, dedication, and closeness she witnessed in the sisters who ministered to young people, she entered the community at age 19 after discerning her vocation through youth groups and retreats. Her ministry before coming to the United States included forming youth leaders, guiding young religious, and training catechists in Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala, as well as studying at the Institute of Integral Human Formation in Montreal

Known for her warm presence and deep commitment to pastoral accompaniment, Sister Mirian now serves the growing Hispanic community in Maine through faith formation, retreat work, and ministry of presence, helping individuals and families strengthen their relationship with God and feel at home in the Church.

Sister Patricia Pora, RSM, is a longtime advocate for Maine’s Hispanic and immigrant communities and formerly served as the director of the Office of Hispanic Ministry. A U.S. citizen raised in Chile, she brings a lived understanding of the immigrant experience to her ministry, which has spanned many decades and touched thousands of lives. Sr. Pat earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Southern Maine and a master’s degree in pastoral ministry from Saint Joseph’s College. She began directing the Hispanic Ministry in 2005, devoting many hours to accompanying individuals and families across the state—providing pastoral care, connecting newcomers with essential services, offering sacramental preparation, and helping Maine’s Hispanic Catholics fully participate in parish life. 

During her tenure, Sr. Patricia became known for her commitment to acompañamiento—“walking with” the people she served. Her ministry took her from immigration appointments in Boston to parish celebrations in rural Maine, from farmworker communities to jails, soup kitchens, and hospitals. She also produced Spanish-language parish bulletins and maintained a bilingual social media presence to support community connection. Sr. Patricia stepped down as director in 2020 but continues to serve as part of the Hispanic Ministry team in a volunteer capacity. 

Rosario Starratt is an outreach coordinator based in Lewiston. She is originally from Peru but moved to Maine in 2006 after marrying a man from the United States. She quickly became involved in parish life here, serving as a reader at the Mass being celebrated in Spanish at St. Patrick Church in Lewiston. It was then that Sister Patricia Pora, RSM, the director of the Office of Hispanic Ministry at the time, approached her about assisting with the office.

Currently Rosario’s work includes catechesis for children and adolescents, extraordinary minister of the Eucharist, servant of the altar, and preparation of the monthly newsletter in Spanish. She directly assisted Father Michael Sevigny during the six years he served as the director.

Rosario brings to the job a deep faith, an understanding of Spanish culture, and the ability to speak both English and Spanish, which is her native language.