Unity in Diversity 2024

For Juan Rendon, DMin., opportunities to share his love of the Catholic faith with others ignites his passion for evangelization and ministry.

When missionaries on the Diocesan Youth Mission Trip arrived in Costa Rica on June 5, they began their trip wide-eyed and unsure. Many of the high school students had never left the United States; some had never engaged in hard labor or gone without certain creature comforts. Stepping into an unfamiliar country with simple amenities and a slower pace of life, many of these high schoolers found themselves homesick, uncomfortable, and uncertain at the beginning of their trip.

Diocese of Dallas high schoolers shared a teary goodbye with members of the local community in Pejibaye as they parted ways at the end of the 2025 Diocesan Youth Mission Trip to the Diocese of San Isidro de El General in Costa Rica, June 4-11. Though their time together was brief, the two communities formed a heart-deep bond, forged through hard work and shared faith, missionaries said.