Post by Gratzia Villarroel, Ph.D.

This week I attended the funeral and visitation of Father Ken De Groot, O. Praem., a man whose influence on the Hispanic community of Green Bay is difficult to overstate. Many people knew Father Ken as a priest. Others knew him as an advocate, mentor, bridge-builder, or friend. For more than three decades, he accompanied immigrant families, helped create institutions that continue to serve the community today, and quietly worked to ensure that Latino families felt they belonged in Northeast Wisconsin. As I listened to the stories shared during the visitation and funeral, I found myself reflecting not only on Father Ken's life, but on how profoundly he helped shape the community we know today. The following essay explores Father Ken's legacy through the lens of faith, community-building, and the remarkable transformation of Green Bay's Latino community over the past three decades. Father Ken De Groot and the Making of Latino Green Bay: A Reflection on Faith, Community, and Three Decades of Accompaniment Link to Article: https://lnkd.in/gC9_DcAG #FatherKenDeGroot #GreenBay #LatinoCommunity #CommunityLeadership #CasaALBA #FaithInAction #PublicScholarship