The General Direction College of Regnum Christi has announced a change in its international communications team. After seven years in the position, as of April 1, the P. Aaron Smith, L.C., will step down as Regnum Christi's international director of communications and will be replaced by Raul Rodriguez, current director of communications for the Northern Mexico territory.
Raúl Rodríguez has extensive experience in both the private and ecclesiastical sectors. Since 2020, he has led the communication strategy of Regnum Christi in the Northern Territory of Mexico, building a solid team, developing content, and spreading the charism of Regnum Christi through different channels. In addition to serving the territorial government of Regnum Christi, consecrated branches, pastoral ministries, apostolates and localities in Northern Mexico.
The General Direction College of Regnum Christi, in a letter to the territorial directors of communication, thanked Fr. Aaron for his dedication and service and wished him all the best in his new mission as a delegate of the Territorial Direction College of Regnum Christi of North America. He also welcomed Raul Rodriguez, offering his support and prayers for his success in his new responsibility.
The following is a brief interview, followed by Raúl's biographical sketch.
Raúl Rodríguez, how do you feel about assuming the position of international director of communications for Regnum Christi?
The first feeling I can identify is that of an intense desire to serve Regnum Christi. I am greatly encouraged to have the opportunity to continue to contribute to the momentum of this charism that God has given us. I can also identify a feeling of awe, which comes from reflecting on the responsibility of the office and the trust that the General Council has placed in me. And finally, I can say that I experience a personal longing to do things as God asks us to do.
What are the biggest challenges you anticipate in your new role and how do you plan to address them?
I think that at this time it is everything related to the first Ordinary General Convention, this stage in the history of Regnum Christi in which we are invited to participate.
I had the opportunity to be part of this process from the discernment of the thematic guidelines with my Kingdom team, the preparation of the Territorial Convention in Northern Mexico and now for the General Convention.
I could feel the wealth of initiatives that, thanks to the Holy Spirit, were generated in the territory. Now I can imagine what has been generated at the international level, which will undoubtedly be an impulse for the mission of Regnum Christi and a beautiful challenge from the point of view of communication.
I also see as an interesting challenge what comes after the General Convention. To assimilate the actions that emerge, the strategic planning for the following years, to disseminate and motivate all the members of Regnum Christi to take the fruits obtained and to implement them in their places of mission.
To face this or any of the challenges ahead, I think of the enormous number of people in Regnum Christi who have different talents and who are exercising apostolic leadership, each contributing to the common mission.
As for the area of communication, I am thinking of the different territorial communication directors and teams, colleagues with different talents who make an important contribution to international communication. Therefore, I firmly believe that the best way to face the challenges ahead will be as a team, each with the talents that God has given us.
During your time as territory communications director for Northern Mexico, you established a territorial communications team, created digital content and coordinated with local communications managers. How do you plan to apply these experiences in your new position?
It is important, for the good of any organization, to establish efficient structures and processes that are a real impetus to achieve its mission. The work teams should be designed precisely for this purpose and I see that in the area of communication Regnum Christi has worked under the objective of promoting the common mission. There is a very good base at the international level and in the territories, with a valuable experience, this is an advantage.
As for creating content, I like to call it “sharing stories”. To tell what has happened to people who have encountered Christ, to show that experience where he has revealed to them the love of his heart. In every territory, in every place in the world there are a lot of stories that can inspire us and fill us with hope.
As for the coordination work, I think that we must first recognize that each person and each part of the world has its challenges and needs, and then generate proposals.
In this life I have two daughters (I have three who have gone before me on their way to heaven), and each one of them has needs, some similar and others not so much. At times we have to do things together for both of them, at other times we have to give each one her space, but that doesn't mean they are no longer part of the family.
In the same way, I believe that those of us who make up Regnum Christi have some particular needs, either because of the country, the vocation to which we were called or because of the apostolic work we are doing, but always being part of the same family. Keeping this in mind, I think it will be very helpful for a good coordination.
Finally, what is your vision for the future of communication in Regnum Christi and how do you plan to implement it?
I believe that Regnum Christi communication should be an expression of the charism. I really cannot think of it in any other way. Personally, at this moment of my life, the idea of being “a spiritual family and an apostolic body” resonates very much in my soul.
There are several things that can be said about implementation: techniques, processes and theories. But I think we should take advantage of the fact that Pope Francis has chosen hope as the virtue for the Jubilee of 2025, to propose a communication with hope, so that we do not forget that Christ continues to change lives, forming apostles and sending them on mission.
Profile
Originally from Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing from IEST Anáhuac University. She has a professional career of more than 15 years in educational marketing, institutional communication and public relations. She collaborated in the UNID system, in the Semper Altius School Network and since 2020 in the communication of Regnum Christi in the territory of Northern Mexico.
Husband, father of a family, lay associate of Regnum Christi, he belongs to the section of Monterrey - Cumbres. Together with his wife, he collaborated in the program of Single Family Newlyweds, as well as in Mission Youth.
