What began as a deeply personal act of faith has become a gift to the wider Church. Dr. Francisco Castillo, D.Min., a faculty member in the Institute for Ministry, recently celebrated a significant milestone: a liturgical song he co-created with composer Iván Díaz has been accepted for publication by GIA Publications.

Titled “Pan para todos” (“Bread for All”), the piece draws its inspiration from the Gospel story of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes—a powerful image of God’s abundance and the call to share generously with others. For Dr. Castillo, however, the song’s origins are as meaningful as its message. He wrote the lyrics and Iván composed the music for the First Communion of their sons, transforming their families' celebrations into a theological reflection on community, Eucharist, and justice. Today, those same sons are a college freshman and a high school senior, a reminder of how moments of formation can ripple outward over time.

That ripple has now reached a national stage. “Pan para todos” was selected as the Communion song for the closing liturgy of the 2026 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress—one of the largest Catholic gatherings in the country. In that setting, the song’s message of shared bread and shared responsibility resonated with thousands.

Dr. Castillo’s achievement reflects more than individual creativity; it embodies the mission of the Institute for Ministry’s academic unit. Faculty are not only scholars but also practitioners who bring theology to life in pastoral, liturgical, and communal contexts. This integration of scholarship, ministry, and lived experience is at the heart of the Institute’s work: forming leaders who can translate faith into practice in ways that nourish both local communities and the broader Church.

In “Pan para todos,” we see that mission made audible—a song born of friendship and family, shaped by theological insight, and now feeding the faith of a much larger community.