June 24, 2026
David Delgado of the San Mateo Jubilee Circle has a job in the Puebla state government that is also part of his Jubilee ministry. It’s a holistic ministry of building bridges where there were none. He connects civil society with communities of faith. Social transformation happens … sometimes. So gather under the Jubilee tree to hear his story. Tell us what you think.
One of the questions I am frequently asked is how my work as Director of Attention to Civil Society and Religious Organizations relates to my participation in Jubilee Economics Ministries (JEM). At first glance they might seem like different areas, but in reality they are deeply connected by the same conviction: the strengthening of communities as agents of social transformation.
In my role supporting civil society and religious organizations, I have had the opportunity to work alongside associations, foundations, collectives, and faith communities that work daily to address the specific needs of their communities. This experience has allowed me to witness the enormous potential that organizations possess when they have the necessary tools, training, and opportunities for collaboration.
One of the most significant achievements has been the training of over 90 religious organizations on tax matters, as well as the legal and administrative benefits of formally registering as religious associations. These actions have contributed to providing greater legal certainty to faith communities and strengthening their institutional capacity to serve society.
This position has also allowed me to act as a mediator in at least ten religious conflicts. In some cases, these situations had the potential to escalate into serious community clashes and even acts of collective violence. Through dialogue, consensus-building, and seeking understanding between the parties, it was possible to preserve social peace and strengthen coexistence among communities with different faiths.
We fostered alliances between organizations committed to environmental protection and the Earth Charter initiative, resulting in the signing of collaboration agreements, one of which was signed by Lee Van Ham on behalf of Jubilee. Economics Ministries . In which organizations commit to living by ethical principles to build a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society. Its aim is to inspire a new sense of shared responsibility for the well-being of humanity and the planet and to genuinely defend the nature of which we are a part.
Jubilee Economics Ministries has allowed me to delve deeper into a holistic vision of human development inspired by the Jubilee principles: justice, solidarity, reconciliation, care for creation, and building resilient communities . This experience has helped me understand that social, economic, environmental, and spiritual challenges cannot be addressed in isolation, but rather as interconnected dimensions of the same reality.
|
