The Archdiocese of Philadelphia Highlights Five New Missionaries From The Culture Project International

These missionaries will educate young people about the importance of self-respect and living chaste lives.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia is pleased to welcome five new missionaries from the Culture Project International for service in the five-county region. They are Bernie Senger IV, Laura Hilkert, Jenna Espiritu, Carlos Hernandez, and Sabrina Vizurraga.

The Culture Project (CP) was founded in 2014 by Cristina Barba Whalen, a graduate of Archbishop John Carroll High School. This initiative of young people working to restore culture through the experience of virtue is headquartered in Philadelphia.

In 2021, Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez approved the establishment of an official Culture Project International chapter to serve in ministry throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Since that time, missionaries have conducted presentations to young adults as well as middle school- and high school-aged students who attend private and Archdiocesan elementary and secondary schools, and PREP programs.

Over the next year, these faith-filled young men and women will build on the work of the missionary teams that served the local Church throughout the recent years. They will educate youth and young adults throughout the five-county region about the dignity of every human life as well as the freedom and beauty of living out virtue and authentic love. Their work is rooted in Catholic social teaching and Saint John Paul II’s groundbreaking work, Theology of the Body.

Background Information on the Culture Project Missionaries

Bernie Senger IV graduated in 2024 from Southeastern University with a degree in Organizational Leadership. He grew up in Califon, New Jersey and went to Immaculata High School where he first began to discover a passion for mission and theology. In his last year of college he felt the call to serve God more radically, and after finding the Culture Project online he knew that he wanted to help share the message that all people are created in love, for love by God. In his free time, Bernard enjoys lifting weights, motorsports, and studying philosophy and theology.

Laura Hilkert was born and raised in Danville, Pennsylvania where she attended and graduated high school. She loves sports and played soccer and lacrosse throughout her years of schooling. After discerning out of college, Laura joined the work force but eventually felt a call toward mission work. The Culture Project reached out to her after a referral from a friend and she fell in love with the message of creating a culture that is fully alive through encouraging others to live a life of virtue. “I became a missionary to encourage others in a way that wasn’t available to me growing up,” she said. “The idea of sharing the truth about authentic love with newer generations gives me hope that our culture can be restored.”

Jenna Espiritu is a 2024 graduate of Mount St. Mary’s University, where she earned a B.S. in Business. She grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, where her faith and community shaped her heart for service. Jenna was introduced to the Culture Project through other missionaries who encouraged her to look into the mission. As she learned more, she was drawn to the mission’s commitment to proclaiming human dignity and engaging young people in conversations about love and identity. Jenna believes today’s generation is longing for truth, even if they do not realize it.

Carlos Hernandez is a 2025 graduate of the University of Central Arkansas, holding a B.A. and a Master’s in Business Administration. He grew up in Grapevine, Texas, where he ran cross-country and track through both high school and college. The Culture Project’s talks and presentations on human dignity and its beauty at SEEK 2025 planted a seed in his heart. A year later, that idea took root, and he pursued the opportunity to serve as a Culture Project missionary. “The realization that everyone carries a deeper longing for a love that this world alone cannot satisfy is what leads me to want to share this truth and help others find and receive it,” he said.

Sabrina Vizurraga graduated from Benedictine College with a B.A. in English. She grew up just south of Denver, Colorado. During her time in college, Sabrina studied abroad in Chile in 2023 and participated in the Catholic Worldview Fellowship during the Jubilee year. She loves the Eucharist, Saint John Paul II, and Theology of the Body, which led her to the Culture Project. Initially Sabrina planned on being a high school English teacher, but realized her passion was not for literature but for sharing Christ’s radical love with high school and middle school students. “I hope to shine a ray of the Father’s love for His children,” she said. “We are made for love and by love Himself. We must embrace this identity as beloved.”

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Editor’s Note: To learn more about the Culture Project International, please visit https://thecultureproject.org/. To learn more about the Culture Project in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, visit https://archphila.org/thecultureproject/.

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Contact: Ellen J. Davidson
Communications Coordinator
215-587-3747 (office)