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National Organizations Working in Hispanic Ministry Respond to the Restructuring of the USCCB
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November 11, 2007
In August 2007, the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry (NCCHM) convened
a symposium with key leaders in Hispanic Ministry in San Antonio, Texas. Our primary
purpose was to better understand the current state of our ministry and its future
direction in view of the recent structural changes made by the USCCB. The gathering
was conducted respectfully and collaboratively. In this same spirit, we direct our
statement of concerns and commitments to the Bishops’ Subcommittee on Hispanic
Affairs, the membership of NCCHM, and other collaborators and leaders in ministry.
We begin by publicly thanking the bishops who spoke out against the Conference’s
decision to structurally subsume the Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs under a new,
Office for Cultural Diversity in the Church. We stand united with them and share
the following concerns:
First, we believe that the re-structuring plan may negatively impact the pastoral
care and leadership formation of Hispanics who are rapidly becoming the majority
of U.S. Catholics. The unique challenges and opportunities of this demographic shift
in church and society require resources and institutional support that may be diluted
by grouping Hispanic ministry along side other ethnic and racial ministries.
Second, we are concerned that the proposed, Office for Cultural Diversity in the
Church, structurally divides the Church into two groups – one for Catholics
who are white, and the other for Catholics who are not white according to the U.S.
Census Bureau. While we are certain that this is unintended, we believe that the
bishops should clearly define the mission of the new office to include all Catholics
working together in building unity in our cultural diversity.
Our disappointment and concern, however, do not take away from our unanimous agreement
to work even closer with our bishops, especially in the five priorities they will
address in the next three years, and in the immediate process of implementing the
restructuring plan. To this end, we offer the following recommendations:
- We invite the bishops to collaborate with us and other leaders in Hispanic Ministry
on all phases of planning and implementing the five priorities of the USCCB. This
will ensure that the strategies and actions for accomplishing the five priorities
are relevant and effective in the context of Hispanic Ministry.
- We are especially concerned with fostering Hispanic leadership that is faithful
to the guidelines of Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord, and responsive
to the aspirations and recommendations articulated by the young leaders who participated
in the first National Encuentro for Hispanic Youth and Young Adult Ministry. We
invite the bishops to an ongoing discernment and dialogue with us on how we can
together promote Hispanic leadership at all levels of church and society.
- We urge the bishops to clarify the mission of the Office for Cultural Diversity
in the Church. We hope that it is rooted in the vision of Encuentro 2000 to call
the whole Church to a deeper conversion, communion, and solidarity as
we recognize and honor the “Many Faces in God’s House.” This
clearly includes helping Euro-Americans understand that they too have ethnic cultures
and are part of the diversity that is called to unity in the Church.
- As the bishops have pointed out in Encuentro & Mission # 69, there
are risks and limitations to the “multicultural model” that consolidates
ministry to minority groups under one office. With this in mind, we urge the bishops
to clarify that the decision for a multicultural office in the USCCB is not meant
to serve as “the model” for Hispanic Ministry at the diocesan and
parish levels. Additionally, we ask the USCCB to evaluate and re-assess the decision
to cluster Hispanic Ministry in the Office for Cultural Diversity in the Church
at the end of the 3-year strategic plan
- Finally, we encourage the bishops to invite a representative group from the
National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry to present a more detailed report
on the findings and recommendations of the August symposium. This report will
be available in January, 2008 and we will forward a copy to each member of the
Bishops’ Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs.
We close by thanking you for listening to our concerns. We hope that you will take
our recommendations to heart as together we step into our future with confidence
and hope! As co-workers in the vineyard of Hispanic Ministry, we ask for your blessing
and prayers. We assure you of our faithful support and confidence in your leadership.
Sincerely,
The National Council for Hispanic Ministry, whose members include the following
organizations:
Amor en Acción
Asociación Nacional de Diáconos Hispanos
Asociación Nacional de Sacerdotes Hispanos
Augustinians Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel of Chicago
Barry University – Institute for Hispanic/Latino Theology
Blessed Nuno Society
Capuchin Order Province of St. Mary
Casa Romero Renewal Center
Catholic Extension – Nuestra Familia Católica Magazine
Catholic Migrant Farmworker Network, Inc.
Catholic Relief Services, SW
Catholic Theological Union/Oscar Romero Scholars
Charisma in Missions, Inc.
Christian Foundation for Children and Aging
Christian Life Community USA
Christian Renewal Center
The Conventual Franciscan Province of Our Lady of Consolation
Family Theater Productions
Federación de Institutos Pastorales
Harcourt Religion Publishers
Las Hermanas, USA
Hispanic Ministry Foundation - Mundelein Seminary
Hispanic Ministry Resource Center – Claretian Publications
Instituto Fe y Vida
Instituto Nacional Hispano de Liturgia
International Office of Renew
Jesuit Hispanic Ministry Conference
Hispanic Institute at the Jesuit School of Theology of Berkeley
Instituto Cultural de Liderazgo en el Medio Oriente
Liguori Publications - Libros Liguori
Liturgy Training Publications
Loyola Institute for Spirituality
Maryknoll Lay Missioners
Mexican American Cultural Center
Midwest Catholic Association for Hispanic Ministry
Missionary Cathechists of Divine Providence
Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity
Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity
National Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors for Hispanic Ministry
National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers
National Catholic Network of Pastoral Juvenil Hispana-La Red
National Organization of Cathechists for Hispanics
National Pastoral Life Center
Northeast Hispanic Catholic Center
Northwest Regional Office
Oblate School of Theology
Oregon Catholic Press
Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters
Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.
Pax Christi, USA
California Catholic Conference - Region XI/RECOSS
Redemptorist Fathers of San Juan, Inc.
The Religious of Jesus and Mary Provincialate
RENEW International
Revista Maryknoll/Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers
Sisters of Our Lady of Christian Doctrine
Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange
Society of Helpers Hispanic Ministry
Society of St. Sulpice
Southeast Regional Office for Hispanic Ministry
St. Vincent Seminary
Teresian Association
William Sadlier Publications
Boston College – Institute of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry
Movimiento Familiar Cristiano
National Cursillo Movement
If you would like to add your name to the list of signatures, please e-mail NCCHM
at ncchm1@aol.com and we will gladly do so.
Our Mission
The National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry provides a national network and forum for the religious, social, professional and civic advancement of Roman Catholic Hispanics in the United States. NCCHM is a vehicle for communication, reflection, dialogue and collaboration among national and regional ministerial/professional organizations, institutes, movements and religious congregations of men and women. NCCHM furthers the empowerment of Hispanics in both church and society by identifying, convoking and developing leadership among its member organizations and their constituencies.
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