Greetings!
Alejandro Aguilera-Titus,
Asst. Director, SCHA
Welcome to the Hispanic/Latino Ministry web-page at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
New Structure: As you know, the new structure of the USCCB went into effect on January 1, 2008. Hispanic/Latino Ministry is now located under the new Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church which is led by Fr. Allan Deck and has a total of eleven staff members, four of which are Hispanics/Latinos. Our responsibility is to serve the Committee for Cultural Diversity in the Church (CDC), and its five Episcopal Subcommittees in their pastoral work which is led by Archbishop Josι H. Gσmez. Currently, Bishop Richard Garcia is the Chairman of the Subcommittee of Bishops for Hispanic/Latino Affairs.
New Way of Working: In the next three years, the Conference will center its efforts on five priorities which will be developed by five Task Forces representative of different bishops committees. Two of the Task Forces will be facilitated by Hispanic bishops: Bishop Ricardo Ramνrez (Cultural Diversity in the Church), and Bishop Gabino Zavala (Pastoral Initiative on Marriage). The other three priorities are: Formation in the Faith with Emphasis on the Sacramental Practices, Vocations to the Priesthood and to the Religious Life, and Life and Dignity of the Human Person. As you can see, the Hispanic bishops are exercising their leadership in the planning process that will guide the work of the entire Conference for the next few years.
New Beginning: New opportunities for growth and transformation emerge amid the pastoral, economic, legislative and cultural challenges we face today. In the midst of uncertainty and of new beginnings, there are lights that illuminate the road ahead of us and give direction. The leadership in Hispanic ministry has the experience, and knows first-hand how to better serve our Hispanic/Latinos brothers and sisters in a spirit of deep ecclesial unity with all the members of the Body of Christ.
New Role: My position inside the new Secretariat is as Assistant Director and I have direct responsibility for Hispanic ministry. As usual, I remain at your service and may be reached at aaguilera@usccb.org or at (202) 541-3155. I am confident that the relationship between Hispanic/Latino ministry and the Subcommittee of Hispanic/Latino Affairs, and the Episcopal Conference in general, will be fortified and will continue to be very fruitful in the upcoming years.
Great Promise: With more than 30 million Catholic Hispanic/Latino Catholics living in the United States, the future of the Church depends in great measure on the leadership that we offer and much in the same manner as the bishops describe it in Encuentro & Mission: A Renewed Pastoral Framework for Hispanic Ministry. The wealth of our historical memory, the ecclesial clarity of the Bishops documents on Hispanic ministry, and the vitality of our communities are some of the ingredients that generate the most promise in the Church today. I invite you to share, with even more generosity, your vision, perspectives, gifts and values in building the reign of God in your diocese and in the nation. In a special way, I invite you to seek creative ways to strengthen the Pastoral de Conjunto within your parishes and in your diocese. Let us continue being bridge- people as modeled in Encuentro & Mission. Let us live in joy today and tomorrow the call of Juan Paul II to "make the Church the home and the school of communion."
Alejandro Aguilera-Titus
Assistant Director
Mr. Alejandro Aguilera-Titus is Assistant Director of the Secretariat for Cultural Diversity in the Church. He has twenty five years of experience in ministry with a strong emphasis on leadership development and formation, catechesis, pastoral planning and ministry with young people. He is a nationally known speaker and writer highly regarded for his practical application of theological thought to pastoral ministry and formation. Mr. Aguilera-Titus is an adjunct faculty member at Mount Saint Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
In addition to his work with the Secretariat on Cultural Diversity in the Church, Mr. Aguilera-Titus serves as staff to the USCCBS Task Force for the Spanish-language Bible for America. His participation at the closing of the Synod for America, as special guest, and his involvement on Continental projects have made him a key player on the implementation of the Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in America. Mr. Aguilera-Titus is a valuable resource on theological-pastoral reflection, ecclesiology, catechesis and inculturation.
Mr. Aguilera-Titus holds a M.A. in Theology from the University of Portland and a B.A. in Communications with a minor in Philosophy from the Universidad Iberoamericana, in Mexico City. He sits on the board of a number of national Catholic organizations including the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry, the National Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors for Hispanic Ministry, and the National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana.