Issued by USCCB, November 13, 2002
Copyright © 2002, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc. All rights reserved.

Contents

• Preface
  
• Introduction
  
• Remembering the Past with Gratitude
  
• Living the Present with Enthusiasm
  
• Looking Forward to the Future with Confidence
• Pastoral Application
• Appendix

Preface

1. We, the bishops of the United States, have heard the voices of Hispanic leaders—both laity and clergy. We especially affirm those pastoral efforts of Hispanic ministry that promote the general objective and the specific dimensions of the 1987 National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry ("National Pastoral Plan" or "Pastoral Plan"). This pastoral statement, Encuentro and Mission: A Renewed Pastoral Framework for Hispanic Ministry, is addressed to all Catholics, but particularly to pastoral leaders involved in ministry among Hispanics. This pastoral statement provides basic pastoral principles, priorities, and suggested actions to develop efforts in Hispanic ministry while strengthening the unity of the Church in the United States. To ensure continuity in ministry among Hispanics, Encuentro and Mission serves as an addendum to the National Pastoral Plan and is meant to be a new pastoral framework to assist dioceses, parishes, and Catholic organizations and institutions in their response to the Hispanic presence. As such, Encuentro and Mission is a pastoral framework to help further develop ministry among Hispanics.

2. The titles chosen for sections of this pastoral statement are inspired by Pope John Paul II's pastoral letter Novo Millennio Ineunte, in which the Holy Father echoes Jesus' invitation to the apostles to "put out into the deep" for a catch—"Duc in altum." These words ring out for us today, inviting us to remember the past of Hispanic ministry with gratitude, to live the present challenges and opportunities with enthusiasm, and to look forward to the future of Hispanic ministry with confidence. These words have also been echoed by those in Hispanic ministry leadership as they read the signs of the times, seize the opportunity for action, and expand the vision of Hispanic ministry in order to respond to the Hispanic presence in a culturally diverse context.

3. The basic pastoral principles and priorities and the suggested actions included in this pastoral statement are framed for Hispanic ministry. However, they can also serve as a tool for all communities and ministries seeking to respond to the challenges and opportunities presented to the Church in the United States by the diversity of cultures in our faith communities.


Introduction

4. In February 2001, the U.S. Catholic bishops' Committee on Hispanic Affairs convened a national symposium with the leadership of Hispanic ministry in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The purpose of the symposium was to assess and develop Hispanic ministry efforts further while strengthening the unity of the Body of Christ in our increasingly culturally diverse communities. Keenly aware of the pastoral nuances and challenges facing the Church, the bishops' committee asked the leadership to review existing pastoral priorities based on the values and principles of the 1987 National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry,¹ Encuentro 2000: Many Faces in God's House,² the pastoral challenges of Ecclesia in America,³ the New Evangelization,⁴ and recent demographic data on the Hispanic presence in the United States.

5. The National Symposium to Refocus Hispanic Ministry included the participation of sixty representatives from national and regional Catholic Hispanic organizations and representatives from the USCCB's Department of Migration and Refugee Services; the Catholic Campaign for Human Development; the Secretariat for Family, Laity, Women, and Youth; and the Secretariat for Evangelization.

6. This pastoral statement, Encuentro and Mission, is our response to the voices of the leadership of Hispanic ministry about the Hispanic presence at the beginning of the new millennium. Hispanic Catholics are a blessing from God and a prophetic presence that has transformed many dioceses and parishes into more welcoming, vibrant, and evangelizing faith communities. We bishops see Hispanic ministry as an integral part of the life and mission of the Church.

Growth of Hispanic Ministry
7. Hispanic ministry has experienced tremendous growth in the United States since the mid-1980s. This growth has taken place during the experience of three national Encuentros, the development of the Pastoral Plan, an increase in the number of Hispanic Catholic organizations, and a growing pastoral effort in dioceses and parishes to welcome and serve Hispanic Catholics. Our response to the Hispanic⁵ presence, coupled with the prophetic voices and actions of Hispanic Catholics throughout the country, has brought Hispanic ministry to a crossroads at the beginning of a new century. Today, Hispanic ministry faces two central questions. First, what model of leadership will Hispanic Catholics offer as they continue to become a strong presence within the Catholic Church in the United States? And second, how will this model strengthen the unity of the body of Christ in increasingly culturally diverse communities?

A Response to Culturally Diverse Communities
8. As a response to the challenges of serving culturally diverse communities, and especially the Hispanic community, we convened a national intercultural gathering during the Jubilee Year. The Committee on Hispanic Affairs and Hispanic Catholics served as the hosts and lead agents of Encuentro 2000: Many Faces in God's House, which took place in Los Angeles, California, in July 2000. Encuentro 2000 marked the first time that the Church in the United States gathered to recognize, affirm, and celebrate the cultural and racial diversity of its members. With the participation of more than five thousand leaders representing the many faces of the Church—from 150 dioceses and 157 different ethnic groups and nationalities⁶—Encuentro 2000 inspired and challenged Catholics in the United States to embrace a Catholic vision for the third millennium in which all are welcomed to the Father's table.

A New Phase for Hispanic Ministry
9. We are aware that the implementation of the values and principles of Encuentro 2000 is a long-term process, one of building unity and solidarity among all Catholics. The Hispanic presence reminds the Church that people of different nationalities bring with them beautiful and useful gifts that are usually embraced by the broader community. We are called to "welcome the stranger among us"⁷ and to build more welcoming, evangelizing, and missionary faith communities.

10. For Hispanic ministry, a new phase should include further development in three fundamental areas: (1) ministry structures and network, (2) relationship building and collaboration, and (3) active participation. Structures and ministry networks that have effectively served the ministry should be strengthened, such as diocesan and regional offices and pastoral institutes. Hispanic ministry should build closer relationships and collaboration with ethnic, racial, and ministerial groups and organizations. In addition, ministry efforts should foster the active participation of Hispanic Catholics in the social mission of the Church.

Remembering the Past with Gratitude

Historical Memory of Hispanic Ministry
11. Hispanic ministry leaders have generated a memoria histórica (historical memory) and a unique identity since the first establishment of a national office for Hispanic ministry in 1945. Some aspects of this identity are expressed in the themes of the Encuentros: Pueblo de Dios en Marcha/People of God on the Journey, Voces Proféticas/Prophetic Voices, Muchos Rostros en la Casa de Dios/Many Faces in God's House. We have recorded the unique history of Hispanic Catholics in the United States in our publications of the proceedings of the I, II, and III National Encuentros, as well as in many other publications.⁸

12. Because Hispanics are a blessing to the entire Church in the United States, and because Hispanic ministry is integral to its mission, appreciating and embracing the contributions this community has made are important. Hispanic Catholics have developed a vision of ministry inspired by the social and ecclesiological context of the Second Vatican Council in the United States and in Latin America. This vision is articulated in the Pastoral Plan as a model of Church that seeks to strengthen communion and participation with a strong emphasis on evangelization, social justice, and the integral education of the faithful. All leaders in the Church are called to bring Hispanics and all other Catholics to a deeper love of Jesus Christ, of the Catholic faith, and of Mary, the mother of God. In addition, the Pastoral Plan calls for the assessment of needs, the establishment of priorities, and the development of strategies to respond to needs and aspirations of Hispanics in the United States. The vision of the National Pastoral Plan and its continued implementation has helped to promote a ministry that goes beyond Hispanics. This understanding is articulated in the Encuentro 2000 parish guide Many Faces in God's House,⁹ with its Catholic vision for the new millennium. Many Faces in God's House seeks to strengthen the unity of the Body of Christ while honoring and celebrating the cultural diversity of the Church.

13. Over the years, Hispanic ministry leaders have identified values and principles that have guided the development of Hispanic ministry and its historical memory. Several of these values and principles are discussed here.

1. Common Faith, Culture, and Language
14. Hispanics have emerged from the blending of different races and cultures, which has resulted in a new people. Even though Hispanics find their ancestors in many different countries, most share a common faith and language, as well as a culture rooted in the Catholic faith. These elements, which give a common identity to Latin American and Caribbean people, are even more important for Hispanics in the United States as they struggle to define their own identity in a culturally diverse context and under pressure to assimilate. The commitment of Hispanics to become active participants and to offer their unique contributions in the life of the Church and society—versus being assimilated—has been a key value and principle for Hispanics in ministry.

2. A Culture Born Catholic
15. Since the first Spanish missionaries brought the Catholic faith to the new continent, many of the gospel values and church traditions became inculturated into the cultures of the Latin American people. These values include a profound faith in God, a strong sense of solidarity, an authentic Marian devotion, and a rich popular religiosity. Hispanics have a profound respect for the human person and value relationships over tasks or possessions. Personal relationships are at the heart of a spirituality of encuentro and the need to develop strong family, community, and parish ties. Hispanics understand culture as an integral part of the human person that should be respected and honored.¹⁰

3. A Profound Ecclesial Vocation
16. Hispanics have a profound ecclesial vocation that leads them to work hard at belonging to the Church in a more meaningful way. This has been the case in the process of the National Encuentros, Convocation '95, and other important events that we have convened and that have been affirmed by the Holy See. This ecclesial vocation has raised the level of awareness of the Hispanic presence—the presence of a population that will continue to have an impact on the life of the Church for years to come. The desire to promote collaboration with ministries of other ethnic communities has strengthened the ecclesial identity of Hispanic Catholics. Most importantly, this desire has defined Hispanic ministry as integral to the mission of the Church and as key to its future.

4. A Prophetic Model of Church
17. Hispanic ministry leaders, with the full approval of the U.S. bishops, have articulated a model of Church that is deeply rooted in the reality of Hispanic peoples. As such, this model of Church seeks to respond to the needs and aspirations of the poor, the undocumented, the migrant workers, the incarcerated, and the most vulnerable, particularly women and children. This prophetic model calls for a strong commitment to social justice, for advocacy and action in favor of new immigrant families and young people, and for the empowerment of Hispanics and all Catholics to enter into the full life of the Church and society.

5. Leadership Understood as Discipleship
18. Since the I National Encuentro (1972), Hispanic Catholics have understood leadership as discipleship, and pastoral ministry as seguimiento (accompaniment). This model of leadership in ministry, which is based on Jesus' call to follow him, has two dimensions. The first is the encounter with Christ, which leads to conversion and to a personal relationship with the Lord. This relationship with Christ generates a mística and a spirituality that permeate every aspect of the faithful's life-journey as members of the Church. The second element of seguimiento is the commitment to follow Jesus by continuing his mission to be leaven for the reign of God in the world.

6. A Pastoral de Conjunto (Communion in Mission)
19. The principle of pastoral de conjunto (communion in mission) has been key to incorporating Hispanic ministry in dioceses and parishes.¹¹

20. Pastoral de conjunto has led to the promotion of diocesan offices for Hispanic ministry and the increase in the number of parishes serving Hispanics. To date, over 75 percent of the dioceses have an office for Hispanic ministry, and almost four thousand parishes provide pastoral services to Hispanics in the Spanish language.¹² In addition, pastoral de conjunto has helped to encourage development and growth in the number of Hispanic Catholic organizations and apostolic movements. The principle of pastoral de conjunto can serve the broader Church by modeling and promoting collaborative ministry as an effective vehicle for carrying out the mission of the Church. Regional offices for Hispanic ministry and national Catholic organizations and apostolic movements have been effective promoters of this principle as they work with the local church.

7. A Process of Consultation
21. Since the I National Encuentro (1972), Hispanics have used a methodology of pastoral discernment that focuses on the needs and aspirations of the faithful, judges that reality in light of the Scriptures and Tradition, and moves into transforming action. This methodology, known as SEE—JUDGE—ACT—CELEBRATE—EVALUATE, has generated critical thinking and a strong commitment on the part of the leadership to the mission of the Church. This methodology has also led to strategies and pastoral actions that are relevant, timely, and effective. The components of celebration and evaluation have been very helpful in renewing and redirecting the efforts of Hispanic ministry over the years. This methodology has been applied in the context of a consultation process that promotes participation and works under the assumption that how we do things is as important as what we do.


Living the Present with Enthusiasm

The Pastoral Vision of the National Pastoral Plan
22. The 1987 National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry has been a beacon for dioceses and parishes serving Hispanic Catholics in the United States. The Pastoral Plan offers an evangelizing ecclesial model and pastoral principles that have strengthened the ministry since its approval in 1987. The vision that the Pastoral Plan offers, as articulated in its general objective,13 resulted from the consultative and pastoral theological reflection processes of the national Encuentros of 1972, 1977, and 1985.

23. The vision, values, and pastoral priorities established in the Pastoral Plan are still relevant today. However, the "signs of the times" call for refocusing our efforts in ministry. One sign is the ever-growing Hispanic presence in the United States. Another is the unprecedented leadership role that Hispanic Catholics will play in building the future of the Church. A third sign is the Church's concern with the growing number of Hispanics who are joining other Christian denominations or religious traditions. A critical fourth sign is the emergence of new leadership in need of training and formation on the values and principles of the National Pastoral Plan and of Encuentro 2000.

24. Encuentro and Mission revisits our pastoral dimensions that have been developed and implemented since 1987. In this renewed framework, we offer new perspectives and challenge pastoral leaders to appreciate the efforts of the past while responding to the ministry efforts of a new generation of lay and ordained leaders.

Response to the Call for a New Evangelization
25. Pope John Paul II, in emphasizing the urgent need for humanity to listen to Jesus Christ's message of hope, has called for a New Evangelization. This renewed commitment to evangelization was already present in each of the priorities of the II Encuentro (1977), and it was included as one of the four specific dimensions in the Pastoral Plan (the other three being pastoral de conjunto, missionary option, and formation).

26. Evangelization is the fundamental mission of the Church. It is also an ongoing process of encountering Christ, a process that Hispanic Catholics have taken to heart in their pastoral planning. This process generates a mística (mystical theology) and a spirituality that lead to conversion, communion, and solidarity, touching every dimension of Christian life and transforming every human situation. As we have said in our national plan for evangelization, Go and Make Disciples, "The fruit of evangelization is changed lives and a changed world—holiness and justice, spirituality and peace."¹⁴.

27. In order to reach out more effectively to inactive Hispanic Catholics and the unchurched, we recommend that the New Evangelization, with its emphasis on spirituality and mística, be integral to all the specific dimensions of the Pastoral Plan. That is, the New Evangelization must now become an integral part of pastoral de conjunto, missionary option, and formation. This is of particular importance as Hispanics continue to be lured away to fundamentalist groups.

28. A new fourth pastoral dimension for Hispanic ministry is that of liturgy and prayer life, a dimension of Christian life that was witnessed in the first Christian communities (Acts 2:42-47). Liturgy and prayer life were included in the National Pastoral Plan under spirituality and mística, but with this renewed framework they become a distinct dimension that is also infused with the New Evangelization.

A Call to Build and Nurture Community
29. Just as the New Evangelization, with its emphasis on encountering the living Jesus Christ, suffuses each specific dimension for Hispanic ministry, so does the building of the reign of God, with its emphasis on communion and solidarity. Every action taken in the life of the faith community should nurture and strengthen the fraternal bonds between all its members. Whether through a formation program, an advocacy strategy, a liturgical celebration, or a whole pastoral plan, fraternal human relationships and a truly Christian experience of community should be strengthened within each cultural group and across all cultures.

Specific Dimensions for a Comprehensive Hispanic Ministry

1. The New Evangelization and Formation

"They devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles. . . ." (Acts 2:42)

Wisdom is communicated, transmitted, shared. It requires an interpersonal relationship with those who possess it. That is why wisdom is related to the experience of community, of a common culture, of being a people. The wisdom at the heart of the formation for which the Pastoral Plan calls is the wisdom of the Church.¹⁵

"Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles." (Acts 2:43)

"All who believed were together and had all things in common. . . ." (Acts 2:44)

"Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart, praising God. . . ." (Acts 2:46)

When solidly rooted in Scripture, church tradition, and Hispanic religiosity, small church communities constitute a new moment in the Church's self-understanding, epitomizing the celebration and proclamation of the Church. These gatherings of the People of God are integrally linked to the parish, and through it, to the diocesan and universal Church.²¹

53. As a responsibility of the entire Church, the Hispanic presence calls for the strongest pastoral response from every diocese and parish where Hispanic Catholics live. This most important ministry also calls for an equally strong pastoral response on the part of all Catholic institutions and organizations, particularly those involved in education, social services, and advocacy.

54. The following suggested actions are based on recommendations generated by the more than sixty representatives from national and regional organizations who participated in the National Symposium to Refocus Hispanic Ministry for the New Century, which took place in spring 2001. The recommendations were reviewed by our Committee on Hispanic Affairs and are organized under the four specific dimensions of this pastoral statement, Encuentro and Mission:

1. The New Evangelization and formation
   
2. The New Evangelization and missionary option
   
3. The New Evangelization and pastoral de conjunto
   
4. The New Evangelization and liturgy and prayer life
   

1. Develop and support programs designed to help Hispanic lay people attain degrees for church ministry. This includes identifying financial resources for ministers' professional development in collaboration with colleges, universities, and other programs committed to the higher education of Hispanic Catholics in ministry.
   
   
2. Support the hiring of a diocesan coordinator and of DREs able to train and support Hispanic catechists and the people they serve in catechetical programs and new evangelizing efforts in the parishes. These programs and efforts should emphasize education in the faith, especially through Catholic education during all school years.
   
   
3. Include Hispanics and other ethnic communities in the planning and implementation of catechetical, evangelization, and ministry development programs, celebrations, and other diocesan and parish activities. Active participation in certification programs and ongoing education are of particular importance.
   

1. Strengthen and develop formation programs for ordained, religious, and lay ecclesial ministers that include the particularity of each group. Offices for Hispanic ministry should collaborate with schools, colleges, and universities, as well as with seminaries. Formation of all ministers is an extended process in which Hispanics are ministers of the entire Church, not only of Hispanics.
   
   
2. Include the perspective of women and young people in formation programs by using a methodology of social analysis that focuses on their reality, experiences, and contributions.
   
   
3. Incorporate Hispanic ministry, culture, and language into programs in offices of evangelization, religious education, and formation, as well as in seminaries. Seminarians must learn Spanish and become familiar with Hispanic culture. Also, provide clergy and religious with opportunities to learn Spanish and to gain an understanding of the customs, cultures, and histories of Latin America. This is no longer an option—it is a need.

1. Develop—in collaboration between offices for Hispanic ministry, departments of evangelization and religious education, and other departments—catechetical, pastoral, and theological formation programs designed for Hispanics.
   
   
2. Form ministers able to serve in a culturally diverse context. The formation of all ministers, including Hispanic deacons, should affirm cultural and ministerial identity. Leadership skills, social analysis, community organizing, and pastoral planning should also be included. A Spanish-track program, one of equal quality with the English track, is encouraged.
   
   
3. Develop guidelines for culturally diverse formation programs that include the vision, values, and principles of the Pastoral Plan for Hispanic ministry, of the renewed pastoral framework given in Encuentro and Mission, and of other documents.²³

1. Support young Hispanics on their educational attainment efforts, catechetical formation, and human and leadership development. Promoting the involvement of Hispanics in school boards, education commissions, and parent organizations can be a key component of this effort.
   
   
2. Parish leaders must collaborate with public school officials, teachers, and especially parents to help improve the educational attainment level of Hispanic young people, the majority of whom attend public schools. Dioceses and parishes should take steps to help increase Catholic school accessibility and attendance by Hispanic children, possibly through scholarships and other incentives.
   
   
3. Encourage religious congregations to renew their historic commitment to Catholic education in communities that are poor and immigrant, especially in the Hispanic community.
   
   
4. Promote the inclusion of different ethnic and cultural perspectives in the curricula of elementary, middle, and high schools. Involvement of Hispanic professionals as mentors and the hiring of more Hispanic teachers can be particularly effective in this effort.

1. Develop strategies to strengthen Hispanic families in their personal relationships with Jesus Christ by implementing the strategies and actions outlined in Go and Make Disciples. Small ecclesial communities, apostolic movements, and specific programs on the New Evangelization are effective in reaching out to inactive Catholics and the unchurched.
   
   
2. Encourage and engage Hispanic professionals in active participation in the life of the Church. This should be done through a personal invitation to celebrate, dialogue about, and discern the leadership role of Hispanics in the Church.
   
   
3. Open doors for ecumenical and interfaith dialogue and collaboration with Hispanics from other Christian traditions. Special attention should be given to families whose members belong to different faith traditions.

1. Develop youth and young adult ministry models that effectively reach both U.S.-born and newly arrived Hispanics who live in culturally diverse parishes and dioceses. A collaborative effort between the offices for Hispanic ministry and youth ministry is key to carrying out this action.
   
   
2. Involve Hispanic young people and families in the plans and programs of diocesan offices for youth and family ministry. Involvement is measured by the level of participation of Hispanics and other ethnic communities in the planning and implementation of youth and family diocesan celebrations, gatherings, and parish activities.
   
   
3. Promote the leadership and spiritual development of women and their inclusion in key positions of ministry with an equal-pay policy. This may also include developing a process to invite and consult with Hispanic lay women who exercise a natural leadership in the Church and who need assistance and support for their development.
   
   
4. Promote the family as domestic church, and develop programs for family catechesis, spiritual direction, and human development. Special attention should be given to Hispanic families affected by divorce, single parenting, domestic violence, and isolation of the elderly and people with disabilities.

1. Strengthen the commitment and promote the active participation of Hispanic Catholics in the areas of social justice—including pro-life concerns—civic responsibility, and working for the common good in their parishes and communities. The diocesan office for Hispanic ministry, in collaboration with the state Catholic conference, should promote legislation that supports educational opportunities for young people at risk and programs to reach new immigrants.
   
   
2. Intensify advocacy efforts on behalf of new immigrants, poor families, disadvantaged young people, and those suffering from discrimination and abuse by working more closely with advocacy groups and the state Catholic conferences. Special attention should be given to undocumented immigrants affected by family separation, fear of deportation, discrimination, and violence.
   
   
3. Involve Hispanics and other professionals in the life of the Church, and create opportunities for them to contribute their talent, time, and treasure. This effort requires identifying Hispanic professionals and creating opportunities for dialogue and collaboration. In addition, it should affirm the contribution of Hispanic women to Church and society and further promote their formation, leadership development, and placement in decision-making positions.

1. Strengthen the safety net for all people, especially women and children suffering from domestic violence, sexual abuse, abortion, chemical dependency, gang activity, and alcoholism. This effort should include consideration of working with local authorities and organizations to establish centers with interpreters for family services that provide counseling and support to Hispanic families, women, and young people.
   
   
2. Develop ministries with the incarcerated and their families, including programs that mentor those recently released from jail and reentering society.
   
   
3. Promote dialogue with Hispanics from other Christian denominations, and encourage collaboration on common issues that affect the lives of Hispanic families.

1. Promote the understanding that Hispanic Catholics are full members of the Body of Christ and are a blessing to the entire Church, and that Hispanic ministry is integral to its mission. This understanding empowers the ministerial leadership to provide regular opportunities for the faithful to come together to have a personal encounter with the living Jesus Christ. All Catholics should be given the opportunity to commit and contribute to the mission of Christ while honoring cultural differences.
   
   
2. Engage diocesan and parish leadership in a pastoral planning process based on the vision and mission articulated in the Pastoral Plan. This process is most effective when convened by the bishop and supported by the pastors and diocesan and parish leaders.
   
   
3. Establish formal channels of communication between the bishop and the diocesan director for Hispanic ministry, and create opportunities for ongoing dialogue with pastors and other parish leaders.

1. Establish, in each diocese, an office for Hispanic ministry to coordinate pastoral efforts based on the Pastoral Plan and this renewed framework, Encuentro and Mission. The office should serve as a resource to parishes and other ministries. Parishes with a Hispanic population within their boundaries should find ways to serve Hispanic Catholics.
   
   
2. Strengthen Hispanic ministry structures such as diocesan, parish, and regional ministry offices and centers for pastoral formation. This effort should include adequate resources and support for implementation of programs and projects.
   
   
3. Promote and support small ecclesial communities and apostolic movements, especially those serving young people, women, and families, with New Evangelization efforts.

1. Establish channels of communication between the different departments, offices, and agencies within diocesan and parish structures. This is particularly important during the planning process since the work of the office for Hispanic ministry often includes multiple ministry areas, such as youth, family, religious education, catechesis, liturgy, and advocacy.
   
   
2. Build relationships with leadership in all ministries to achieve a common vision and pastoral planning process. Such relationships should lead to common projects and programs that build the unity of the Church and gather Catholics from different ethnic and cultural groups.
   
   
3. Create a place for Hispanics and other ethnic and cultural communities at the table where decisions are made. This involves decisions that affect the Church as a whole, not only a particular community or ministry. The bishop's cabinet, diocesan and parish councils, financial committees, Catholic universities and theological institutes, commissions, and advisory groups are some examples where broader participation is needed.

1. Develop Hispanic leaders able to minister in the context of a culturally diverse and pluralistic society while strengthening their Hispanic cultural and ministerial identity. This requires that the Church honor, embrace, and bridge the cultural, racial, and linguistic differences.
   
   
2. Promote the involvement of Hispanic church professionals as leaders and experts in different ministries and disciplines, not only in Hispanic ministry issues. This is particularly important in planning diocesan events such as catechetical conferences, youth conventions, ministerial days, and formation programs.
   
   
3. In collaboration with the office for social concerns and the state Catholic conferences, offices for Hispanic ministry should educate Hispanic Catholics about public policy issues and processes as well as basic community organizing skills. The diocesan office for Hispanic ministry should promote political legislative action on issues affecting Hispanics and other Catholics, such as immigration, human rights, and education.

1. Multiply the number of parishes equipped to celebrate the liturgy in Spanish, particularly the celebration of the Sunday Eucharist. This effort should include the formation of committees for the liturgy in Spanish that closely collaborate with the pastor and parish staff.
   
   
2. Deepen the experience of welcoming and communion in the liturgy in dioceses and parishes. Foster liturgical and religious expressions including the careful selection of music, the creation of environment and art, and a sensitivity to the precise use of languages. This involves making ritual books and other liturgical resources readily available in Spanish.
   
   
3. Affirm and support Hispanic Catholics seeking the sacraments, particularly when their situation requires special attention. Provide timely information and preparation classes in Spanish to the faithful about the requirements for receiving the sacraments. A welcoming attitude and personal attention are essential.

1. Identify important cultural events and moments in the life of the local community for which liturgical celebrations would be most relevant.
   
   
2. Develop or continue emphasis on evangelization and the use of Catholic devotions in liturgical formation programs for all Catholic ministers, particularly Hispanics.
   
   
3. Provide Eucharistic liturgies or prayer services in times of difficulty and during civic events that affect the life of Catholics, particularly Hispanics.

1. Develop and provide—through collaboration between the diocesan offices for worship and for Hispanic ministry—training to ordained and other liturgical ministers in Spanish, particularly in the areas of preaching and selection of liturgical music.
   
   
2. Provide opportunities for formation and immersion experiences that serve to foster better understanding of popular religiosity among different Hispanic Catholic communities and their inclusion in liturgical celebrations and traditional fiestas.
   
   
3. Place greater emphasis on the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults among Hispanics in order to respond to the growing number of Protestant-raised Hispanics seeking admission into the Catholic Church.

1. Provide opportunities that promote a spiritual understanding of the liturgy as a culturally diverse celebration of the faith community that is a common and dynamic spiritual encounter, a mística, with God in the search for unity in our diversity.
   
   
2. Develop guidelines and models for culturally diverse liturgies. This should involve the participation of Hispanics and members of other ethnic groups in the planning and implementation stages of liturgical celebrations. The use of cultural gestures and symbols during these celebrations is strongly recommended, as well as the promotion of different forms of personal, familial, and small community prayer in everyday life.
   
   
3. Encourage diocesan and parish leaders to ensure that diocesan liturgies are inclusive of the cultures and languages present in the diocese. The liturgies of the Encuentro 2000 national event offer an excellent model for culturally diverse liturgies.
   
   
4. Incorporate popular faith expressions—such as devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints—into liturgical celebrations. Use the preparation and organization times before country patron saints' celebrations and other popular religiosity practices as opportunities to evangelize and to provide ongoing spiritual formation and leadership development.

59. Ministry among Hispanics requires an openness to pastoral and social realities that challenge the Church to respond with new ardor, methods, and expressions in ministry. For this reason, collaboration and communion in mission are critical for an effective ministry. It is not possible for one ministry, or one minister, to do everything that is required. Guidelines for ministering among Hispanics may be helpful in responding to pastoral and social needs, but they must come from the local church. While each parish is different, common elements can be effective in an implementation process.

Mission
60. Hispanic ministry is the Church's response to the Hispanic presence. This ministry must be seen as an integral part of the life and mission of the Church in this country. We must be relentless in seeking ways to promote and facilitate the full incorporation of Hispanic Catholics into the life of the Church and its mission. It entails a collaborative effort with the entire community and honors their history, their faith traditions, and the contributions Hispanic Catholics have made in service to the Church and society.

Vision
61. The National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry provides a general objective and four pastoral dimensions that guide the ministry and serve as the basis for pastoral planning for parishes, dioceses, and Catholic organizations. The general objective calls the faithful to live and promote the unity of the body of Christ and its mission through faith communities and Catholic organizations. This call is defined through the following pastoral priorities.²⁴

1. Welcome all the baptized and build community.
   
2. Reach out to the baptized who may not be involved in the life of the Church and those who do not know Christ.
   
3. Affirm and promote the cultural identity of Hispanics and of all the faithful.
   
4. Celebrate and express the faith in a spirit of communion and participation.
   
5. Promote and be an example of justice through a spirit of solidarity with the most vulnerable.
   
6. Invite and provide formation to Hispanic leaders through an evangelizing catechesis that prepares them to teach and serve the Hispanic and other Catholic communities.
   
7. Build faith communities in which all cultures are constantly transformed by gospel values in order to be leaven for the reign of God in society.

It helps now and then, to step back and take the long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work. Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us.

No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection, no pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the Church's mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about: We plant seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capacity.

We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.

¹ U.S. Catholic Bishops, National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry (1987), in U.S. Catholic Bishops, Hispanic Ministry: Three Major Documents (Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1995). Also referred to herein as "National Pastoral Plan" or "Pastoral Plan."

² The National Celebration of Jubilee 2000, Encuentro 2000: Many Faces in God's House, in Los Angeles, Calif., July 6-9, 2000, was hosted by Hispanic Catholics and focused on hospitality and strengthening the unity of the Church in a cultural context.

³ John Paul II, post-synodal apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in America (Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1999).

⁴ John Paul II, Address to the Assembly of CELAM (March 9, 1983), III: AAS 75 (1983), 778.

⁵ The term "Hispanic" was used during the 1970 Census and was adopted by the church leadership of the time to help define a people with a common identity, vision, and mission. It has been integral to the memoria histórica of Hispanic ministry since 1970 and continues to be integral to the pastoral efforts of the entire Church today. In recent years, the term "Latino" has become widely used by church and community leaders, particularly in urban areas. It is a self-identifying term that has emerged from the community and is embraced by the Church. Even though this population is labeled "Hispanic," however, it is essential for understanding and for effective working relationships to recognize that the people come from different countries and come with special identities. The binding forces are the faith tradition, language, and values.

⁶ U.S. Catholic Bishops, Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs, Message from the Director, En Marcha (Summer 2000): 2.

⁷ See U.S. Catholic Bishops, Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity (Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2000).

⁸ Our other publications reflecting the history of U.S. Hispanic Catholics include the following: The Bishops Speak with the Virgin; The Hispanic Presence: Challenge and Commitment; the National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry; Communion and Mission: A Guide for Bishops and Pastoral Leaders on Small Church Communities; The Hispanic Presence in the New Evangelization in the United States; Reconciled Through Christ: On Reconciliation and Greater Collaboration Between Hispanic American Catholics and African American Catholics; and Encuentro 2000: Many Faces in God's House. The documents of the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM) produced after its gatherings in Medellín, Puebla, and Santo Domingo are also an important part of the memoria histórica of Hispanic ministry, as is the wealth of publications produced by various ministries related to the ecclesial experience, theology, and pastoral practices within the Church.

⁹U.S. Catholic Bishops, Committee on Hispanic Affairs, Many Faces in God's House: Parish Guide (Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1999).

¹⁰ See U.S. Catholic Bishops, The Hispanic Presence: Challenge and Commitment (1983), in Hispanic Ministry: Three Major Documents, 5-7.

¹¹ The term "pastoral de conjunto" has been used since the 1987 Pastoral Plan to refer to the idea of communion in mission. Leaven for the Kingdom of God, no. 3.2, explains further: "Since that communion [of God] is a communion of love, every member . . . finds his or her identity in a relation of love with the others. . . . This promotion of the well-being of all, this concern and care for their ‘holiness,' is the basis of the pastoral de conjunto. When we speak of the pastoral de conjunto, therefore, . . . we are speaking of the very nature of the Church's mission" (U.S. Catholic Bishops, Committee on Hispanic Affairs, Leaven for the Kingdom of God [Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1990]).

¹² U.S. Catholic Bishops, Committee on Hispanic Affairs, Hispanic Ministry at the Turn of the New Millennium (Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1999), 17, 41.

¹³ It is a model of Church that is evangelizing, communal, and missionary. This model is to be a ministry that is incarnated, or rooted, in the reality of the Hispanic people and is open to the diversity of cultures. This model of Church must promote justice by its example and be committed to developing leadership through integral education. Such an educational process touches on the different dimensions of the human person: spiritual life, intellectual development, affective maturity, and the acquisition of human virtues. All these elements combined are essential for the Church to be leaven for the reign of God in society.

¹⁴ U.S. Catholic Bishops, Go and Make Disciples: A National Plan and Strategy for Catholic Evangelization in the United States (Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1996), 3.

¹⁵ Leaven for the Kingdom of God, no. 6.3.

¹⁶ Leaven for the Kingdom of God, no. 5.1.

¹⁷ Leaven for the Kingdom of God, no. 3.2.

¹⁸ See Leaven for the Kingdom of God, no. 3.4.

¹⁹ See Eric H. F. Law, Inclusion: Making Room for Grace (St. Louis, Mo.: Chalice Press, 2000), 42-43.

²⁰ National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry, no. 38. See also nos. 38-40.

²¹ U.S. Catholic Bishops, Committee on Hispanic Affairs, Communion and Mission: A Guide for Bishops and Pastoral Leaders on Small Church Communities (Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1995), 1.

²² U.S. Catholic Bishops, Stewardship: A Disciple's Response (Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1992), 3.

²³ Documents such as Encuentro 2000: Many faces in God's house, Go and Make Disciples, Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity, and Brothers and Sisters to Us are especially recommended.

²⁴ Cf. Bishop Arthur N. Tafoya, opening remarks, National Symposium to Refocus Hispanic Ministry, in U.S. Catholic Bishops, Committee on Hispanic Affairs, Proceedings of the National Symposium to Refocus Hispanic Ministry (Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2002): "All leaders and ministers in the Church are called to accept responsibility and share talents and resources to respond to the many pastoral challenges the Church faces every day. But unless this is done in the name of the Holy Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—and with the intention of building the kingdom of God, what is done in ministry will not last. All ministries have one fundamental responsibility: to be leaven for the kingdom of God."

²⁵ See U.S. Catholic Bishops, Committee on Hispanic Affairs, Proceedings of the National Symposium to Refocus Hispanic Ministry (Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2002).

²⁶ U.S. Catholic Bishops, Committee on Priestly Life and Ministry et al., The Study of the Impact of Fewer Priests on the Pastoral Ministry (Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2000), 31. While 13 percent is a promising number, it must be pointed out that most of these are foreign-born.

²⁷ Hispanic Ministry at the Turn of the New Millennium, 5.

²⁸ Hispanic Ministry at the Turn of the New Millennium, 40.

²⁹ Hispanic Ministry at the Turn of the New Millennium, 5.

³⁰ Proceedings of the National Symposium, 39.

³¹ Proceedings of the National Symposium, 38.

³² U.S. Census Bureau, NP-D1-A Projections of the Population by Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin for the United States, 1999-2100 Middle Series, Internal Release Date: November 2, 2000.

³³ Proceedings of the National Symposium, 38, 52-53.

³⁴ Hispanic Ministry at the Turn of the New Millennium, 16.

³⁵ Proceedings of the National Symposium, 37.

³⁶ Hispanic Ministry at the Turn of the New Millennium, 17.

³⁷ Proceedings of the National Symposium, 37.

³⁸ Proceedings of the National Symposium, 38.

³⁹ Proceedings of the National Symposium, 38.

⁴⁰ Proceedings of the National Symposium, 38.

⁴¹ U.S. Catholic Bishops, Subcommittee on Lay Ministry, Lay Ecclesial Ministry: The State of the Questions (Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1999), 54.

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