History
The Bishops' Subcommittee, working through its staff in the Church in Latin America,
Facilitates the development of intra-American ecclesial relations among bishops of the United States and their representative entities, and the bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean, through national episcopal conferences, the Consejo Episcopal Latinoamericano (CELAM), and other church-related organizations
Coordinates the annual Collection for the Church in Latin America and collaborates with U.S. dioceses in its promotion
Manages a grants program designed to support the pastoral work of the Church in Latin America
Develops educational resources and opportunities for Catholics in the United States to learn about the reality of the Church in Latin America
Archbishop Miranda - Mexico City
Archbishop Silva - Santiago de Chile
In 1965, during the last session of the Second Vatican
Council, the Bishops of the United States approved the creation,
through the Bishops, of an annual national collection to support
economic aid to pastoral projects of the Church in Latin America
and the Caribbean.
Jesús
García - México
Mons. López Trujillo - Colombia
Rev. Renato Poblate, sj - Chile
The resources gathered through the National Collection are channeled
through the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to
the Subcommittee of Bishops for the Church in Latin America, who
are in charge of the designation of funds and make the final decisions
on the matters related to the region.
Rev. Renato Poblete, SJ
Hubert Humphrey (Vice President at the time) and
Archbishop Helder Cámara
(1964)
The Committee is now the Subcommittee on the Church in Latin America, a member of the USCCB Committee on National Collections. It is comprised of: Bishop Jaime Soto, Chairman; Cardinal Seán O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap., Bishop Robert Baker, Bishop Paul Bootkoski, Bishop Randy Calvo, Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, and Bishop Peter Rosazza as members and Bishop John Manz as Consultant.
The Subcommittee gives aid to pastoral projects presented by the Bishops of the Catholic Church in 25 countries in the regions of Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Special priority is given to evangelization and catechetical programs as well as mission related activities that promote the encounter with Jesus and help us to respond to his call to be disciples and missionaries so that our people can find life in Him.