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We, the bishops of the United States, have heard the voices of Hispanic leadersboth 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
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I write to you in a spirit of deep gratitude and hope.
We rejoice in knowing that the Hispanic/Latino people are a gift and a blessing to the Church and to the society in the United States. We know that millions of Hispanics/Latinos contribute to the life and the mission of the church in thousands of parishes and small ecclesial communities throughout the nation. Today we have an increasing number of priests, deacons, religious men and women and lay ecclesial ministers who provide leadership and service not only to the Hispanic/Latino but to the entire church. Furthermore, the proliferation of ecclesial movements such as Charismatic Renewal, Cursillo, Marriage Encounter and many other movements provide the church with great vitality and with renewed hope and joy. This rich harvest of ministers and ministries has allowed the formation of national and regional Catholic Hispanic organizations which significantly contribute to the development, formation and accompaniment and support of the increasing network of Catholic leaders of Hispanic/Latino heritage.
A Message from the Assistant Director
Dear colleagues in ministry,
The year 2011 is projected to be a very special one for discerning the signs of the times. Let’s ponder on a few of these signs:
- The great anti-immigrant wave of 2010 seems to be losing its strength, at least, at the legislative level
- The 2010 Census again shows that the Hispanic/Latino population has had the highest growth since the year 2000 and that it is the one projected to grow the most by the year 2020
- The number of parishes with Hispanic/Latino ministry is now close to 4,500
- The Church in the United States, for the first time in its history, has two active Hispanic/Latino archbishops. Archbishop Jose Gomez in the largest archdiocese of the country, Los Angeles; and Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller in the historic Archdiocese of San Antonio.
Hispanic/ Latino Population in the U.S. Statistics
Instituto Fe y Vida’s mission is to empower young Hispanics for leadership in Church and society. Fe y Vida has been a pioneer in Pastoral Juvenil by providing young adult leaders and ministers with the knowledge, skills and tools to promote evangelization, faith formation, and leadership development among young people, particularly Latinos in the United States. Through its biblical ministry, Fe y Vida’s reach has expanded to Latin America since 2005, and most recently—on the Feast of Christ the King 2010—launched its First Biblical Mission among Youth and Young Adults in the Americas with the motto, “God’s Word is Alive in Young People.” The Biblical Mission has a tridimensional purpose. First, is to bring the Word of God to young people through contemporary means; second, to promote the evangelizing vocation of young Catholic leaders; and third, to create a sense of the universal Church in Catholic youth and young adults. Fe y Vida publishes its own materials for the programs offered. Among its publications is La Biblia Católica para Jóvenes.
We invite you to visit the following websites:
www.feyvida.org
www.BibliaParaJovenes.org
www.MisionBiblicaJuvenil.org
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 Study on Best Practices |
 Registered Nine Steps |
 Ecclesiological Framework |
The Subcommittee Mandate
The subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs is under the direction of and assists the Committee on Cultural Diversity within the Church by working collaboratively with the committee and other USCCB committees to affirm the gifts and contributions of Hispanic Catholics and to provide more opportunities for Hispanic Catholics to engage in the life of the Church and help shape its evangelization mission.
This mandate includes the following areas of responsibility:
The subcommittee is directly responsible for outreach to Hispanic communities and to work closely with the subcommittee on Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees.
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