Transcript IVa - Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington

Bishops’ Committee on Hispanic Affairs
Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs
From Guests to
Hosts of the Faith
Community
NineDevelopmental Stages
for
Ecclesial Integration
Stages to Develop Hispanic Ministry

These stages are offered to
develop Hispanic ministry in
parish life and in other Catholic
institutions and organizations

They follow a developmental
sequence that brings Hispanic
Catholics, and other groups,
from newcomers to stewards
of the faith community

It also transforms parishes into
missionary and evangelizing
faith communities that
embrace all the baptized in
their God-given human
diversity
NEWCOMERS  STEWARSDS
FROM GUESTS TO HOSTS
3 Phases, 9 Stages
A.
Developing A Sense of Belonging
1.
2.
3.
B.
Weaving a New Diverse Community
4.
5.
6.
C.
Meet people where they are at
Make people feel at home
Develop ministries and ministers
Build relationships across cultures and ministries
Champion leadership development and formation
View and manage crisis as opportunities for growth
Achieving Ownership and Stewardship
7.
8.
9.
Open wide the doors to the decision making process
Sow and reap full ownership and stewardship
Achieve full commitment to the life and mission of the parish
A) Developing a Sense of Belonging
Integration vs. Assimilation
Integration is not to be confused with assimilation.
Through the policy of assimilation, new immigrants
are forced to give up their language, culture, values,
and traditions… By integration we mean that our
Hispanic people [and Catholics from all
cultures] are to be welcomed to our church
institutions at all levels. They are to be served in
their language when possible, and their cultural
values and religious traditions are to be respected.
Beyond that, we must work toward mutual
enrichment through interaction among all our
cultures.
(NPPHM #4)
Stage 1: Meet people where they are at
Hispanic Catholics rejoice
when other Catholics:

Visit them with good
news

Affirm their gifts and
contributions

Invite them to the faith
community to be at home
away from home
Stage 2: Make people feel at home
Hispanics feel welcomed when
they:

Have the ecclesial space to
be themselves

Have room to develop their
own sense of identity

Adapt to a different culture
from a position of strength
Stage 3: Develop ministries and ministers
Hispanics are empowered when:

They provide for their own
ministerial needs and aspirations

Parish staff and leaders work with
them to develop a comprehensive
ministry

Ministries include the four
dimensions of Christian life
modeled in the first Christian
communities (Acts 2: 42-47) and
included in Encuentro and Mission
B) Weaving a New Diverse
Community
Stage 4: Build relationships across cultures and
ministries
Hispanics are willing to:

Share their stories, religious
traditions and cultural richness

Celebrate faith and life together
with other ministries and cultures

Build relationships, community
and unity between Hispanics
from different countries of origin
and with the other cultural
communities and ministries of the
parish
Stage 5: Champion leadership development and
formation
Hispanic leaders are eager to:

learn and seek opportunities
for ongoing faith formation
and training for ministry

invest time and talent in
certificates and degree
programs that are accessible

be recognized and supported
as ministers by the entire
parish community
Stage 6: View and manage crisis as opportunities for
growth
Hispanics seek more:

Meaningful ways to be
involved in the life of the
faith community

Responsiveness from all
parsih staff on the needs
and aspirations of their
families and
communities

Recognition by parish
leadership and structure
as members on equal
terms
C) Achieving Ownership and
Stewardship
Stage 7: Open wide the doors to the decision making
process
Hispanics want:

Space at the table
where decisions are
made on Hispanic
ministry

An active voice on the
life and direction of the
faith community as a
whole

A place in the parish
council, parish staff and
other decision making
groups
Stage 8: Sow and reap full ownership and stewardship
As disciples of Christ, Hispanics
seek to:

Contribute time, talent and
treasure

Build a culturally diverse faith
community that is their own

Be active participants of a
community of faith in which all
cultures are constantly
transformed by Gospel values in
order to be leaven for the
kingdom of God in society
Stage 9: Achieve full commitment to the life and
mission of the parish
Hispanics commit to:

Strengthen the unity of
the parish while honoring
its diversity

Be alert and ready to
invite and welcome
newcomers in their midst

Become gente-puente by
ministering with
Catholics of all cultural
backgrounds
CREDITS
Project Coordinators
Ronaldo Cruz, Executive Director
Alejandro Aguilera–Titus, Associate Director
Layout and Design
Gerardo Gonzalez & Isaac E Govea
Picture of Holy Family
Michael O'Neill McGrath, OSFP
Edited by
Rosalva Castañeda, Project Specialist
Carliss Parker-Smith, Consultant
U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Hispanic Affairs
Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs Production © 2004