En Marcha: Spring 2007
This is the last issue of "En Marcha". The Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs has published this newsletter for over 25 years but, unfortunately, the time has come to say good-by. Our office will be closing in a not too distant future.
But along with our words of farewell, we also want to go down memory lane and highlight the accomplishments of Hispanic ministry since the first national office was established in San Antonio, Texas in 1945. The national office for the Spanish-speaking later became the Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs.
As most of you are aware, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has started a strategic plan and restructuring process and, through this process, the Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs will no longer be known as such after December 2007. Starting January 1, 2008, Hispanic ministry will be under the department of Cultural Diversity in the Church along with several other offices of the Conference. The area of responsibility of this new cluster will be the pastoral care of Hispanic Catholics, African American Catholics, Native American Catholics, Asian Catholics, African Catholics, Pacific Island Catholics, Catholic migrants and refugees, and people on the move.
A standing Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church will assist the bishops, both collectively and individually, in instilling the vision of Encuentro 2000 and Ecclesia in America throughout the Church by working collaboratively with all the committees of the Conference and with bishops and their dioceses to bring Catholics from various culturally diverse communities into a fuller participation in the faith, life, and evangelizing mission of the Church. The committee will especially work in the promotion of an awareness of cultural diversity within all the committees and offices of the USCCB.
A permanent sub-committee on Hispanic Affairs will guide the work and mission of Hispanic ministry. The staff of the cluster of Cultural Diversity in the Church will include four specialists who will focus on Catholics in the Hispanic, African American, African, Asian and Pacific Islander communities as well as the pastoral care of new immigrants and travelers.
The bishops have been considering the strategic plan and restructuring process for the past two years. The approval was given during their November 2006 General Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland.
The bishops' strategic plan and reorganization process focuses on five priority goals for each of the planning cycles between 2008 and 2011. These are:
- Implementation of the pastoral initiative on marriage
- Faith formation focused on sacramental practice
- Priestly and religious vocations
- Life and dignity of the human person
- Recognition of cultural diversity with a special emphasis on Hispanic ministry in the spirit of Encuentro 2000
Also, as a result of the strategic plan and restructuring process, in December 2006 the USCCB offered a Voluntary Retirement Incentive Program to eligible staff members. Over thirty employees who qualified for the "Rule of 85" and a one-time "Rule of 80" decided to apply for the retirement program.
Two staff members of the Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs decided to take the offer of early retirement: Ronaldo M. Cruz, Executive Director and Rosalva Castañeda, Program Specialist. Mr. Cruz started working at the USCCB in 1985 when he joined the staff of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development and later, in 1988, he transferred to the Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs. Ms. Castañeda started working for the Secretariat in March 1984. She is the editor of "En Marcha".
Through the years, the Secretariat newsletter has addressed a multitude of topics affecting the Hispanic Catholic. It has highlighted the teachings of the Church as well as Vatican and USCCB's documents. Informative articles and updates on Hispanic ministry, education, immigration, civil rights, health, demographics and other important topics such as the encuentros and Encuentro 2000 have been shared with our readers.
Inside this last issue of "En Marcha" you will find more information regarding the cultural diversity cluster as well as demographic data, information on the economic power of Hispanics today, and a walk through the past 62 years highlighting the achievements in Hispanic ministry.
We also want to share with our readers the list of Hispanic bishops that Rome has named since the first one was named in 1970. As you will see, some have already retired, some have unfortunately passed away but the majority is still active.
As we look back it is not easy to say goodbye. The staff of the Secretariat has always felt that our work at the USCCB was more than just a job; it's been a mission for us all. And as we part, our best wishes and great hope will remain with those who will continue this wonderful ministry. But, also as we look back, we remember hundreds of dedicated leaders, diocesan and regional directors past and present, multiple visits to dioceses, pastoral plans for Hispanic ministry, hundreds of friends among clergy and laity. We remember workshops, symposia, diocesan and regional encuentros and we hope that those seeds planted in all of these will continue to produce a very fruitful harvest for the Catholic Church in the United States. Adelante y gracias!
Rosalva Castañeda, Editor of En Marcha
Dear brothers and sisters,
At this time, my message to you comes at the end of a very fruitful era for Hispanic ministry but also at the beginning of a new era which, with God's help, will be just as fruitful, or even more so than before.
The reorganization of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is perhaps perceived as something different since we will no longer have the Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs or the En Marcha! bulletin. This does not mean that Hispanic ministry will cease to exist at the USCCB nor does it mean that we will no longer be in touch with you through publications such as En Marcha!. The mission will continue but it will be under a new structure which will be operative starting January 1, 2008. As it usually happens when we begin something new, we start this new era with a combination of uncertainty in the presence of change and the expectation of new opportunities and blessings for the Hispano/Latino people and for all the Church.
At this time, I would like to share three messages with you:
The first one is one of deep gratitude for the past and to all those who brought about the kind of hope needed to accomplish the many goals which are mentioned in this bulletin. We especially want to thank Ronaldo Cruz and Rosalva Castañeda for their many years of service and dedication to the mission of the Church under the Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs. On the occasion of their retirement, we say Thank you! and wish each of them many blessings in their own new beginnings.
The second message is one of enthusiasm for the present, for today, with all its challenges, doubts, opportunities and blessings. Christ is calling us to build His reign of love and truth here and now. God nourishes us with His Holy Spirit to give faithful and enthusiastic witness of the Beatitudes that each generation brings us.
The third message is one of profound hope for the future. We know that the Hispanic/Latino people will soon be the majority in the Church. The future is not beyond our control nor does it belong to others. Furthermore, in many ways, this people of faith is the very future of the Church in the United States.
And we are protagonists not just due to mere numbers but also because of our faith and our ecclesial maturity with the promise to be faithful to continue building the Church of our Lord.
Let's, then, press ahead on our journey with deep faith, hope and love. Let's continue to be Church and to build our Church with Jesus, under the protection of Maria de Guadalupe who comes to us today, as she did before, telling us that she's with us to listen, to console and to protect all peoples on this land.
A fond farewell y gracias a todos...
The day comes when all have to make life-changing decisions. That day has come for me, along with 30 other colleagues who are taking early retirement from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). My retirement is effective July 1, 2007. This life-changing event occurred a little sooner than expected, but change is inevitable and I am grateful for having served the US Bishops in different capacities at the diocesan, regional and national levels of Church.
Hispanic ministry has been a blessing and a life-giving experience that has guided and rewarded me in my personal as much as in my professional life. I served as a Church professional and Catholic high school teacher for thirty-five years; I've served the USCCB for nearly 23 years (3 years with CCHD, 3 years as associate director of the secretariat and more than 16 years as the executive director). I've served in Hispanic ministry a total of 39 years, having started in my parish community in the Diocese of Tucson in 1968 while a student at the University of Arizona. I expect to continue to serve the Church, and especially Hispanic ministry, though I have yet to determine how that will play out.
As you well know, the US Bishops are restructuring the USCCB. They seek a more focused and cost effective institution by streamlining their administrative operations, public policy initiatives and pastoral ministry responses. Needless to say, the Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs is significantly affected. There is great concern among many of you, as well as with the Committee on Hispanic Affairs and the Hispanic bishops, of the unknown consequences the restructuring will have on Hispanic/Latino ministries throughout the United States.
Members and consultants of the Bishops' Committee have voiced their strong opinion about the importance of continuing to implement the values, principles and the ecclesial and theological content promoted in the Hispanic ministry documents that have become guides and resources for a systematic pastoral ministry effort. The US Bishops voted in December 2006 to make Hispanics one of their five national priorities.
The Bishops' Committee suggested that The National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry; Encuentro 2000 Many Faces in God's House: A Catholic Vision for the Third Millennium; and Encuentro and Mission: A Renewed Pastoral Framework for Hispanic Ministry be used in developing pastoral priorities and assessing the cluster, particularly the pastoral efforts of the new office for Hispanic Catholics. The concern expressed by the committee members is that cultural diversity is not a ministry of the Catholic Church; it's a fact of life in society. They also expressed their concern that the effectiveness of established ministries could be diluted under the new structure and that this model of culture diversity does not include the dominant culture. The response to this concern is that in the next two to three years adjustments will have to be made after the effectiveness of the model is evaluated.
Responding to the diversity of cultures is about building community by responding to the pastoral, spiritual and material needs of all peoples, including those of the mainstream cultures. The degree to which the Church demonstrates its sensitivity and welcoming spirit to all groups, the more likely cultural diversity in the parish will be recognized and be acceptable to the faith community. The processes of encountering the living Jesus Christ; providing opportunities for conversion; building community; and being in solidarity with other communities in the Church and throughout the world (John Paul II) is what cultural diversity in the Church seeks. Dialogue in a prayerful setting, comprehension of each other's realities and a mutual collaborative zeal are required to build communities of faith. The most effective models of a welcoming parish community we hear about demonstrate this commitment. Their leadership is diverse and their lively celebrations reflect the welcoming spirit of the entire community.
Strangers and Aliens No Longer, Coworkers in the Vineyard of the Lord, Catholic Social Teaching, particularly the use of Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility and other similar teachings, campaigns and processes from the various ministries are excellent opportunities that provide tools and resources that can be taught in schools of formation and shared at other opportunities.
Encuentro 2000 taught us that all are welcome at the Father's table. As leaders all are called to make a special effort to promote this value and to make an effort to welcome the stranger among us and make everyone feel at home. This is the real challenge facing cultural diversity in the Church. It should not be seen as something extraordinary. It is simply being welcoming and not fearful. It is a way of being church.
The US Bishops' Encuentro and Mission: A Renewed Pastoral Framework for Hispanic Ministry (USCCB 2002) calls all Catholics, especially those in decision making positions, to promote communion in the mission of the Church and to share a vision of Church that is welcoming, missionary and evangelizing and to allow ourselves to go beyond our comfort zone. Catholics can become active and feel the presence of God in their lives and ministry when they are invited to serve, have a sense of purpose within their community, feel welcomed and have a sense of ownership. Hispanic ministry has been promoting this model of Church for quite some time. Let us hope others will see it as a useful model; one that gives a sense of belonging.
My best wishes and prayers go out to each of you for all that you do to serve communities of faith throughout the country. I take with me your creativity, your generous support and your commitment to your vocation as a gift to share with others.
Con cariño, Ron Cruz
The Members of the Board of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States decided to confer the ACHTUS Award to Mr. Ronaldo M. Cruz, Executive Director of the Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs. The ACHTUS Award is given to an institution or organization "for institutional contributions to theology in keeping with the mission of the Academy." This year, the Board decided to recognize Mr. Cruz' leadership within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, an organization that has for a very long time served the needs of our Latino/a brothers and sisters.
The ACHTUS Board members also expressed that they are profoundly saddened by the news of the decision to close the office of the Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs. Nonetheless, they expressed their desire to take this opportunity to thank and celebrate the service Mr. Cruz has rendered for over twenty two years.
Mr. Cruz said that "It's always an honor to be recognized by a national organization who understands what you do and why. ACHTUS members represent an academic discipline that researches, assess the reality and does theological reflection to help church and society to better understand the challenges facing them. From their teachings, I have learned to reflect and comprehend the gift all peoples bring to the Father's table. Their writings and teachings have helped me to grow in faith and hope. Their excellent work on cultural context and theological relevance are particularly noteworthy. The writings of ACHTUS members have helped church professionals and the faithful to better understand who we are as people of faith, with an identity worthy of respect. I am touched that ACHTUS members, my teachers, heroes and she-roes, believe I am worthy of their recognition."
Mr. Cruz will receive the ACHTUS Award on Tuesday June 5, 2007 during the annual ACHTUS colloquium at Mt. Saint Mary's in Los Angeles, California. The USCCB Justice for Immigrants Campaign will also receive an ACHTUS Award
Ministry to the Spanish speaking has been integral to the Catholic Church in many dioceses in the United States. In 1945, the Church developed a national strategy to respond to the largely Mexican Catholic population in the West and Southwest areas of the country.
These are the highlights in Hispanic ministry in the past 62 years:
1945
A national office for the Spanish speaking is established under the auspices of the National Catholic Welfare Council (NCWC). This first step to respond to the Hispanic Catholic was promoted by Most Rev. Robert E. Lucey, Archbishop of San Antonio, Texas.
1946-1968
Priests, religious men and women, and the laity, in dioceses in every region of the country, begin their pastoral efforts in Hispanic ministry
1969
The National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) establishes the Division for the Spanish speaking under the auspices of the Department of Social Development.
1970
Most Rev. Patrick F. Flores is ordained as the first Hispanic bishop.
PADRES, the association of US Hispanic priests, is established.
1971
Two more Hispanic bishops are named: Most Rev. Juan Arzube and Most Rev. Rene Gracida.
The Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs is established as a national office and Mr. Pablo Sedillo is named its Director.
HERMANAS, an association of Hispanic women religious and lay women is founded.
1972
The I Encuentro Nacional Hispano de Pastoral was convoked by the U.S. bishops. The Hispanic Catholic population is no longer in anonymity and, at the national level, the Conference of Bishops publishes a document on the Conclusions of the I Encuentro with pastoral priorities which would guide the first steps to promote a wider participation of Hispanic Catholics in the life and mission of the Church. The document also calls for the inclusion of Hispanics in leadership positions and in decision-making processes and, for the establishment of specific structures to serve the Hispanic community.
The Mexican American Cultural Center is founded in San Antonio, Texas.
1974
Most Rev. Robert F. Sánchez is named the first Hispanic archbishop. One more Hispanic bishop is named: Most Rev. Gilbert E. Chavez.
Two regional offices for Hispanic affairs are established: The Midwest Hispanic Catholic Commission and the South West Regional Office.
1976
Two more Hispanic bishops are named: Most Rev. Manuel D. Moreno and Most Rev. Raymundo J. Peña.
The Northwest Pastoral Center is founded.
1977
Another Hispanic bishop is named: Most Rev. Francisco Garmendia.
The II Encuentro Nacional Hispano de Pastoral is convoked by the U.S. bishops. This second encuentro focused on the very identity of Hispanic Catholics in the United States and the model of Church that could best respond to their needs and aspirations. The major areas that need an urgent response are identified as: Evangelization, Ministerial Participation, Human Rights, Integral Education, Political Responsibility, and Unity in Pluralism.
A more communitarian, evangelizing and missionary model of Church is proposed to effectively serve Hispanic Catholics. The three priorities of the I Encuentro are affirmed once again.
A leadership with roots in various Latin American countries and Spain finds a common identity as Hispanic Catholics in the United States, under the theme Pueblo de Dios en Marcha (People of God on the Move).
1978
The South East Regional Office is established in Miami, Florida.
1979
Two more Hispanic bishops are named: Most Rev. Joseph J. Madera and Most Rev. Agustin A. Román.
The South East Pastoral Institute (SEPI) is founded.
1980
Two more Hispanic bishops are named: Most Rev. Arthur N. Tafoya and Most Rev. Rene A. Valero.
1981
Two more Hispanic bishops are named: Most Rev. Alphonse Gallegos and Most Rev. Ricardo Ramirez.
The Midwest Regional Office, the Northeast Regional Office and the Region Eleven Commission for the Spanish Speaking (RECOSS) were founded.
1982
The document The Bishops Speak with the Virgin: A Pastoral Letter of the Hispanic Bishops of the United States is published. In it, the bishops tell the Mother of God: "Our people are beginning to count in society. Their voice is now being heard. Each day they are becoming more responsible for the religious and social structures that shape their life".
The Instituto de Liturgia Hispana was founded.
1983
U.S. Bishops issue the Pastoral Letter on Hispanic Ministry The Hispanic Presence: Challenge and Commitment. In this historic document, the bishops reaffirm their commitment to Hispanic ministry. The bishops affirm that Hispanic people are a blessing of God to the Church and to the nation. The bishops recognize past efforts, identify urgent needs and their pastoral implications. The bishops make the commitment to redouble their pastoral efforts and ask Hispanic Catholics to raise their prophetic voices once again in a III Encuentro Nacional Hispano de Pastoral which will lead to the writing of a National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry.
Two more Hispanic bishops are named: Most Rev. David Arias and Most Rev. Plácido Rodríguez.
The North East Pastoral Institute is founded in New York.
1984
The Mountain States Regional Office is opened.
The existing Hispanic pastoral centers start organizing the FederaciΓ³n de Institutos Pastorales (FIP).
1985
The III Encuentro Nacional Hispano de Pastoral is convoked by the body of bishops and held in Washington, DC. Hispanic ministry becomes a national pastoral project. The principle of integration versus assimilation becomes a fundamental pastoral value which grounds Hispanic ministry in the life, structure, and mission of the Church. A grassroots consultation process is carried out to determine priorities and to generate pastoral responses at various levels.
One more Hispanic bishop is named: Most Rev. Alvaro Corrada.
1986
Prophetic Voices, the document on the process of the III Encuentro Nacional Hispano de Pastoral, is published.
One more Hispanic bishop is named: Most Rev. Armando X. Ochoa.
1987
The bishops unanimously approve the bilingual document National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry. A clear vision and strategy for Hispanic ministry is developed and articulated in the plan under a General Objective, Specific Dimensions, and concrete pastoral actions. The General Objective says: "To live and promote...by means of a Pastoral de Conjunto a model of Church that is communitarian, evangelizing, and missionary, incarnate in the reality of the Hispanic people and open to the diversity of cultures, a promoter and example of justice...that develops leadership through integral education...that is leaven for the Kingdom of God in society."
The Bishops' Committee on Hispanic Affairs is established as a permanent committee of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The Pastoral Plan is implemented in dioceses throughout the United States and there is a significant growth among diocesan offices for Hispanic ministry and parishes offering services in Spanish.
1988
Two more Hispanic bishops are named: Most Rev. Roberto O. González and Most Rev. Carlos A. Sevilla.
The Academy of Hispanic theologians ACTHUS is founded.
1989
The National Association of Hispanic Priests (ANSH) is founded.
1990
The National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry (NCCHM) is founded.
The bilingual document on Hispanic ministry Leaven for the Kingdom of God is published.
1991
The National Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors for Hispanic Ministry (NCADDHM) is established.
1992
A new Hispanic bishop is named: Most Rev. Gerald R. Barnes.
1993
A new Hispanic bishop is named: Most Rev. James A. Tamayo.
1994
A new Hispanic bishop is named: Most Rev. Gabino Zavala.
1995
Convocation '95 is held in San Antonio, TX to observe the 50th anniversary of an established national office under the auspices of the National Catholic Welfare Council (1945).
The bilingual document Communion and Mission: A Guide for Bishops and Pastoral Leaders on Small Church Communities is published. A video with the same name is issued shortly after.
1996
The bilingual pastoral statement The Hispanic Presence and the New Evangelization in the United States is published as a follow up to Convocation '95.
A new Hispanic bishop is named: Most Rev. Emilio AlluΓ©.
The National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana (La Red) is established.
1997
The bilingual document Reconciled Through Christ: On Reconciliation and Greater Collaboration Between Hispanic American Catholics and African American Catholics is published.
Two new Hispanic bishops are named: Most Rev. Gilberto Fernández and Most Rev. Richard J. García.
The U.S. bishops convoke a fourth national encuentro for Hispanic ministry. Trying to make the most of the Jubilee Year in 2000, the Bishops' Committee on Hispanic Affairs took the initiative to open the encuentro process to the whole Church in the United States and launch Encuentro 2000: Many Faces in God's House.
1999
To implement Encuentro 2000, a catechetical parish guide Many Faces in God's House: A Catholic Vision for the Third Millennium is developed and published.
A study on Hispanic ministry is commissioned and published under the name Hispanic Ministry at the Turn of the New Millennium.
2000
The national event Encuentro 2000 is celebrated in Los Angeles bringing together more than 5,000 participants among bishops, priests, religious men and women, and national leaders from diverse ministries and ethnic and cultural groups in the Church. For the first time in its history, the Church in the United States comes together at the national level to recognize and affirm the cultural, racial, and ethnic diversity of its members.
Encuentro 2000 marks a maturity in the development of Hispanic ministry and it leads to a new cycle of ecclesial and ministerial growth. Hispanic ministry was established as an integral part of the life and mission of the Church.
A new Hispanic bishop is named: Most Rev. Jaime Soto.
2001
A National Symposium to Refocus Hispanic Ministry is convoked and celebrated in Colorado Springs. The symposium's objectives were to evaluate and more fully develop Hispanic ministry and to strengthen the unity of the Body of Christ in our growing culturally diverse communities.
Four more Hispanic bishops are named: Most Rev. JosΓ© H. GΓ³mez, Most Rev. Francisco González, Most Rev. Josu Iriondo and Joe S. Vásquez.
2002
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops includes the recognition and affirmation of its cultural diversity as an integral part of its mission and makes it explicit within its objectives.
The bilingual document Encuentro & Mission: A Renewed Pastoral Framerwork for Hispanic Ministry is published.
The Media Kit: Hispanic Ministry in the United States is published.
The video Many Faces in God's House is produced in English and Spanish.
2003
Two new Hispanic bishops are named: Felipe J. Estevez and Most Rev. Gustavo García-Siller.
2004
The Proceedings on the Education Consultation on Low Education Attainment Levels Among Hispanics/Latinos in the USA are published.
A new Hispanic bishop is named: Most Rev. Alexander Salazar.
2005
Two more Hispanic bishops are named: Most Rev. Rutilio del Riego and Most Rev. Eusebio Elizondo.
2006
The Study on Best Practices for Diocesan Ministry Among Hispanics/Latinos is published.
Two more Hispanic bishops are named: Most Rev. Octavio Cisneros and Most Rev. Daniel E. Flores.
2007
The USCCB begins its strategic plan and restructuring process which will be fully implemented by January, 2008. The Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs, as such, ceases to exist. Hispanic ministry will be under the cluster of Cultural Diversity which will be serving several ethnic groups.
Every year, the Census Bureau publishes demographic data and other key information for each of the groups that comprise the general U,.S. population. We would like to highlight data for 2005, published in 2006, regarding the Hispanic population in the United States. (NOTE: A recently released update shows that the Hispanic population reached 44.3 million in 2006. See Minority Population Tops 100 Million below)
Hispanic Population in 2005
42.7 million. Is the estimated Hispanic/Latino population of the United States as of July 1, 2005, making people of Hispanic origin the nation's largest ethnic or race minority. Hispanics constituted 14 percent of the nation's total population. (This estimate does not include the 3.9 million residents of Puerto Rico.)
About 1 . . . of every two people added to the nation's population between July 1, 2004, and July 1, 2005, were Hispanic.
3.3 Percentage increase in the Hispanic population between July 1, 2004, and July 1, 2005, making Hispanics the fastest-growing minority group.
102.6 million The projected Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2050. According to this projection, Hispanics will constitute 24 percent of the nation's total population on that date.
22.4 million The nation's Hispanic population during the 1990 census β just slightly over half the current total.
64% The percentage of Hispanic-origin people in households who are of Mexican background. Another approximately 10 percent are of Puerto Rican background, with about 3 percent each of Cuban, Salvadoran and Dominican origins. The remainder are of some other Central American, South American or other Hispanic or Latino origins. Roughly half of the nation's Dominicans live in New York City, with about half of the nation's Cubans residing in Miami-Dade County, Fla.
27.2 Median age, in years, of the Hispanic population in 2005. This compares with 36.2 years for the population as a whole.
107 Number of Hispanic males in 2005 per every 100 Hispanic females. This was in sharp contrast to the overall population, which had 97 males per every 100 females.
States and Counties
49% The percentage of the Hispanic-origin population that lives in California or Texas. California is home to 12.4 million Hispanics, and Texas is home to 7.8 million.
13 The number of states with at least half a million Hispanic residents. These states are: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Texas and Washington.
43% The percentage of New Mexico's population that is Hispanic, highest of any state. Hispanics also make up more than one-third of the population in California and Texas, at 35 percent each.
4.6 million The Hispanic population of Los Angeles County, Calif. β the largest of any county in the nation.
715,000 The increase in California's Hispanic population between July 1, 2003, and July 1, 2004, which led all states. Los Angeles County alone added 76,400, which led all the nation's counties.
19 Number of states in which Hispanics are the largest race or ethnic minority group.
Businesses
1.6 million The number of Hispanic-owned businesses in 2002.
Triple The rate of growth of Hispanic-owned businesses between 1997 and 2002 (31 percent) compared to the national average (10 percent) for all businesses.
$222 billion Revenue generated by Hispanic-owned businesses in 2002, up 19 percent from 1997.
44% . . . of all Hispanic-owned firms were owned by people of Mexican origin.
29,184 Number of Hispanic-owned firms with receipts of $1 million or more.
- Nearly 3-in-10 Hispanic-owned firms operated in construction and other services, such as personal services, and repair and maintenance. Retail and wholesale trade accounted for 36 percent of Hispanic-owned business revenue.
- States with the fastest rates of growth for Hispanic-owned firms between 1997 and 2002 included New York (57 percent), Rhode Island and Georgia (56 percent each), and Nevada and South Carolina (48 percent each).
- Counties with the highest number of Hispanic-owned firms were Los Angeles County, Calif. (188,472); Miami-Dade County, Fla. (163,188); Harris County, Texas (61,934); and Bronx County , N.Y. (38,325).
Families and Children
9.5 million The number of Hispanic families who reside in the United States. Of these families, 63 percent include their children under 18 years old.
67% The percentage of Hispanic families consisting of a married couple.
44% The percentage of Hispanic families consisting of a married couple with children under the age of 18.
65% Percentage of Hispanic children living with two parents.
22% Percentage of population under age 5 that is Hispanic, as of July 1, 2005.
Spanish Language
31 million The number of U.S. household residents age 5 and older who speak Spanish at home. Spanish speakers constitute a ratio of more than 1-in-10 U.S. household residents. Among all those who speak Spanish at home, more than one-half say they speak English "very well."
Coming to America
53% Percentage of the foreign-born population from Latin America. This amounts to 18.3 million people.
10 million The number of foreign-born people who were born in Mexico, by far more than any other Latin American country or any other country in the world for that matter. Other countries of birth that contribute large numbers of Hispanics are El Salvador (937,000), Cuba (925,000), the Dominican Republic (688,000), Guatemala (590,000) and Colombia (500,000). (The difference between the estimates for El Salvador and Cuba is not statistically significant.)
4 . . . states are home to about 2 of every 3 foreign-born persons born in Latin America. Those states are California, Florida, New York and Texas.
Income and Poverty
$35,967 The median income of Hispanic households in 2005, unchanged from the previous year, in real terms.
21.8% The poverty rate among Hispanics in 2005, unchanged from 2004.
32.7% The percentage of Hispanics who lacked health insurance in 2005 β unchanged from 2004.
Education
58% The percentage of Hispanics age 25 and older who had at least a high school education in 2004.
12% The percentage of the Hispanic population age 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher in 2004.
2.7 million The number of Hispanics age 18 and older who had at least a bachelor's degree in 2004.
714,000 Number of Hispanics 25 years and older with advanced degrees in 2004 (e.g., master's, professional, doctorate).
11% Percentage of all college students in October 2004 who were Hispanic.
Jobs
68% Percentage of Hispanics age 16 and older who are in the civilian labor force.
18% The percentage of Hispanics who work in managerial, professional and related occupations. Approximately 24 percent of Hispanics work in service occupations, 22 percent in sales and office jobs, 15 percent in construction, extraction and maintenance jobs and 19 percent in production, transportation and material moving occupations. (The difference between the proportions working in managerial, professional and related occupations and in production, transportation and material moving occupations is not statistically significant.)
Voting
7.6 million The number of Hispanic citizens who reported voting in the 2004 presidential election. The percentage of Hispanic citizens voting β about 47 percent β did not change from four years earlier.
Serving our Country
1.1 million The number of Hispanic veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.
NOTE: This information can be found in the U.S. Census Bureau webpage under "Facts for Features & Special Editions". For more information go to: http://www.census.gov
CNS -- The church familiar to and preferred by Hispanic Catholics in the United States is a livelier, more charismatic place than the one most American Catholics are used to, finds a new survey on Latinos and religion.
A detailed survey by the Pew Hispanic Center and the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released April 25 says about a third of U.S. Catholics are Latinos and that they are bringing a more evangelical style of faith into the broader church as their numbers grow.
Despite an overall drop in the percentage of U.S. Hispanics who are Catholic -- due largely to those who joined evangelical and Pentecostal churches -- Latinos will continue to represent an ever-larger share of the U.S. Catholic population because of immigration and high birthrates, it said. About 68 percent of U.S. Hispanics say they are Catholics.
While in many respects Latinos differ little from the general U.S. population in their religious attitudes and activities, Roberto Suro, director of the Pew Hispanic Center, said analysts were surprised to see the depth of what he called "renewal Christianity" among people of Latino origin or descent.
In a telephone press conference about the study, "Changing Faiths: Latinos and the Transformation of American Religion," Suro said Latinos are much more likely than the general U.S. public to be involved in churches where an enthusiastic, hand-clapping, arms-raised style of worship and prayer is typical.
Fifty-four percent of Hispanic Catholics were identified as charismatics on the basis of what religious practices people said they have in their churches, the survey said.
Among the characteristics the survey used to classify people as charismatics was participation in prayer groups where participants pray for miraculous healing or deliverance or where people speak in tongues.
The survey found that 62 percent of Catholic Hispanics say the Masses they attend at least occasionally have "displays of excitement and enthusiasm, such as raising hands, clapping, shouting or jumping."
Among non-Hispanic Catholics, only about 12 percent consider themselves charismatics, Suro said.
Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum, said at the same teleconference that becoming involved in the charismatic style of religious practice strengthens people's religious identity. Whether Catholic, Anglican or mainline Protestant, Latinos who adopt a more charismatic style of practicing their faith remain within their original church and become stronger in their religious commitment, he said.
"There's absolutely no evidence that it's diminishing or undercutting their Catholic orthodoxy or their connection to parish life," he said.
Hispanic Protestants were proportionally even more likely to belong to "renewal" churches, with 57 percent in that category. Thirty-one percent of Hispanic Protestants said they were Pentecostals and 26 percent described themselves as charismatics.
"The contrast to the non-Hispanic population is stark: Less than one in five non-Hispanic Protestants are renewalists," the survey said.
About 18 percent of all Hispanics said they had changed churches or stopped considering themselves members of a faith altogether. Former Catholics (13 percent) were the majority.
Conversion was much more common among second- and third-generation Hispanics than among recent immigrants, the survey found. And the majority left Catholicism to join evangelical churches. Forty-three percent of evangelical Hispanics said they formerly were Catholic. Just 2 percent of Hispanic converts became Catholics.
Catholics who became evangelicals were asked to discuss their feelings about the Catholic Church and why they left.
The greatest dissatisfaction was voiced about liturgy.
Sixty-one percent of former Catholics said they found the Mass "unexciting," although only 36 percent said that was a factor in why they left. Forty-six percent said they disapprove of church restrictions on divorce, but only 5 percent said that was why they left.
In response to questions about other possible areas of dissatisfaction, majorities of former Catholics said they think the church respects women at least as much as men (66 percent) and is welcoming toward immigrants (75 percent).
Among all Hispanics surveyed, 83 percent of those who converted said their main reason for changing faiths or churches was a desire for a more direct, personal experience of God. The second most common reason, given by 35 percent, was the inspiration of a particular pastor, followed by 26 percent who said it was related to a personal crisis and 14 percent who converted because of a marriage.
The study counted as a conversion any change such as leaving one Protestant church for another, moving into or out of the Catholic Church, or dropping out of religious practice altogether.
A personal invitation also was important. Among all Hispanic converts, 74 percent said they first heard about their new church from a family member or friend.
The study of 4,016 Hispanic adults was conducted by telephone between August and October 2006. The sample size was larger than is typical in sociological surveys to get a better sense of what non-Catholic Hispanics had to say, Suro and Lugo said.
The margin of error for the entire survey is plus or minus 2.5 percent; plus or minus 3.3 percent for Catholic respondents; and plus or minus 4.8 percent for evangelicals. Interviews were conducted in both English and Spanish, depending upon the preference of the person being interviewed.
The survey also delved into connections between religious beliefs and politics, the role of ethnic churches and religious practices and beliefs.
La Red, the Hispanic youth ministry network (NGO) has established the Father Mario Vizcaíno Award for Leadership in Youth Ministry which will be awarded every two years to an outstanding person working in Hispanic/Latino youth ministry. The first edition of this award, which is named after Father Mario Vizcaíno, was awarded to this remarkable Piarist priest.
Father Vizcaíno was born in Cuba and has been in the United States for forty three years. He's a naturalized U.S. citizen. After teaching juniors in Washington, D.C., he was named Director of Hispanic Ministry for the Southeast region by the U.S. bishops. As such, he coordinates pastoral services for five million Hispanics in thirty dioceses throughout nine states. At this time, he is the most senior regional director for Hispanic ministry in the United States.
One of his priorities as a Piarist priest has been to respond to the needs of youth who represent 60% of the immigrant Hispanic/Latino population. With this priority in mind, for the past 30 years, he has been a key promoter of "Pascuas Juveniles", as well as training for adult advisors for youth ministry, research programs and publications.
Nine years ago, he steadfastly collaborated to establish La Red, an NGO which would help in the coordination of services and pastoral institutions which respond to the needs of Hispanic youth throughout the country. La Red promoted the First National Encuentro de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana in the United States, which involved one hundred twenty five dioceses and more than twenty thousand youth in an eighteen month process. The main event was held at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana in June 2006. Participants at the event included twenty bishops, eighty priests and advisors and more than two thousand Hispanic youth delegates from 125 dioceses that had already participated in every step the process.
Congratulations, Father Vizcaíno!
CNS -- Pope Benedict XVI is making his first trip to the Western Hemisphere in mid-May, traveling to Brazil to open a strategizing session with Latin American bishops.
The May 9-13 visit begins with a string of pastoral events in Sao Paulo, where the pope will meet with young people and canonize the first Brazilian-born saint.
Then he moves to the basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida, where he will inaugurate the Fifth General Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean, celebrating Mass and delivering a major speech to participants of the May 13-31 meeting.
The trip turns a spotlight on Latin America, a geographical area that has had little attention from this pope to date, but where 43 percent of the world's Catholics live.
It also broadens the horizons of the pope's two-year pontificate, taking him outside Europe, where four of his previous five trips have occurred.
"I think we may have this idea of a pope who has spoken a lot about Europe and who has a 'bookish' culture in the tradition of European thought and reflection," said Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman.
"But although many people are not aware of it, this is a pope who traveled extensively as a cardinal and who has been able to acquaint himself with diverse realities of the church," Father Lombardi said.
"I think the messages, gestures and images of this trip will help people understand how the pope sees the 'universal' side of his ministry, in a more evident way than before," he said.
The issues on the Latin American bishops' agenda are not new, and the pope reviewed them in capsule form last February:
- The need to revitalize the faith among the church's members in order to generate a new sense of mission in society.
- The proselytism of religious sects, which require, in the pope's view, a new effort in Catholic education.
- The "growing influence of postmodern hedonist secularism," which is seen as dramatically eroding the traditional values of the predominantly Catholic continent.
- Marriage and the family, which the pope said show "signs of yielding under the pressure of lobbies" that push for legislative changes and which are threatened by the increase in divorce, cohabitation and adultery.
- Economic injustice and the fight against poverty, along with the growing phenomenon of migration, which also impacts family unity.
The pope is well aware that many Latin American bishops believe the church stands at a turning point after losing ground in recent decades.
At the last Synod of Bishops in 2005, the pope listened as Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes told the assembly that in Brazil -- the most populous Catholic country in the world -- the number of Catholics was declining by about 1 percent each year, with many lost to Protestant sects. "We have to wonder: How long will Brazil be a Catholic country?" Cardinal Hummes said.
According to the Vatican's statistics, the Catholic percentage of Latin American populations has dropped about 4 percent over the last 25 years, but many believe the official figures don't tell the real story. In Brazil, for example, the Vatican says 85 percent of the population is Catholic, but experts who follow census figures say the real number may be closer to 70 percent.
The general conferences of Latin American bishops are considered milestone events, and some have produced important shifts in pastoral direction.
This year's edition will reflect the impact of globalization and the need for greater collaboration among churches of North and South America, especially on issues like economic migration.
To favor that kind of exchange, the more than 160 voting members of the conference will include four U.S. bishops as well as U.S. Cardinal William J. Levada, head of the Vatican's doctrinal congregation. Two bishops and a cardinal from Canada also will attend.
In Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city and one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world, the pope is likely to talk about persistent social issues like urban violence, homelessness, corruption and economic disparity.
Outside Aparecida, the pontiff will visit a Franciscan-run drug rehabilitation center, called Fazenda da Esperanca (Farm of Hope). In addition to illustrating Christian charity in action, the visit will give the pope an opportunity to highlight the deep human and social damage done by the drug trade throughout Latin America.
When the Vatican recently critiqued Jesuit Father Jon Sobrino, a pioneer in liberation theology, some saw it as a sign of things to come from the pope and the May bishops' conference.
But Father Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said he does not expect liberation theology to be a crucial issue during the papal visit. Instead, he said, the pope is likely to focus on concerns like secularization, the activity of the sects and urbanization, and their relationship to the fundamental question of how to announce Jesus Christ in an evolving culture.
The impact of papal visits, of course, does not depend solely on official events and papal speeches. Perhaps more than on previous trips, the world will be watching to see how Pope Benedict, an academic at heart, interacts with the more outwardly emotional culture of the region.
During his first trip to Brazil, Pope John Paul II walked through a slum neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, where he chatted with residents and, moved by what they told him, left his papal ring as a gift to local parishioners. No one is suggesting a repeat performance by Pope Benedict, but many are interested to see whether the pope uses gestures as well as words to communicate his concern for the poor.
The nation's minority population reached 100.7 million, according to the national and state estimates by race, Hispanic origin, sex and age released May 17 by the U.S. Census Bureau. A year ago, the minority population totaled 98.3 million.
"About one in three U.S. residents is a minority," said Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon. "To put this into perspective, there are more minorities in this country today than there were people in the United States in 1910. In fact, the minority population in the U.S. is larger than the total population of all but 11 countries."
The population in 1910 was 92.2 million. On Oct. 17, 2006, the Census Bureau reported that the overall population had topped 300 million.
California had a minority population of 20.7 million β 21 percent of the nation's total. Texas had a minority population of 12.2 million β 12 percent of the U.S. total.
There were other milestones reached as well during the July 1, 2005, to July 1, 2006, period: The nation's black population surpassed 40 million, while the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander group reached the 1 million mark.
Hispanic remained the largest minority group, with 44.3 million on July 1, 2006 — 14.8 percent of the total population. Black was the second-largest minority group, totaling 40.2 million in 2006. They were followed by Asian (14.9 million), American Indian and Alaska Native (4.5 million), and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (1 million). The population of non-Hispanic whites who indicated no other race totaled 198.7 million in 2006.
With a 3.4 percent increase between July 1, 2005, and July 1, 2006, Hispanic was the fastest-growing minority group. Asian was the second fastest-growing minority group, with a 3.2 percent population increase during the 2005-2006 period. The population of non-Hispanic whites who indicated no other race grew by 0.3 percent during the one-year period.
Hispanics accounted for almost half (1.4 million) of the national population growth of 2.9 million between July 1, 2005, and July 1, 2006.
Where: University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN
When: August 9-12, 2007
Registration information: The early bird registration fee is $370 and it covers the entire convocation process from Thursday, August 9, 2007 beginning at 1:00 p.m. through Sunday, August 12, 2007 until 11:30 a.m. The fee includes full conference participation, three nights of housing; meals (except dinner on Friday night). All rooms are air-conditioned and facilities are accessible to all. After June 25th, registration fee is $395.
A rate of $245 is available for those who do not require housing at the university.
Scholarships: A limited number of scholarships will be made available. For information, contact Dede Swineheart: dedes64@aol.com or Alejandro Siller: asiller@maccsa.org
Workshops in English and Spanish include: Cultural diversity, Family focused small Christian communities, Theological Reflection on SCC, Prayer and rituals for SCC, Small Christian communities and Mission, Building small church communities, Small Christian communities and evangelization and Theological world views in small Christian communities. Six other workshops will be in English only. For more information on the convocation, please contact: Peter Eichten at 612-823-8205 (peichten@stjoan.com) or Br. Bob Moriarty, S.M. at 860-243-9642 (rkmoriarty@aol.com).
To download and print a brochure, visit: http://www.usccb.org/hispanicaffairs