Hispanics in Church

[rwoehmke]

At a Catholic Evangelization conference in Mpls/StP back in 1979 one of the speakers had forecast that by the turn of the century the growing number of Hispanic Catholics in the U.S. would wreak significant changes on the Catholic Church in our country. Could be he was right.


http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_5746632

[Qwikness]

This article suggests Latino are becoming more Evangelical, Speaking in tounges and trying screaming out. Apparently they're bored with Catholicism. It seems to imply they want to be considered more American and want to distant themselves from the foriegners.
Here in Georgia its sort of a different story but it may have similarities. There are few Catholic Churches and lots of migrant workers. They have to go a long way to Mass everyother weekend for Spanish. Now these super churches like in Texas offer lots of entertainment and child care. Probably more spanish speakers Why wouldn't they go?

Similar thing happened with the Irish here 100 years ago.
Not enough priests or Churches.
They simply went to the protestant churches.


Same article on msnbc
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18308301/

[Dale_M]

The survey found Hispanics see religion as a moral compass to guide their political thinking and expect the same of politicians, with the feeling stronger among evangelicals. Most Hispanics believe social and political issues should be addressed from the pulpit.

The racial split over that question at times was stark: About 54 percent of white Catholics believe churches should stay out of politics, compared to 36 percent of Hispanic Catholics, the survey found.

It sounds the Hispanic influence on the Catholic Church in the U.S. is a good one!

I haven't had time to read it yet, but here is the link to the study on which the newspaper article was based.

http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=75

[puzzleannie]

I can tell you from experience working in several dioceses that if Hispanics, Koreans, Vietnamese, Indians or any other Catholics are rejected and treated as invadors or outsiders in their own churches because of ethnicity, race, language, culture and popular piety many of them will turn to Evangelical or Pentecostal churches who are much more welcoming.

[Bennie P]

I've been telling my children they need to take their Spanish classes more serious, I think its great....

[Ridgerunner]

I think it's difficult to predict what influence Hispanics will have on the Church in the U.S. I don't mean to be unkind, but one has to first of all realize that many, many, many of them are kind of "primitive", in the sense that their education level is often extremely low; the society from which they came is chaotic; frequently their marital lives are a mess and, often, they are virtually "unchurched". Many came from villages where they don't even speak Spanish, and I have met some who don't know where the water in the faucet comes from, or whether it's okay to drink the water from the bathroom faucet.

Some Hispanics around here have told me they have gone to, e.g., the Methodist Church because they were offered some material benefit; then to the Mormons, then to Pentecostals, and all for the same reasons. No doubt some become Protestants because they mean it. The one seeming constant is their devotion to "La Guadalupana". Also, I have noticed a kind of "superpiety" of a heroic sort that some seem to evidence; rather like some earlier immigrant groups exhibited. It seems genuine to me. So it's hard to know, sometimes, what direction they're really going.

Ultimately, our parish was assigned a Mexican priest who is here on a "green card". It was a bit of a shock to the "Anglo" parishioners, but it was undoubtedly the right thing to do. I think if I suddenly found myself in, e.g., a Japanese town, I would feel comforted being able to at least go to Mass where an English-speaking priest was the pastor. Protestants do have an advantage of a sort, in that they can manufacture Hispanic pastors or assistant pastors much more readily than the Catholilc Church can find Hispanic priests.

I have heard a lot of predictions about Hispanics (And they're not all the same, by a long way. By my observation, they are extremely diverse; much more so than they seem to us "Anglos".) But I don't think anyone really knows what the outcome of the Hispanic influx is going to be on the Church in the U.S.

[KathleenElsie]

I would welcome any new people in our parish. No matter what ethnic background they come from they are still part of the Catholic Church.

[puzzleannie]

Originally Posted by Ridgerunner

I think it's difficult to predict what influence Hispanics will have on the Church in the U.S. I don't mean to be unkind, but one has to first of all realize that many, many, many of them are kind of "primitive", in the sense that their education level is often extremely low; the society from which they came is chaotic; frequently their marital lives are a mess and, often, they are virtually "unchurched". Many came from villages where they don't even speak Spanish, and I have met some who don't know where the water in the faucet comes from, or whether it's okay to drink the water from the bathroom faucet.
.

sorry your experience is so different from ours, here where Hispanics make up at least 80-90% of the population, and a goodly percentage are new arrivals, of whom only a tiny fraction fit your description.

[Bennie P]

Originally Posted by Ridgerunner

I think it's difficult to predict what influence Hispanics will have on the Church in the U.S. I don't mean to be unkind, but one has to first of all realize that many, many, many of them are kind of "primitive", in the sense that their education level is often extremely low; the society from which they came is chaotic; frequently their marital lives are a mess and, often, they are virtually "unchurched". Many came from villages where they don't even speak Spanish, and I have met some who don't know where the water in the faucet comes from, or whether it's okay to drink the water from the bathroom faucet.

Some Hispanics around here have told me they have gone to, e.g., the Methodist Church because they were offered some material benefit; then to the Mormons, then to Pentecostals, and all for the same reasons. No doubt some become Protestants because they mean it. The one seeming constant is their devotion to "La Guadalupana". Also, I have noticed a kind of "superpiety" of a heroic sort that some seem to evidence; rather like some earlier immigrant groups exhibited. It seems genuine to me. So it's hard to know, sometimes, what direction they're really going.

Ultimately, our parish was assigned a Mexican priest who is here on a "green card". It was a bit of a shock to the "Anglo" parishioners, but it was undoubtedly the right thing to do. I think if I suddenly found myself in, e.g., a Japanese town, I would feel comforted being able to at least go to Mass where an English-speaking priest was the pastor. Protestants do have an advantage of a sort, in that they can manufacture Hispanic pastors or assistant pastors much more readily than the Catholilc Church can find Hispanic priests.

I have heard a lot of predictions about Hispanics (And they're not all the same, by a long way. By my observation, they are extremely diverse; much more so than they seem to us "Anglos".) But I don't think anyone really knows what the outcome of the Hispanic influx is going to be on the Church in the U.S.

Everything you just said but changing the ethnic identification would sound the same and have just as much truth or lack of it. I wish you could of been at our parish this year when our non-hispanic parish hosted the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, it was awesome, I'm happy with the influx of Hispanics over the last decade in our area.

We have a Polish priest with a green card that struggles with English, but he is our Pastor. Sometimes it feels like a struggle, then I remember God is in control, not me and I can accept that.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

The patron saint of the Americas
Pray for Us

[puzzleannie]

we have several priests and nuns in the diocese with various visa problems at any one time, from various African nations, India, Vietnam, Korea, Malta and Philippines. Also some retired Canadian priests, French and English speaking, eh. Like us anglos, they are minorities among the Hispanic population here, who all regard themselves, however, as Americans, since that is what they are.

[Qwikness]

Originally Posted by Dale_M

It sounds the Hispanic influence on the Catholic Church in the U.S. is a good one!

This sounds weird. Not a very good influence.
"Lugo said Catholic leaders will be challenged to incorporate clapping, shouting and even speaking in tongues into worship, a potential point of conflict in an institution that cherishes tradition."

[puzzleannie]

This description is not characteristic of Catholic worship among Mexicans, although there are charismatic priests and parishes here and there, just as there are elsewhere in the Catholic world. We can either discuss hysterical shrieks such as this one, or we can discuss the reality of the growth in Catholic populations of many dioceses, particularly those in the south, which is fueld in great part by Hispanic and other Catholic immigrants. Recent issues of St. Anthony Messenger, Catholic Extension, Glenmary's magazine and others have treated this trend with the standards of good journalism rather than tabloid style as cited in OP.

[Dale_M]

Originally Posted by Qwikness

This sounds weird. Not a very good influence.

If I understand your concern, it is that charismatic worship will replace or be incorporated into standard American masses.

Although the report does have the Lugo quote you mentioned, it goes on to say that 54% of Hispanic Catholics identify with renewalist (charismatic) Christianity. This, of course, leaves quite a few who do not identify with charismatic worship. And the report indicates that Hispanics are most likely to attend churches with distinct ethnic characteristics - which means there will be less mixing of the different mass styles. So perhaps the Lugo quote should be taken with a grain of salt.

Hispanic Catholics, according to the report, take their religion very seriously. This can only help us here in the U.S. as we try to cope with an increasingly post-Christian culture.

[Qwikness]

This From the Article on MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18308301/
Let me just say I don't want to lose any Latin folks but also I don't want to change the Mass to keep them...

"Though definitions differ, charismatics generally emphasize an intense personal experience with God and believe the Holy Spirit can work through speaking in tongues, healing and prophecy.

"Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, said this brand of Christianity, mostly associated with evangelicals, attracts Catholics who don’t feel a strong connection with God through the traditional Mass.

'“This is introducing a new way to worship, a new way of being the church,” Lugo said. “You could call it bringing the fiesta spirit into the Catholic church.”'

It goes on to say
"The embrace of charismatic Christianity has not turned Catholics into Pentecostal Protestants, however. The survey found charismatic Catholics are even more likely to pray the rosary, go to confession or serve in their parishes, suggesting a strengthening of Catholic identity."

And Further
"Four out of 10 Hispanic evangelicals are converts from Catholicism, and one in three of these cited the lack of excitement at Catholic Masses"


Maybe since I've never seen it I don't know what I'm talking about.
But I hope Churches don't start becoming more "entertaining" to keep members.

[Lance]

IMO a better discussion would be what influence the church can have on Hispanics, not what influence Hispanics will have on the church.