In the near future, the majority of Catholics in the United States will be of Hispanic origin.
Hispanic’s rich culture, deep spirituality, respect for life, and love of family are tremendous gifts by which millions of parishioners throughout our country contribute to the vitality of the local Church.
Here, in our Diocese of Madison, we have recently opened a Hispanic Ministry Office and hired Lorianne Aubut as its first director.
I am personally grateful for her gifts and energy which she brings to this ministry.
With broad pastoral experience, most recently at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, and a leader in the recent V Encuentro, a comprehensive planning process for U.S. Hispanics in the Catholic Church, Lorianne has already hit the ground running.
Goals for the ministry
Some of the goals for Hispanic ministry in this first year include the formulation of an advisory council (already accomplished); regional pastoral visits led by Lorianne and myself with Mass; fellowship and conversation around opportunities and needs; an inclusive understanding of the numbers, location, and participation of Hispanics in our parishes; and the beginnings of a comprehensive Hispanic pastoral plan for the diocese of Madison.
Many of our Hispanic brothers and sisters are immigrants with limited knowledge of English; many live in relative poverty, struggling to raise their children and also help relatives back home; like everyone else, many need greater catechesis and encouragement to be active in their parish.
Recent arrivals to our country may feel like second-class citizens and need to be graciously welcomed in our communities so that they feel at home in our local Church.
Part of the Church
Hispanic Catholics are not simply the object of our pastoral concern. As mentioned above, they bring mighty gifts to our parishes: A deep faith, a joyful spirituality, a strong work ethic, an integral commitment to the values of life and family.
They are collaborators with the broader Church, as are all the baptized, to build up the Body of Christ and to evangelize the world.
As we continue to implement our Go Make Disciples initiative, seeking to evangelize our local communities, I count on our Hispanic brothers and sisters to join in this effort to transform hearts and minds in the abundant life of the Gospel.
With great hope and gratitude, I welcome Lorianne to this new work and pray for rich spiritual fruit to come of these many and varied efforts!