Pastoral Plan for HisPanic Ministry / From Guests to Hosts Hispanic ...

Part iv— Parish Pastoral Planning Tool for the Development of Hispanic Ministry / From Guests to HostsThis step focuses on building relationships across culturesand ministries. Its central task is to bring allmembers in the parish to a common understandingof themselves as one and culturally diverse Catholiccommunity. The task is accomplished by helpingeach community expand their comfort zone throughpositive common experiences. Consider the followingideas for your parish. The relevant pastoral priorityto further strengthen the pastoral planning in thisstep is Building Relationships across Cultures. Seeaction steps under the mentioned priority.Suggested actions:Pastors and parish staff, in close collaboration with Hispanics,identify and foster the opportunities for the Hispanic communityto share their stories, religious traditions and culturalrichness:Commit to preserve the Hispanic community’s own culturalvalues, language and traditions.Seek opportunities to learn about the Hispanic community’sculture, language and religious traditions.Celebrate liturgy and prayer life together intra-Hispaniccommunity and with other ministries and cultures.Promote special celebrations, feast days or prayers offeredon a regular basis for members of the diverse parish community(e.g., bilingual or multicultural celebrations).Promote those legitimate Marian devotions particularto the Hispanic diversity in your parish community (seeAppendix B).Promote the publication of all Mass intentions in theparish, including Hispanics’, through a common list.Build relationships, community and unity between Hispanicsfrom different countries of origin and with theother cultural communities and ministries of the parish.Promote community-building events (e.g., festivals, picnics,potlucks) to which all members of the parish areinvited.Promote collaboration among cultures and ministries,especially when organizing common parish-wide eventssuch as parish picnics, ministry fairs, and bilingual ormulticultural liturgies.Step 5: Champion leadership development and formation forHispanic children, youth and adults.This step calls for the parish to commit resources tothe leadership development and formation of Hispanicsin different ministerial areas. Its central taskis to develop a Hispanic leadership base and to mentorHispanics into leadership positions within theparish structure and even at the diocesan level. Therelevant pastoral priority to further strengthen thepastoral planning in this step is Catholic Education& Faith Formation. See action steps under the mentionedpriority.Suggested actions:Parishes learn and seek opportunities for ongoing faith formationand training for Hispanic leadership:Make religious education for children available in appropriatelanguages and coordinate it with religious educationthroughout the parish.Offer a sacramental preparation program for parents inSpanish.Invest time, talent and resources in certificates and programsthat are accessible to the Hispanic community.Provide formational opportunities such as workshops onintercultural communication and skill development formembers of the Parish Council and the Hispanic pastoralteam.Bilingual training on a particular catechetical project,liturgical ministry or parish-wide programs like Renew,Disciples in Mission, youth rallies and others.Support Hispanics and have them recognized as ministersby the entire parish community.Conduct a public blessing (commissioning) of lay people,including Hispanics, for liturgical ministries in thepresence of the entire community.Step 6: Open wide the doors to the decision making process.The main focus of this step is to secure the participationof Hispanics in the parish’s decision-makingprocess. It involves making room for Hispanics tobe included in the parish council, financial councilPart iV35