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

Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry / From Guests to HostsAppendix AQ & A: Engaging Hispanic Ministryin the Archdiocese of SeattleQ: Is Hispanic Ministry only about establishing a Mass inSpanish?A: No. Ministry to and among Hispanics should not be reducedonly to the establishment of a Mass in Spanish.From Guests to Hosts addresses the major areas of ministryto be developed: Formation, Solidarity, Communionin Mission, and Liturgy & Prayer Life. They are tied tothe dimensions of Christian life described in the multiplicationof the fish and the loaves (Lk 9:10-17). Such developmentis at the heart of what the Church, as a signof Christ’s presence, does in its mission of service to allCatholics.Church? Isn’t cultural assimilation the fastest way ofachieving this goal?A: No. Ecclesial integration should not be confused withcultural assimilation. The Catholic Church has longbeen able to extend its mission to all cultures throughoutits history through the practice of the inculturation ofthe Gospel. Our own Archdiocesan vision, A Future Fullof Hope, encourages us to welcome cultural groups bymaking use of this long-lasting and rich tradition by statingthat “the Church [must] continue to celebrate its culturaldiversity as one that must be woven, not blended, into thefabric of each parish community.”AppendixQ: What other supports are required for an effective Hispanicministry?A: Sometimes basic social services are required for migrantworkers such as food, housing and clothing, as well associal, medical and legal support. It is not required thatthe local parish provide all these services, but clergy andlay are encouraged to cooperate with local agencies toinsure basic social support for Hispanic peoples in theirarea who come to the parish for help.Q: Why is culture such a determining factor for Hispanicoutreach in the Archdiocese of Seattle?A: Two things happen when people are viewed through thelens of their cultural identity. First, many people’s greatestneeds come into focus. Second, appreciation of cultureleads to appreciation of a people’s greatest gifts andstrengths. 17 It is the hope of the Archdiocese of Seattleboth to provide for the specific needs of the Hispaniccommunity and to put their gifts to work to build ourlocal Church as a culturally diverse Church.Q: How is the Archdiocese of Seattle integrating the Hispaniccommunity into the life and mission of our localQ: Why doesn’t the Archdiocese just develop a one-sizefits-all“multicultural” model?A: For the most part, multicultural models have been implementedin dioceses which have multiple cultural-ethnicgroups and are trying to find ways of achieving “communion.”Sometimes, because of financial challenges,different offices are consolidated under one. This modelworks with the lowest common denominators amongdifferent cultural-ethnic groups and does well in addressingcommon pastoral issues. However, the modelbreaks down or lacks ecclesial clarity when it does notaddress the specific pastoral needs of each cultural-ethnicgroup.Q: Is the Archdiocese of Seattle creating a parallel structureby allowing the Hispanic community to haveMasses and services in Spanish?A: No. The Archdiocese of Seattle is creating an ecclesialspace whereby the Hispanic community or any othercultural-ethnic group is given the opportunity to establisha sense of belonging into the parish from a positionof strength. A parallel structure, however, is usuallythe result of a lack of pastoral response, or even lack of40