May 7, 2014
Español
By Sister Mary Ann Walsh
A Boston College study on Hispanic Ministry in Catholic Parishes released May 5 offers good news and a challenge.
The number of Hispanic Catholics has dramatically increased, both among new immigrants and the 60-70 percent of the Hispanic community who are non-immigrants and having children. The practice of Catholicism by U.S. Hispanics has never been higher, but the needs of this huge community require the Church to do more.
One step by the Catholic Church has been to increase the number of priests and religious who speak Spanish so theycan minister to the Hispanic community. Some seminaries now require study of Spanish to facilitate such work.
There’s been an increase in the number of Hispanic deacons who work in parishes. Today about 15 percent of active permanent deacons are Hispanic. Many dioceses have Hispanic offices to oversee efforts. The next step is toeducate parishes on cultural sensitivity as people of all backgrounds come together into one parish community.
We see advances in Hispanic lay leadership and right now 43 percent of the more than 22, 500 lay people in church leadership formation programs are Hispanic.
Hispanic bishops now lead major dioceses. They include the head of the largest archdiocese in the United States, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Archbishop José Gomez, a native of Mexico. Others include Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio; Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento, and Bishop Cirilo Flores of San Diego.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has a strategy to increase the number of Hispanic seminarians and priests.There is a significant gap between the percentage of Catholics in the U.S. who are Hispanic (35%) and the number of Hispanic seminarians (16%) and Hispanic priests (6%). The bishops’ Committee for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations (CCLV) set as a goal to increase the numbers of Hispanic and new religious by 25 percent by 2016.
The Committee on Catholic Education is exploring ways to increase the number of Hispanics in Catholic schools, the natural venue for developing future Catholic leaders.
In Latin America, Catholic schools are seen as private schools for the elite. Changing that mindset is one challenge. Making the schools affordable is the next.
Almost a quarter of the nation’s 18,000 parishes have Hispanic ministry. These parishes are not just in the South and Southwest, where most Hispanic ministry began, butnow are throughout the nation.
Another factor influences Hispanic ministry, however. It may be the greatest challenge of all: the reality that the United States has become a secular society. Pollsters evenhave a category called “none” when you check a box for religious affiliation. Everyone, including Hispanics, and especially young ones, can fall prey to what has become a new American problem, religious relativism, where,perhaps inspired by exciting music or a rousing preacher,you move from your parents’ church to another to no church at all. That’s the climate in which we are forming our youth, the future of the Catholic Church and U.S. society. It is scary to consider that religious relativism may be the greatest threat that exists to the increasinglyimportant Hispanic Catholic community.
May 5, 2014
You don’t have to compose by yourself. Join in the DSJ Composers’ Forum!
Monday, May 19, 7:30p to 9:30p
Chancery (1150 North First Street, San Jose, 95112)
We have many liturgical music composers in the Diocese, but we don’t always have a chance to hear each other’s work and give each other feedback. The goal of this composers’ forum is to gather local liturgical composers to do just that so that we can be better at composing music that serves the liturgy and helps the assembly participate more fully in it. Composers of all abilities are invited. Non-composer music ministers are also invited to hear some new music and to give their feedback.
For more information and to RSVP, please contact Diana Macalintal. Please specify if you would like to share one of your pieces. Each person who wants to share music will have 10 minutes to present his or her piece (one composition only, please) and receive feedback from the group. Please make 20 copies of your piece to share with the group.
Guest Composer: Jesse Manibusan
Joining us will be Jesse Manibusan is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and teller of humorous tales. Well recognized throughout the country as a dynamic, eclectic speaker and musician, Jesse shares from his heart the love of Christ and the call to live out our baptism in every aspect of life. He is a familiar presence at diocesan conferences throughout the U.S. and Canada, including the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), World Youth Day events, LIFE TEEN events, and many others. He also conducts parish missions and retreats, and co-presents retreats and youth liturgy workshops with Ken Canedo. He holds a master’s degree in multicultural ministries from the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, California.
Some immediate help for composers
At our first gathering, we started looking at these 10 suggestions from Marty Haugen for liturgical music composers. It’s an excellent list for anyone who wants to write for the Church assembly. Also, if you’re on Facebook, check out this amazing conversation about liturgical music composing with so many of our Church’s best current composers! This is a composition class in itself!
Please share this post with your composer friends and let them know about this gathering.
Feb 26, 2014
Come join Catholic songwriter, speaker and storyteller Jesse Manibusan for an evening of song, prayer, and storytelling and help support the ministry of Casa de Clara, the San Jose Catholic Worker House of Hospitality for women and children in need.
The evening will also feature music and prayer with Diana Macalintal, Earl Jon Rivard, and Vince Nims.
Suggested donation of $15-$35, but no one will be turned away due to lack of funds. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online: https://itrulycare.com/events/jesse-manibusan-concert
Click here to download a flyer (13.5 MB)
——–
Itinerant witness, songwriter, speaker, joy cultivator, storyteller and evangelizer, Jesse Manibusan is co-founder, along with his wife, Jodi, of 2by2 Ministries. With over 28 years of experience as a music minister, catechist and youth worker, he travels throughout the United States, Canada and beyond, with numerous appearances at the L.A. Congress, World Youth Days, and various parish missions, Catholic schools and diocesan events. A workshop clinician, composer and recording artist, Manibusan has several CDs published by Oregon Catholic Press and spiritandsong.com.
Casa de Clara is the Catholic Worker Community of San Jose whose ministry is to help homeless women and children in the San Jose area by offering shelter, food, clothing, emotional support, and referrals for housing, employment, and counseling.
Nov 1, 2013
Sponsored by the Southwest Catechetical Cluster and the Office of Parish Services
“Being with the God who harmonizes the light and darkness in our lives and in our world”
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of deep darkness, on them the light has shone.” Is 9:2 (more…)
Oct 30, 2013
Gain insight into adolescent spiritual development
Facilitator: Michael Downs, M.Ed., M.A.
A native of Montana, Michael Downs serves as Religious Studies Department Chair and Assistant Cross Country Coach at Bellarmine College Preparatory. An alumnus of the University of Notre Dame (B.A. ’00, M.Ed. ’02) and the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley (M.A. ’07), Michael served as a classroom teacher in Texas, campus minister in Europe, volunteer in India, and outdoor educator in the Northwest before settling in California. He studied adolescent spiritual development in graduate school, which culminated in a thesis entitled “Story, Stillness, and Service: A Contemplative Approach to Youth Ministry.”
To assist with room set-up and handouts, please RSVP to Russ Roide, S.J. rroide@bcp.org or phone #408-537-9360.
Click here to download a flyer.
