Catholic Leaders Differ on Views of Latino Cultural Shift

According to National Catholic Register, DiNardo, whose archdiocese is 40 percent Hispanic, said that the Latino cultural shift in the Church is calling for an integration of the wealth of different cultures so that all can benefit and grow together.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) website indicates that Hispanics account for 71 percent of the U.S. Catholic population growth since 1960. The bishops’ statistics say that nearly one-third of Catholics in the U.S. are Hispanic.

DiNardo, a strong advocate for comprehensive immigration reform, said that in parish surveys concerning local church needs, English-speaking Americans tend to express a need for catechesis and educational programs, while Hispanics ask for more retreats and prayer opportunities. DiNardo believes that these two approaches need to be integrated.

Manny Garcia-Tuñon, communications director for CALL, said that the Latino community has two main strengths to offer the United States: “faith and family.”

“Latino families tend to stay closer together; they typically don’t ‘move away’ or wander far from the nucleus unless it’s absolutely necessary,” he said. “Faith, particularly our Catholic faith, is part of our core identity.”

However, at the CALL annual conference, Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput seemed to have another view than that posed by Garcia-Tuñon. Chaput warned Hispanic leaders that the strength of Catholic culture among Latinos is weakening.

In what appeared to be an address that focused on realities, Chaput said that U.S. Latinos are leaving the Catholic Church “at a sobering rate.” Similarly, he indicated that the abortion rate among Latinas is higher than the national average, and that Hispanic support for same-sex marriage increased from 31 percent in 2006 to 52 percent in 2012.

....at the CALL annual conference, Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput seemed to have another view than that posed by Garcia-Tuñon. Chaput warned Hispanic leaders that the strength of Catholic culture among Latinos is weakening. In what appeared to be an address that focused on realities, Chaput said that U.S. Latinos are leaving the Catholic Church “at a sobering rate.” Similarly, he indicated that the abortion rate among Latinas is higher than the national average, and that Hispanic support for same-sex marriage increased from 31 percent in 2006 to 52 percent in 2012.

>> Chaput warned Hispanic leaders that the strength of Catholic culture among Latinos is weakening. In what appeared to be an address that focused on realities, Chaput said that U.S. Latinos are leaving the Catholic Church “at a sobering rate.” Similarly, he indicated that the abortion rate among Latinas is higher than the national average, and that Hispanic support for same-sex marriage increased from 31 percent in 2006 to 52 percent in 2012. <<

Uh oh, GOP leaders aren't going to like that he's not drinking the kool-aid about Latinos being "devout, very religious Catholics" and "strong pro-family social conservatives"

Advice to the Catholic church hierarchy in America: drop the social justice crap and stick to church teaching, regardless of ethnicity. If it could work with ethnic Catholics who emigrated from Europe 100 years ago, there’s no reason it can’t work with today’s Catholic immigrants. The only thing missing is the will to implement it.

It didn't change, Catholics vote today as they always have, 100 years ago, today, always the same.

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