Why do we have a Hispanic Ministry in the diocese of Shreveport and why is it important to us as a Catholic community? According to information from 2005 from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Official Catholic Directory, the Catholic population in our diocese is currently 28% Hispanic.

How do we respond to this multi-faceted challenge? Thankfully, beginning in 1972, our U.S. Bishops and Hispanic Catholics developed the National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry, published by the U.S. Bishops in 1987. Based on this and the Pastoral Plan of the Diocese of Shreveport, a committee of Diocesan personnel and Hispanic leaders formed our diocesan Plan for Hispanic Ministry, approved by Bishop Friend in January 2002.

The General Objective of the National Plan is: “TO LIVE AND PROMOTE...by means of a Pastoral de Conjunto, a MODEL OF CHURCH that is: communitarian, evangelizing, and missionary, incarnate in the reality of the Hispanic people and open to the diversity of cultures, a promoter and example of justice that develops leadership through integral education THAT IS LEAVEN FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN SOCIETY.”

The goals of our diocesan Pastoral Plan were developed based on the four Pastoral Dimensions in the National Plan: Pastoral de Conjunto (Communion In Mission - “From Fragmentation to Coordination”); Missionary Option (“From Pews to Shoes”); Formation (“From Good Will to Skills”); and Liturgy and the Life of Prayer (a new dimension added in an update to the National Plan). Here is how we have worked toward fulfilling these goals:

• “To help develop an active faith community in each location in which Hispanics live and to develop leadership within these communities.” – In the last five years, three new sites have begun to provide Masses in Spanish: Sacred Heart, Oak Grove, St. Mary of the Pines, Shreveport and St. Thomas, Ruston. At each of these sites, the initiation and cooperation of the English-speaking parishioners have been key to their development of Spanish Masses.

• “To develop Base Christian Communities in the various locations.” – A number of communities pray the rosary in different homes in preparation for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This helps people get to know one another better as well as bring in new members.

•“To identify potential leadership for Hispanic ministry and provide an on-going leadership training program for these leaders.” Hispanic Committees have formed on the local and diocesan levels to plan and provide activities to strengthen their communities.

Changes over the last 15 years resulted in the U.S. Bishops publishing an addendum to the National Plan in November 2002 called Encuentro and Mission: A Renewed Pastoral Framework for Hispanic Ministry. Acknowledging that evangelization is the fundamental mission of the Church, this update names the New Evangelization as the overall focus, described as the “on-going process of encountering Christ…. that lead(s) to conversion, communion and solidarity, touching every dimension of Christian life and transforming every human situation.” This New Evangelization calls each of us to reach out to the growing Hispanic community.

Since our diocesan Plan was published before this document and because we’ve completed its first five years, it is now time to renew our Plan, which we will begin at our annual Anniversary Conference. On Saturday, April 19th we will “remember the past with gratitude” as each of our nine Hispanic Ministry sites bring along a display of their efforts to fulfill the goals of the last five years. During this time we will also begin the process of taking a look at current realities and what they call forth from us as Church. Please keep this important effort in prayer and watch your local bulletin for more details!

Diocesan Masses in Spanish:
• Christ the King, Bossier City, Sun. 3 pm & Mon. 7 pm
• Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Farmerville, Sat. 7 pm
• St. Joseph, Mansfield, 2nd Sun. of the month 2 pm & 3rd Tues. of the month 6:30 pm
• St. Paul, Minden, Fri. 7 pm
• Sacred Heart, Oak Grove, Sun. at 5 pm
• St. Thomas Aquinas, Ruston, 2nd and 4th Sun. of month 2:30 pm
• St. John Berchmans, Shreveport, Last Sun. 1 pm
• St. Mary of the Pines, Shreveport, Sun. 3 pm
• St. Paschal, West Monroe, 1st and 3rd Sun. of month 2:30 pm