V Encuentro Proceedings and Conclusions

Proceedings and Conclusions of the V National Encuentro of Hispanic/Latino Ministry | 85 1. CAMPUS MINISTRY I. Vision Welcoming and engaging Hispanic young people through campus ministry on college and university cam- puses, as well as Catholic high schools, is crucial for the present and future of the Church. Many Hispanic students share their talents and vitality to enable the Church a greater response to their peers. Their diversity of gifts, both culturally and spiritually, provides great opportunities for the Church to dedicate itself to deep- ening the faith and developing leaders. Supporting and serving Hispanic students is essential to sustaining and fostering a strong Catholic identity and faith life both now and in the future. II. Social and Religious Context in Hispanic Ministry • Campus ministry is an opportunity to welcome students, provide pastoral accompaniment, develop young leaders and help them realize their potential for service in the Church and in society. The relationship between the university or high school and the parish helps maintain the connection with the community of faith. • Many Latino parents do not know about academic life in the U.S.; there are few young Latinos in the university campus ministries and a lack of connection with the parish where their families attend, even though Latinos tend to go to college at institutions near their family homes. • Nearly half of Hispanics who graduate from high school nowadays enroll in some form of college; about half of them attend a two-year institution. 4 • While the Catholic church has a pastoral presence at 1 in 4 four-year institutions, the pastoral presence at two-year and community colleges is 1 in 60. 5 • About 86% of Catholic campus ministers are white, non-Hispanic; there is a need to ensure that those who minister in Campus Ministry understand the needs and spirituality of Hispanic young adults and are equipped with the skills needed to accompany them. • More than 10% of the roughly one million students at Catholic colleges and universities in the United States are Hispanic, and the proportion is increasing. • Many Latino young people find it difficult to finish their studies at the university for many reasons like financial resources, family responsibilities and work demands. III. Top Recommendations from the National Encuentro • Hire diverse professional ministers and encourage vocational discernment. • The Catholic Campus Ministry Association must come to understand the importance of prioritizing Latino students; especially at the top of its leadership. • Campus ministers need to understand the identity of these students and to develop budgets and funding to invest in the Hispanic students, cultivating the skills to accompany them in their pastoral needs as well as their formation as ministry leaders. • The Church should pay more attention to state schools where most Latino Catholic students attend, as well as building bridges with youth and young adult ministry, in collaboration with parishes and high schools, to provide greater support in the transitions from high school to college and from college to parish life. 4 Pew Research Center, “5 facts about Latinos and education,” by Jens Manuel Krogstad (July 28, 2016). Available online at http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/07/28/5-facts-about-latinos-and-education/ . 5 Brian Starks and Maureen K. Day, A National Study on Catholic Campus Ministry, USCCB, 2018, p. 1. Ministerial Area Sessions