V Encuentro Proceedings and Conclusions

92 | Proceedings and Conclusions of the V National Encuentro of Hispanic/Latino Ministry • James F. Caccamo and Patricia Jiménez, “Hispanic Ministry, Digital Technology, and New Media” in Hispanic Ministry in the 21 st Century: Urgent Matters, Convivium Press, 2016. • Pew Research, “Digital Divide Narrows for Latinos as More Spanish Speakers and Immigrants Go Online,” 2016 and “Among U.S. Latinos, the Internet Now Rivals Television as a Source for News,” 2018. VI. Ministerial Area Team • Episcopal Moderators: Most Rev. José Gómez, Archbishop of Los Angeles; and Most Rev. Gregory Aymond, Archbishop of New Orleans. • Co-Leaders: Miguel Guilarte and Patricia Jiménez, D.Min. • Panelists: Cristobal Almanza, J.D. Long-García, and Luis Alberto Salinas. 5. ECCLESIAL MOVEMENTS I. Vision Ecclesial movements, particularly within the Hispanic community in the United States, play a vital role in attracting more people to a personal encounter with Jesus in the Church, returning to their spiritual path, and being committed to sharing their testimony of faith with others. However, there is a certain tension in integrating the work of these movements with parish and diocesan pastoral plans. Our dream is for the V Encuentro to open doors to communication, collaboration, mutual support, and trust so that the mission of the Church can be strengthened by workings of the Holy Spirit through the movements, especially with regard to evangelization and ecclesial pastoral service. II. Social and Religious Context in Hispanic Ministry • There are many groups and ecclesial movements with different gifts and charisms actively serving in and through the Hispanic/Latino communities in the Catholic Church. • There is a need for greater collaboration and cooperation among the movements to work together in the mission of the Church to overcome the spirit of competition that may arise between movements or with parishes. • Dioceses generally do not offer enough training opportunities and support to the groups. Bilingual priests and deacons are also needed to accompany them. • Ecclesial movements are at the front lines in our parishes going out to the peripheries. Before there was an emphasis on being a Church on the move, these many groups were already out there, visiting homes and helping families return to the Church and seek the sacraments. • The reach of the movements to the second and third generation of Hispanics/Latinos in the Church, especially in English, is very small. • In two thirds of the parishes with Hispanic ministry, at least one movement has a prayer group. • In 53% of these Hispanic parishes, the ecclesial movements form small ecclesial communities of faith— most often the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. • Many Hispanic ministers report vocations to the priesthood inspired by an ecclesial movement. III. Top Recommendations from the National Encuentro • Recognize and welcome with dignity and pastoral care the presence of all approved ecclesial movements in our communities—from the parish and the diocese to the national level—as a blessing for the Church’s ministry, seeing them as instruments of God to evangelize and build bridges with the parish and diocesan pastoral life. Ministerial Area Sessions