National Hispanic ministry pastoral plan rolled out

By Kim Roberts
Clarion Herald

The new, parish-centric National Pastoral Plan for the Hispanic/Latino Ministry, approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in June 2023, will begin to be implemented in the Archdiocese of New Orleans in the coming months.

Plans call for regional in-service training to provide archdiocesan leaders with tools and practical resources so that the plan can be implemented at the archdiocesan and par­ish levels during the second half of 2024.

 Local parishes may choose to implement the vision and priorities of the pastoral plan either by developing their own plan or enhancing existing plans to strengthen the church’s response to the Hispanic/Latino pres­ence.

Parish is a vital home

 “In the United States, the parish has been of singular importance in providing Catholics with a place where they can live their Catholic faith,” said Dominican Father Manuel Solorzano, executive director Hispanic Apostolate. “Particularly for immigrant communities, the parish is not only a place of worship but also a much-needed center for their cultural and social life. That is why the new national plan invites leaders in all pastoral settings, particularly pastors and those who serve with them in parishes, to consider the pastoral guidelines, priorities and strategies offered by the plan.”

Local parishes currently involved in the pastoral plan include St. Jerome and Divine Mercy in Kenner; Our Lady of Divine Providence, St. Clement of Rome and St. Louis King of France in Metairie; Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Anthony of Padua and Mary Queen of Vietnam in New Orleans; Christ the King in Terrytown; Immaculate Conception in Marrero; Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Chalmette; Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Westwego; Ascension of Our Lord in LaPlace; Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel in Covington; Holy Family in Franklinton; Annunciation in Bogalusa and St. Margaret Mary in Slidell. Father Solorzano hopes the plan will help parishes move from a maintenance model to a missionary model, where opportunities are provided to have an encounter with the living Christ and be transformed by his grace in the linguistic and cultural context of the people. Those encounters include the Eucharist and the other sacraments, popular devotions and religious practices, and outreach to those on the peripheries, both in person and through digital content. Father Solorzano’s role will be to plan, coordinate, search for resources and continuously evaluate the implementation process used by the different entities.

Plan implementation

Phase one – the launch and dissemination of the plan’s specifics – will run through 2025 at regional, diocesan and parish meetings. The second phase will extend through 2033.

So far, there have been two regional meetings. The first, held in Lafayette on April 18, was attended by 50 staff members of Louisiana’s seven dioceses, which form the ecclesiastical Province of New Orleans. The second meeting on April 20 was held in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, with more than 100 leaders attending.

 Local Hispanic leaders will organize a meeting at the archdiocesan level in the second half of this year and organize parish meetings for next year.

The general objective of the Hispanic/Latino ministry plan is in direct response to Pope Francis’ call to be an evangelizing church that follows the example of Christ on the road to Emmaus (Lk 24:13-32).

 “I find it very interesting the call made by the bishops of the United States to be an evangelizing church that follows the example of Christ on the road to Emmaus, bringing us closer to people who are on the peripheries of the Church and society,” Father Solorzano said. “We need the missionary spirit of Our Lady of Guadalupe to continue creating a culture of encounter and animating our pastoral ministries, helping each other to walk together as joyful missionary disciples on the way out, in solidarity and mercy.”

All guidelines for implementing the plan in the archdiocese will depend on the results of the archdiocesan meetings and the different parish meetings that must still be organized and developed.

 “It is a real challenge to be able to develop this plan,” Solorzano said. “But, I hope that over the 10 years that we have ahead of us, we can put into practice some of the elements that the plan proposes.”

Periodic checkpoints

The plan proposes assessing the pastoral reality of the Hispanic/Latino community at regular intervals; advocating on behalf of and with the Hispanic/Latino community for the necessary resources; coordinating and collaborating in Hispanic/Latino ministry efforts at the diocesan level; developing specific resources and programming for the Hispanic/Latino community; forming and training pastoral leaders for effective ministry and mission; giving attention to vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life; and welcoming those coming from other countries.

“It is a long and complex process that will require the participation of everyone and the openness and availability to implement all the resources and tools provided for in the plan,” he said.

Father Solorzano said there were several key pastoral priorities that will guide the pastoral life of the community over the next 10 years: evangelization and mission; faith formation and catechesis; pastoral accompaniment of Hispanic/Latino families; youth and young adult ministries; immigration and advocacy; formation for ministry in a culturally diverse church; pastoral care for those on the periphery; liturgy and spirituality; promotion of vocations; and Catholic education.

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