By Matthew Greeley

While numbers can sometimes be manipulated to say what we want them to say, these data do not lie. Hispanics are rapidly becoming the majority ethnic group in the Catholic Church in the United States. What does this trend mean to our Diocese of Trenton? What does it mean for my parish? How will it impact how I celebrate and live my faith?

These are truly exciting things to think about, not at all daunting or threatening. These are enriching opportunities already present, as well as to come, and our Church needs to be ready.

Mass is currently celebrated in Spanish in twenty-five parishes in the Diocese of Trenton and attendance at these Masses has increased by 45% in the last 5 years. But these shifts in our faith family go well beyond the question of language.

Hispanic Catholics come from 26 different countries, each with its own distinct history, culture, and religious expressions that shape how they pray and live out the Catholic faith even after they learn to speak English.

Dr. Hosffman Ospino is one of the leading experts in reading the numbers and in helping us frame what to do about them in our Church. Dr. Ospino is Assistant Professor of Hispanic Ministry and Religious Education at Boston College, where he received his Master’s in Theology with a specialization in Church History as well as his doctorate in Theology and Education.

You are invited and encouraged to participate in a formational experience for ministry leaders with Dr. Ospino on Saturday, November 21 from 9am-2pm in the gymnasium at St. Rose of Lima Parish, Freehold, as we learn about Hispanic Ministry in Catholic Parishes. The presentation will be in Spanish, but the content and the way Dr. Ospino facilitates will transcend language. All are certainly welcome.

His presentation opens eyes and hearts to the realities of our universal Church while focusing on the real implications and possibilities in our local Church. With interactive dialogue and ‘información’ for everyone, Dr. Ospino will offer practical steps for our parish families so we can better grow as one family in Christ, while harnessing and understanding the diverse cultural realities of Hispanic Catholics.

Terry Ginther, executive director of the diocesan Office of Pastoral Life and Mission, expressed that one of the many riches she gleans from Dr. Ospino’s presentation focuses on the gifts of the Hispanic community.

“Dr. Ospino shares so well about the particular gifts that the Hispanic community shares,” she told me. “Among them [are] a strong commitment to family, a vibrant devotional life, a sense of community for and with, and a profound faith experience.”

The family of the Diocese of Trenton will grow in faith as we recognize these gifts and allow them to be catalysts for change in our parish communities.

And this reality is not simply for the non-Latino. We need Hispanic Catholics to recognize their role and place in the Church community; to see that they are not a Catholic group that pertains to a given parish, but that they are a vital part of the parish as a whole.

We hope to see you at St. Rose of Lima on November 21. Our Church is changing and we need you at the table as we embrace the changes with whole hearts. One faith, one Church, many cultures and many hearts.

These are exciting times in the Diocese of Trenton. ¡Que Dios los bendiga! God bless you!

To register or for more information, please contact Sandra Lopez at [email protected]; (609) 403-7138.

Greeley is associate director of the Office of Communications and coordinator of Spanish-language communications.