Ethnic Apostolates / Hispanic Apostolate From among the 357 parishes of the Archdiocese, there are 126 Ethnic/Hispanic Worshipping Communities. These consist of 41 “personal parishes” (parishes that were established to serve the needs of a particular group of people) and 85 “ethnic communities” (recognized communities of various ethnic backgrounds that worship [usually in their own language] within a territorial parish or a personal parish that was established for a different group.
Thirteen personal parishes are being affected at the present time by this reconfiguration process; in only 2 of those parishes is the language of the ethnic community still used for worship. These 2 communities will need to be welcomed into a “receiving parish,” while the future needs of the other affected parishes will be discussed and those needs responded to by a neighboring parish community.
Another 18 “ethnic communities” are being affected due to the closure of the parishes in which these communities worship and carry on their pastoral life. In 9 of these cases, the local clusters made specific recommendations for the continued ministry of these communities: in one case the “combining” of 3 neighboring Hispanic communities, in another the “combining” of 2 neighboring Vietnamese communities. They feel that bringing these communities together will serve to strengthen their worship life as well as their pastoral programs and outreach. In the other instances, the clusters recommended a new parish community eager to extend hospitality and to welcome the ethnic community as a part of their parish community.
For the remaining “ethnic communities” further consultation will take place among the lay leadership of the local community, the neighboring pastors, area vicar and regional bishop. This consultation will be facilitated by the staffs of the Offices of Ethnic Apostolates and Hispanic Apostolate, under the direction of the Secretary for Pastoral Services.
In all of the above cases for both personal parishes and ethnic communities, at the conclusion of the consultation, recommendations will be brought to the Archbishop who will make pastoral decisions concerning the future care of these faithful of the Archdiocese.
From www.rcab.org
From among the 357 parishes of the Archdiocese, there are 126 Ethnic/Hispanic Worshipping Communities. These consist of 41 “personal parishes” (parishes that were established to serve the needs of a particular group of people) and 85 “ethnic communities” (recognized communities of various ethnic backgrounds that worship [usually in their own language] within a territorial parish or a personal parish that was established for a different group.
Thirteen personal parishes are being affected at the present time by this reconfiguration process; in only 2 of those parishes is the language of the ethnic community still used for worship. These 2 communities will need to be welcomed into a “receiving parish,” while the future needs of the other affected parishes will be discussed and those needs responded to by a neighboring parish community.
Another 18 “ethnic communities” are being affected due to the closure of the parishes in which these communities worship and carry on their pastoral life. In 9 of these cases, the local clusters made specific recommendations for the continued ministry of these communities: in one case the “combining” of 3 neighboring Hispanic communities, in another the “combining” of 2 neighboring Vietnamese communities. They feel that bringing these communities together will serve to strengthen their worship life as well as their pastoral programs and outreach. In the other instances, the clusters recommended a new parish community eager to extend hospitality and to welcome the ethnic community as a part of their parish community.
For the remaining “ethnic communities” further consultation will take place among the lay leadership of the local community, the neighboring pastors, area vicar and regional bishop. This consultation will be facilitated by the staffs of the Offices of Ethnic Apostolates and Hispanic Apostolate, under the direction of the Secretary for Pastoral Services.
In all of the above cases for both personal parishes and ethnic communities, at the conclusion of the consultation, recommendations will be brought to the Archbishop who will make pastoral decisions concerning the future care of these faithful of the Archdiocese.