DALTON--As the number of Hispanics who come to Mass at St. Joseph's Church continues to increase, the parish community is searching for new ways to meet the needs of this growing population.

In January members of the parish provided translation services, hospitality and tours to a delegation of educators from the University of Monterrey, Mexico, while they visited the Dalton City Schools exploring ways to meet the needs of the growing Hispanic student population.

Parishioners provided the delegation with a tour of Hispanic neighborhoods and attended an evening meeting with parents of Hispanic and American children.

Father Daniel Stack, pastor, Roberto Lemus, a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Sister Santa Basilio and Sister Socorro Avelino, and five parishioners served as guides and interpreters for the delegation.

In addition to this community outreach, Lemus has begun a soccer team for the youth of the Dalton parish. A Dalton Children's Soccer League, almost entirely Catholic, has more than 130 children with 10 boys teams and two exhibition girls teams.

Those interested in joining a team should contact Raul Zamora, 500 Bluff Hill Number 1, Dalton, GA 30721. Participants must have a birth certificate, recent photograph and written permission from their parents.

On Dec. 15, 1996 over 1,500 people attended a cultural exposition featuring music, dancing and food, sponsored by the Spanish-speaking youth group of St. Joseph's. The exposition included exhibits on the history, religion and customs of Latin American nations, with an emphasis on Mexico, the country most represented by Hispanics in the Dalton area.