Convention focuses on pastoral care of ethnic groups in church

Published: 2005-09-14

ARLINGTON, Va. (CNS) -- People in metropolitan areas, such as Washington, are aware that they live with a culturally diverse population: Spanish Masses, international festivals and ethnic groups have become commonplace, even within the church. But these urban dwellers may be surprised to find that people in rural towns all across America are facing a similar phenomenon, according to a priest who addressed a Sept. 7-9 gathering of Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees Networks. "It's now very hard to find any part of the country without multiculturalism in their midst," said Father Robert Schreiter, a professor of theology at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. The conference was convened in Arlington by the Office for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees, a division of Migration and Refugee Services at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. It brought together 10 bishops, 45 diocesan directors of multicultural ministry, 33 national ethnic consultants and others involved with multicultural and ethnic ministries in their dioceses.

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