Hispanic group fears new USCCB structure splits whites, nonwhites

Published: 2007-11-16

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A national organization for Hispanic ministry is raising concerns that reorganization of the bishops' conference and its national staff "structurally divides the church into two groups -- one for Catholics who are white, and the other for Catholics who are not white." A letter prepared by the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry was the product of a symposium among leaders in Hispanic ministry in August about the current state and future directions of ministry, given the structural changes of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Dated Nov.11, it was sent to the bishops' Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs, whose members discussed it at their meeting during the annual fall gathering of the USCCB Nov. 12-15 in Baltimore. It also was sent to the Hispanic ministry council's membership and other "collaborators and leaders in ministry," it said. Among the groups represented by the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry are the national associations of Hispanic deacons and priests and various provinces of religious orders, including Augustinians, Capuchins, Conventual Franciscans, Divine Providence missionaries, Sisters of St. Joseph, Sulpicians and the Religious of Jesus and Mary.

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