Christian Life Communities
By Kyle Shinseki @ 6:07 PM :: 355 Views
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The ACU is what is known in the Roman Catholic Church as a Christian Life Community (CLC).  CLCs began with the establishment of the first Marian Congregation in Rome in 1563.  There was a renewal of interest in such Congregations in the early part of the last century and in 1922 began what might be called the “golden age” of the Marian Congregation.  As a result, Pope Pius XII published the Apostolic Constitution Bis saeculari in 1948, which called for a renewal of Marian Congregations and an emphasis on the lay apostolate. Shortly thereafter, the World Federation of Marian Congregations was organized and the first General Assembly of the Federation was held in Rome in 1954.

One of the founding organizations of the World Federation was the ACU. In fact, the first president of the World Federation was agrupado Dr. José Ignacio Lasaga.  Like many Catholic organizations, Marian Congregations went through significant changes in their focus and structure after the Second Vatican Council, including the use of the term “Christian Life Community” instead of Marian Congregation.  Today, the ACU is one of 58 national CLCs that are full members of the Federation, which includes groups from every continent.

The CLC World Federation is governed by the General Assembly, a gathering of national CLC member groups such as the ACU.  General Assemblies are held approximately every 5 years in different countries. The Executive Council, with offices in the Vatican, has the responsibility to coordinate with national CLC federations and run the day-to-day activities of the World Federation in the periods between General Assemblies.  The Council has three permanent members designated by the Jesuits and 9 members elected by the Assembly. The three permanent members are Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J., Father General of the Jesuits; Alberto Brito, S.J., Ecclesiastical Vice Assistant; and Guy Maginzi, Executive Secretary.

The most recent General Assembly was held in Nairobi, Kenya during the summer of 2003.  Nearly 200 people attended, representing 53 national federations.  One of the most pressing issues discussed was the mission of CLCs – social action, spirituality, or leadership formation.  One major challenge in reaching agreement on a common global mission is the socio-economic disparity between national federations in developed countries and those in developing nations.  A second issue raised was the role of the local ecclesiastical assistant.  The World Federation continues to address these issues in order to build Catholic apostolic communities faithful to the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.

For further information, visit the website of the World Federation of CLCs.

Hispanics in the U.S Catholic Church
By Kyle Shinseki @ 6:03 PM :: 372 Views
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Hispanics currently make up 40% of the Catholic Church in the United States.  It may seem hard to believe, but only a generation ago, many Dioceses opposed ethnic ministries and Spanish-speaking parishioners were often obligated to celebrate Mass in church basements.  But since the 1960s, more than 70% of the growth in the U.S. Catholic Church has come from Hispanic Catholics, who now number over 25 million.  It is estimated that by 2050, 80% of Roman Catholics in the United States will be of Hispanic origin.

While many parishes with Hispanic ministry are located in places like Los Angeles, Miami, and New York, churches like St. Mary in Kodiak, Alaska and Sacred Heart/St. Dominic in Portland, Maine also celebrate a weekly misa en español.  In fact, there are more than 3,600 parishes throughout the United States that minister to this growing ethnic group.  Sisters provide social services to new Hispanic residents in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, while priests from Colombia lead prayer groups in Honolulu.  While the Church assists Hispanics in adjusting to their new lives in the United States, it also helps maintain Latin American traditions like fiestas patronales, novenas, and posadas. 

Although the U.S. Catholic Church has made significant advances in its outreach to Hispanics, there are still a number of challenges.  Traditional and evangelical Protestants have made significant inroads among Hispanics.  According to a survey conducted in 2001, 76% of Hispanic immigrants identified themselves as Catholic, as compared to only 59% of U.S.-born Hispanics.  Each year, more than 60,000 Hispanic Catholics in the United States leave the Church to become Evangelicals.  Since only 37% of Hispanic immigrants belong to a Catholic parish, it is not surprising that many Evangelical groups are able to attract them by providing social services and employment assistance.

While certainly the Catholic Church can do more to serve its Hispanic faithful, there currently are only just over 2,000 Hispanic priests in the United Status, which translates to one Hispanic priest for every 10,000 Hispanic parishioners.  Two-thirds of U.S. Dioceses have no Hispanics in key administrative positions and many parishes lack Hispanic participation on parish councils.  Here is where the ACU and its commitment to developing lay Catholic leadership has been able to and should continue to play an important role.  Agrupados in many cities have served as a bridge between English-speaking and Spanish-speaking parishioners and provide their professional skills and experience to serve the growing numbers of Hispanic faithful.