Washington D.C., Feb 13, 2010 / 02:03 am
A recent study that focused on Hispanic ministries across the country found that most Hispanic ministries are underfunded, overworked, and have problems retaining staff over time.
The study surveyed a group of existing Hispanic ministries of varying age, with the majority having been founded in response to the first “Encuentro Nacional Hispano” (Hispanic National Encounter) in 1972. About half of the organizations are less than two decades old.
Professor Tim Matovina of the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism at Notre Dame said that the results “underscore(s) what many Hispanic ministry leaders have been saying: the major challenge in nearly all national and regional Hispanic ministry organizations is the curtailment of their mission due to a severe lack of fiscal and consequently personnel resources.”
“Bolstering the structures that sustain Hispanic ministry is one of the most urgent strategic goals for the vitality of Latino Catholic faith,” alerted Prof. Matovina.