Washington D.C., Dec 9, 2008 / 21:59 pm
Experts in faith formation and leadership in the Hispanic community of the United States recently met with staff members of the U.S. Conference of Bishop’s (USCCB) Secretariat for Cultural Diversity in the Church. Their meeting focused upon the improvement of faith formation among Hispanics and Latinos of all ages in parishes, dioceses, and Catholic institutions.
The meeting took place December 2 – 3 and was facilitated by the secretariat’s assistant director, Alejandro Aguilera-Titus, who is also assistant director of the secretariat’s Hispanic Affairs department, a USCCB press release says.
Participants in the meeting included theologians, directors of higher education academic programs, the chairman of the National Conference of Catechetical Leadership Forum on Catechesis with Hispanics, the president of Federación de Institutos Pastorales (Federation of Hispanic Pastoral Institutes, or FIP), directors of Hispanic pastoral institutes, Hispanic ministry and diaconate formation programs, publishing houses and others.
Morning sessions reviewed the state of faith formation among Hispanics and identified “best practices” in parishes, dioceses, and Catholic institutions. Dialogue in the afternoon established “core values” to guide the process and to offer concrete recommendations.