ment when minors consider abortion. religion,’ yet that number has doubled in raised Catholic to serve on the Supreme
These laws are modest, widely sup- just the past few years,” Archbishop José Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor.
ported and constitutionally sound, but H. Gomez of San Antonio said in a June 8 I do not know either of these nomi-
they could fall before a new federal man- address at a national symposium on the nees personally. But I find their biogra-
date to maximize “access” to abortion. It present and future of Catholic Hispanic phies, as I have read them in the press,
should be made clear in the legislation ministry in the United States at Boston to be quite inspiring. And as I thought
that such laws will not be pre-empted. College. Archbishop Gomez, chairman of about what to say to you today, it
4. Several federal laws have long pro- the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Cultural occurred to me that their stories tell us
tected the conscience rights of health Diversity in the Church, said one reason a lot about our people and their experi-
care providers. These laws prevent for this increase is that “if our people ence over the last few generations in
governmental bodies from discrimi- feel scapegoated in society and margin- this country.
nating against individual and institu- alized in Catholic life, it’s only natural Dr. Diaz was born in Havana and is
tional health care providers that decline that they would look around for some- the son of a restaurant waiter. He is the
involvement in abortion and respect the place that might welcome them and first person in his family to attend col-
moral and religious convictions of health treat them with the dignity they deserve.” lege, and he has gone on to become a
professionals on abortion and other pro- He said, however, that a more serious respected theologian; he is very active
cedures in programs funded under the problem is the aggressively secularized in the church and is the father of four
Public Health Service Act and other fed- dominant U.S. culture that Hispanics children.
eral laws (see www.usccb.org/prolife/ feel compelled to “fit in” with. He said Judge Sotomayor has an even more
issues/abortion/crmay08.pdf). President he worries there could be a permanent dramatic background. Her father died
Obama recently stated that he accepts Hispanic underclass due to poverty, high when she was 9, and she was raised
these current laws and will do nothing dropout rates and increasing numbers in the Bronx. Her mother worked hard
to weaken them. Congress should make of single-parent households. Archbishop and sacrificed to send both her and her
the same pledge by ensuring that this Gomez said this material poverty must brother to Catholic schools all the way
legislation will maintain protection for be addressed; he said it’s also impor- through high school. According to state-
conscience rights. tant to address spiritual poverty: “If we ments from the White House and from
As longtime supporters of genuine want justice for our young people, if we people who know her, Judge Sotomayor
health care reform, the U.S. Conference want what God wants for them — lives is no longer a practicing Catholic and
of Catholic Bishops is working to ensure worthy of their great dignity as his sons indeed does not practice any religion.
that needed health reform is not under- and daughters — then we need to find Now, let me make myself clear. The
mined by abandoning longstanding and ways to teach our young people virtue, reason I mention Professor Diaz and
widely supported policies against abor- self-discipline and personal responsibil- Judge Sotomayor has nothing to do with
tion funding and mandates and in favor ity.” He said both types of poverty can politics. I’m not interested in making
of conscience protection. be addressed through education, both any judgments on their religious faith,
During committee consideration, general education and education in the or their political views, or their quali-
Reps. Bart Stupak (D-MI) and Joseph faith. The archbishop’s address follows. fications for the posts for which they
Pitts (R-PA) plan to offer amendments have been nominated. I mention them
to address these problems in H.R. 3200 ¡Un saludo cordial muy queridos her- because I think their paths are instruc-
as introduced. I strongly urge you to manos y hermanas! It is great to be with tive as we consider the future of our
support their efforts. By your actions on you, my friends. I am honored to be ministry to our Hispanic people.
these issues, you have the ability to help invited to share my thoughts with such Let me explain.
reform our health care system in a way a distinguished group. Here we have two leading Hispanics.
that will truly serve the poor and needy My friend Hosffman Ospino has Each has risen, within one generation
and uphold the dignity of all. asked me to talk about three issues: first, — from homes where the parents had
the major challenges facing Hispanic very limited educations and very little
Catholics; second, the paths that we as economic means — to achieve among
leaders should take in addressing these the highest ranks in his or her respec-
Evangelization, challenges; and finally, some thoughts tive fields. Each is now in line for a very
on how we might take initiative at this prominent position in the government
Education and the historic moment in which our people of this country. Each is a great “success
are about to become a “numerical story” of Hispanic immigration; the one
Hispanic Catholic majority” in the United States. continues to practice the Catholic faith
I am happy to try to talk about all he was brought up in, while the other
Future these things. But I want to I start with does not.
some recent news items. As you all In these two nominees we have a
know, President Obama has recently snapshot of larger patterns of religious
Archbishop Gomez nominated two Hispanics to high posi- practice and affiliation among our
tions — a Cuban-American Catholic, Dr. Hispanic population. The Pew Religious
“A generation ago we could hardly imag- Miguel Diaz, to be his ambassador to Landscape Survey from last year and
ine a Hispanic saying he or she had ‘no the Vatican, and a Puerto Rican who was the Trinity College American Religious
origins 185
Identification Survey, which came out Catholic. in Europe. But here in the United States,
about a month ago, reach similar con- There are many factors involved secularization has involved a deliberate
clusions about the faith of our people. in this drift. There is the simple real- strategy of “de-Christianization,” car-
About 58 percent of Hispanics identify ity of our relentless consumer cul- ried out by cultural elites over many
themselves as Catholic; about one-quar- ture. “Shopping around” is more than years. There is a good scholarly book on
ter identify themselves as some brand a metaphor for Americans, it is a way this called The Secular Revolution, edit-
of Protestant Christian; and between 10 of life. People shop for churches and ed by Christian Smith of the University
percent and 12 percent describe them- religions like they do everything else, of North Carolina. Smith and his col-
selves as having no religion. and Hispanics in this country are no leagues show how secularization was
These percentages represent a big different. It’s also true that Protestant carried out by powerful interest groups
change from 20 years ago and even proselytizers have been successful in in the areas of law and public policy,
from 10 years ago. The number of playing on the poverty and insecurity of education and the media.
Hispanics self-identifying as Catholics our people — by preaching a seductive The result is that what I call “practi-
has declined from nearly 100 percent “Gospel of wealth.” cal atheism” has become the de facto
in just two decades, while the number Another factor: We cannot underes- state religion in America. The price of
who describe themselves as Protestant timate the impact — let’s be frank — of participation in our economic, politi-
has nearly doubled and the number racism, both in American society and cal and social life is that we essentially
saying they have “no religion” has also unfortunately in the church. Our ugly, have to agree to conduct ourselves as if
doubled. unproductive and unfinished national God does not exist. We can’t talk about
I’m not a big believer in polls about debate over immigration has exposed religion or faith in the workplace or in
religious beliefs and practice. But in this that. If our people feel scapegoated in the public square. Sure, people still do,
case the polls reflect pastoral experi- society and marginalized in Catholic but those people are dismissed as zeal-
ence on the ground and provide us with life, it’s only natural that they would ots or “the Christian right.”
a graphic measure of what I believe to look around for someplace that might This is all very strange for a coun-
be the biggest challenge facing Hispanic welcome them and treat them with try that was founded by Christians —
Catholics in the years ahead. the dignity they deserve. And unfortu- in fact by Hispanic Catholics. Indeed,
Let me state the challenge bluntly nately, some people are going to reject where I’m from, in San Antonio, the
and then explain what I mean. I’ll put Christianity altogether because they Gospel was being preached in Spanish
it in terms of the question that Jesus experience Christians treating them in and holy Mass was being celebrated by
Christ once asked, “Pero, cuando el Hijo ways that are not very Christian. Hispanics before George Washington
del hombre venga, ¿encontrará fe sobre These are problems. But I think the was born. Before there was a Congress.
la tierra? — Nevertheless, when the most serious problem we face comes Before there was a Wall Street.
Son of Man comes, will he find faith on not so much from these factors as from But today religion in the U.S. has
earth?” (Lk 18:8). the dominant culture in the United been reduced to the area of private devo-
That’s the challenge, my friends. States, which is aggressively, even mili- tion and subjective emotion. Religion is
As Hispanics become more and more tantly secularized. This is a subject that something we do on Sundays or in our
successful, more and more assimilated unfortunately doesn’t get much atten- families but is not allowed to have any
into the American mainstream, will tion at all in discussions about the influence on what we do the rest of the
they keep the faith? Which path are they future of Hispanic ministry. But it’s time week — in our work, in our civic life.
going to follow? Will they stay Catholic that we change that. This separation of religion from
or will they drift away — to Protestant In fact, I believe that unless we as public life has led to lots of other prob-
denominations, to some variety of Hispanic leaders develop a strategy for lems in our country. It has contributed
vague spirituality or to no religion at understanding and dealing with the to the rise of moral relativism, the pre-
all? secular culture, our pastoral plans and sumption that there are no truths in
What will their relationship be to the programs will never achieve the suc- the moral order, only different opinions
Catholic Church? Will they live by the cess we would hope for. and points of view.
church’s teachings and promote and And more to my point — secular-
defend these teachings in the public The Challenge of Secular Culture ization has an “alarming effect” on
square? Or will their Catholicism sim- Let me be clear about what I mean by everyone’s practice of religion. We see
ply become a kind of “cultural” back- secularized culture. There is a socio- this in the rise of the number of people
ground, a personality trait, a part of logical theory that holds that secular- who say they practice no religion at all.
their upbringing that shapes their per- ization is the inevitable, almost natural Never before in the history of our coun-
spective on the world but compels no outcome of modernization. In other try have so many people lived without
allegiance or devotion to the church? words, religious faith is supposed to any day-to-day awareness of God. They
These are all open questions as we fade away and eventually disappear as don’t hate God like atheists do. They’ve
move into the early 21st century. And a society becomes more technologically just forgotten who he is.
the stakes are high, friends. Because advanced, more educated and sophisti- These secularizing forces put forth
historically speaking Hispanics have cated. even more pressure on Hispanics and
always been more than an ethnic group. That theory might be a good expla- other immigrant groups. Why? Because
To be Hispanic has always been to be nation for how secularization happened immigrants already face severe demands
186 origins
to “fit in,” to downplay what is cultur- group in the country. These are things that we end up mistaking the means
ally and religiously distinct about them; we don’t talk about enough. But we can- for the end.
to prove that they are “real” Americans not write these issues off as just “conser- All our pastoral plans and programs
too. A generation ago we could hardly vative issues.” presume that we are trying to serve
imagine a Hispanic saying he or she The hard truth is that many of our Christ and his Gospel. But my brothers
had “no religion,” yet that number has young people are making bad moral and sisters, we can no longer simply
doubled in just the past few years. decisions that have enormous and per- presume Christ. We must make sure we
My friends, I believe we need to manent consequences — not only for are proclaiming him.
think hard about our culture. The first them, but for our society and for the The proclamation of Jesus Christ
missionaries to this country studied the future of Hispanic culture in America. must be the criteria against which we
indigenous cultures in order to evan- To my mind, these are serious “justice” measure everything we do in Hispanic
gelize. We need to do the same thing. issues. If we want justice for our young ministry. Are we making new disciples?
We need an approach to culture that people, if we want what God wants for Are we strengthening the faith of those
is broader than concentrating simply them — lives worthy of their great dig- who have already been made disciples?
on ministering to Hispanics. Definitely, nity as his sons and daughters — then Is the knowledge and love of Christ
we need to raise up Hispanic Catholic we need to find ways to teach our young spreading through our work?
leaders, and we need a pastoral plan to people virtue, self-discipline and per- The mission that Christ gave to his
educate Hispanics in the faith and to sonal responsibility. Any realistic assess- church can be summed up in two words:
nourish them with the sacraments. But ment of the future of our ministry must preaching and teaching. La predicación
this must be part of a wider evangelical include consideration of these issues. y la enseñanza. Proclaiming the good
strategy. We need to commit ourselves Any meaningful pastoral plan must news of salvation and teaching men
again to the work of re-evangeliza- address this challenge. and women to live according to all that
tion, to preaching the Gospel again to Christ commanded. This is a good way
America. Only Path for Leadership: Jesus Christ for us to think about and organize our
I want to talk more about these OK. So far I have answered Hosffman’s pastoral response to the challenges I
things in a minute. first question — the challenges I see fac- have identified. Preaching and teach-
ing our Hispanic people. Broadly speak- ing. La predicación y la enseñanza.
The Challenge of Poverty: ing I’ve identified those challenges as
Material and Spiritual the aggressive secular culture in the U.S. La Predicación y la Enseñanza
But before I do, I want to mention the and the realities of material and spiri- First, we need to preach the Gospel.
second critical challenge that I think tual poverty among our people. “The new evangelization” has become a
we face as Hispanic leaders. I’m going Now for Hosffman’s second ques- buzzword or catchphrase in the church.
to label this second challenge “poverty: tion — what paths we should pursue in This is good. It must now become a way
material and spiritual.” addressing these challenges. of life, a way of discipleship, the basic
In general terms, Hispanics in this My answer to this question is short — mandate for our every ministry.
country are following the classic immi- two words: Jesus Christ. In our Hispanic ministries we must
grant model. The second and third Jesus Christ has to be our way, our understand that we are preaching the
generation of Hispanics are much bet- truth and our life — for each of us per- good news to the poor. This is the real-
ter educated, much more fluent in the sonally and for our ministry as a whole. ity, my friends. Many of our people are
dominant language and are living at There can be no other path, no other poor now and they are going to be poor
a higher economic standard of living paradigm or model for Hispanic min- for many years. They face discrimi-
than the first generation. istry. nation and exploitation because of
But the troubling fact is that still The only “reason” that Hispanic their poverty and their race. Millions
about one-quarter of all Hispanics, ministry exists in the first place is to of them are forced to live in the shad-
no matter what generation, are living fulfill the calling of Christ, the mission ows because our lawmakers are not yet
below the poverty line. And that num- that he gave to his church — to preach brave enough to fix our broken immi-
ber does not seem to be improving very repentance and forgiveness of sins in his gration system.
much from generation to generation. name to all nations, to baptize and make We need to preach the good news of
Combine that with high school dropout disciples, and to spread his teachings. Christ to them. But we also need to show
rates of about 22 percent and a dra- Hispanic ministry should mean only them that good news in action. I am
matic rise in the number of Hispanic one thing — bringing Hispanic people more and more convinced that we must
children being raised in single-parent to the encounter with Jesus Christ in address the issues of Hispanic poverty
homes — both strong indicators of his church. Too often, I’m afraid, we with an intense practical emphasis on
future poverty — and I worry that we lose sight of that. We get caught up in education — education in general and
may be ministering to a permanent thinking about our plans, our programs; education in the faith.
Hispanic underclass. who has control; what’s going on in the Every expert on poverty tells us that
We have moral and social problems bureaucracy. Our intentions are always education is the one key to getting out
too. Our people have some of the high- good. We want to find the best means of it. That means, in the first place,
est rates of teen pregnancy, abortion to help our people. My worry is that we we need to get those Hispanic drop-
and out-of-wedlock births of any ethnic concentrate so much on the “means” out rates down. It means we need to
origins 187
find new ways to keep our kids chaste They also need to know about the exhaust your responsibilities as disci-
and in school, and to instill in them the men and women who have dedicated ples. Your discipleship must extend into
value of education. We need to push for their lives in recent years to the service every area of your life.
real improvements in public education, of the church in Hispanic ministry. We are all called to become better
and in public support for private edu- We also need to concentrate on rais- examples of the Gospel we’re called to
cation, especially in our poorest school ing up new leaders. We still do not have proclaim. If you lead, my friends, others
districts. And we need to assemble all enough successful Hispanics taking on will follow. I promise you that.
the resources of our own network of leadership roles in the church or in our
Catholic schools to meet this challenge. communities. There are a lot of reasons ¡Somos Católicos!
Educating our people in the faith for this. Professional Hispanic men and My time is almost up. Let me turn to
should also be an urgent priority. We women are still struggling hard to estab- Hosffman’s last question — how do we
need to find ways to teach the faith so lish themselves in their fields. They still seize the initiative at this moment in
that our people really “get it” — not face a lot of racism and institutional bar- history?
just the intellectual content of the faith, riers to success; it takes a lot of their First, I think we need to consider
but the true, life-changing power of the energy and a lot of their time. There isn’t what’s really at stake. I hear a lot of talk
encounter with Jesus Christ. a lot of either leftover to “give back” to these days about so-called “cultural
We need to show them that our the community, to the church. Catholicism” as it relates to Hispanics.
Catholic faith is a beautiful and com- It’s a category that’s supposed to describe
plete way of life, one that brings joy and people who have been raised Catholic.
peace, and one that offers real answers “Hispanic ministry should They’re supposed to have a unique dedi-
to the problems of daily life. We need to cation to working for social justice that
mean only one thing — bring-
teach the faith so that people not only stays with them even though they’re no
want to live it but are inspired to defend ing Hispanic people to the longer practicing their faith. “Cultural
it and pass it on to others — in their Catholicism” is supposed to be a good
encounter with Jesus Christ
homes, in their communities, in the thing, a sign that Christian values have
places where they work. in his church. Too often, I’m penetrated deep into a person’s person-
My brothers and sisters, it is essential ality and outlook on life.
afraid, we lose sight of that.
that our people know their own story, But I am reminded of some tough
our story — the great story of Hispanic We get caught up in think- words that our Lord once spoke: “¿De
Catholicism in the Americas. qué le servirá al hombre ganar el mundo
ing about our plans, our
Do our people know that the Gospel entero, si pierde su vida? — For what
was being preached in Spanish and programs; who has con- does it profit a man to gain the whole
the holy Mass was being celebrated world and forfeit his life?” (Mk 8:36).
trol; what’s going on in the
by Hispanics in our country in the What good will it do our people to
1560s — more than 200 years before bureaucracy.” be a majority of Americans if we forfeit
the Declaration of Independence? Do our Catholic faith in the process, if we
they know the names and the lives of lose our soul? Jesus Christ did not come
the great priests and lay missionaries, So we need to find ways to help to suffer and die so that he could make
the saints and martyrs who brought the them and encourage them to put their “cultural Catholics.”
faith to this land? time, talents and treasure in the service The Gospel is not an attitude or a
Do they know about the more imme- of our people. We have to find a better philosophy of life. It is a relationship
diate memoria historica of Hispanic way to market our organizations and to with the living God, a relationship that
ministry? The Encuentros, includ- facilitate the participation of successful Christ himself intended to be profound-
ing Encuentro 2000, the only official Hispanics in our ministries and activi- ly ecclesial; that is, it is a relationship
national celebration of the jubilee year. ties. that we have through him, with him,
What about the documents of the U.S. But what we really must do is pro- and in him — in his church.
Conference of Catholic Bishops regard- mote the sense of discipleship among We need to reject every shortcut,
ing Hispanic ministry? all our peoples. We need to remind them every attempt to reduce the Gospel to its
How will our people come to know that all Catholics are called to be mis- lowest common denominator. Catholic
these things unless we are the ones who sionaries, to be leaders in proclaiming principles can make society a better
tell them? As leaders, we have to learn their faith, in preaching the Gospel with place to live, but only the fullness of
this great story ourselves and promote their lives. the Gospel can bring men and women
creative ways of sharing that story with That goes for us too, my friends. to eternal life. To seize the moment,
our people. We need to encourage devo- Most of us here today are “professional we need to embrace our identity as
tion to our local saints — especially our Catholics.” I say that with deep respect Catholics. ¡Somos Católicos! That means
Hispanic and Latin American saints and gratitude for your service to Christ embracing the fullness of our heritage
and blesseds. Our people need to know and his church. But you have to remem- as Hispanic Catholics.
that these holy men and women shared ber that your work for the church — in Carlos Fuentes, our great Mexican
their faith and their struggles against chanceries and parishes, in classrooms, writer, has said, “You cannot have a liv-
sin, injustice and oppression. in all your various ministries — does not ing future if you have a dead past.” He’s
188 origins
right. The way forward in the future is to the Eucharist and in the sacrament of revere the contemporary culture and to
always be drawing from our past — not penance. relate revelation and our Catholic faith
only from the words of Scripture, but We need his creativity, courage and to that culture. ... It does not mean par-
from the great communion of saints. daring to find new ways to bring our roting words and phrases from one or
In that spirit, I want to leave you this brothers and sisters to Christ. another time and place in the church’s
afternoon with reflections from two fig- My friends, in the future we must history as though that were the only way
ures from our Hispanic Catholic heri- preach with the confidence of those to speak of things divine and of things
tage. who know the hope of the resurrection. Catholic. ... It means being a leaven in
The first is Bartolomé de las Casas, If the God who raised Jesus from the a society that seeks insight, example
the great Dominican evangelist and dead is with us, what could we possibly and inspiration even as it claims to be
champion of human rights. We all know have to fear? postreligion, postchurch and post-Chris-
his story. In fact, I was rereading his Thank you for your attention this tianity. ... It means being humble before
defense of the dignity of the Indians afternoon. I’m grateful for the chance to God and each other, acknowledging that
recently, and I was thinking that every join you in this important discussion. no one of us has all the answers.” Bishop
word could be applied to our debates Let me leave you with Blessed Farrell’s address follows.
today about abortion. Miguel’s last words: “¡Viva Cristo Rey! —
What makes him so relevant for us is Long live Christ the King!” Last Jan. 9 a distinguished for-
that he had some very simple yet pow- And I pray that Our Lady of mer trustee of this university, the Rev.
erful ideas about the evangelization of Guadalupe, the mother of us all, watch- Richard John Neuhaus, died. He had
culture. From his classic The Only Way to es over us and guides us in our service been hospitalized for only a few days
Draw All People to a Living Faith, I offer of her Son, especially these coming days but from the first moment it was clear
you two points: as we discuss the present and future of that his days were numbered. He died
First, Fray Bartolomé says that Christ Catholic Hispanic ministry in the United as the highly acclaimed editor of First
and the apostles evangelized by (a) win- States. Thank you. Things, a journal of religion, culture and
ning people’s minds with reasoned argu- public life.
ments; and (b) by attracting their hearts Father Neuhaus was born and raised
with gentle invitations and compelling a Lutheran and, like others in his fam-
motives. What Does It Mean ily, became a Lutheran pastor. By all
That’s a good way for us to think accounts he was an articulate man of
about our ministries too. We need an To Be Catholic letters and ideas. He had an unassail-
approach to evangelizing our culture able intellect and a gift for insight and
that is both intellectually rigorous and Enough? clear thinking.
that is rooted in deep love for our broth- In 1987, while still a Lutheran, he
ers and sisters and a desire that they authored a book titled The Catholic
come to know Christ.
Bishop Farrell Moment: The Paradox of the Church in a
Second, Fray Bartolomé reminds us Post-Modern World. The book is a favor-
of something I just mentioned — that “If and when others may disagree or have able portrait of post-Vatican II Catholic
our mission is profoundly ecclesial. He a different approach or have a different life and a plea that all Christians see
says we have a “triple duty — The first, slant on Catholic teaching or belief, hon- in Catholicism great spiritual richness
to preach the faith. The second, nourish- est debate, not confrontation, true dia- and depth, whose teachings should be
ing believers with the sacraments. The logue where we seek to understand the at the forefront of influencing American
third, teaching believers nourished by other, not facile condemnation, should culture at large. In a sense this book was
the sacraments to keep the command- be the overarching way we move for- a platform statement of what became
ments of God and to live a good life.” ward together,” Bishop Kevin J. Farrell his signature project in First Things —
Again — a very clear and simple path of Dallas said in his May 17 commence- namely, to link religion, American cul-
for us to follow. We evangelize, we edu- ment address at the University of Dallas, ture and public life.
cate, we bring men and women into an independent Catholic university in Like most things Neuhaus wrote, it
the life of the church, we feed them the Irving, Texas. “And let us remember that was a highly acclaimed book. But, like
Bread of Life and we help them to live by the word ‘heretic’ has been reserved for most things Neuhaus wrote, it was also
all the teachings of Christ. precious few people in our Catholic the catalyst for debate, refining and
Finally, I want to propose that we tradition,” he added. The bishop posed restating positions — the fruit of the
reflect on the missionary work of Blessed the question, “What does it mean to be kind of debate which he relished and
Miguel Pro, the great Jesuit martyr of the Catholic enough?” and offered several which he was very skilled at! It received
Mexican persecution in the 1920s. possible answers: “It means adhering several highly favorable reviews and
I think we all know his story too. to the magisterium of the church and several reviews that took on the author’s
What we need is his conviction that taking very seriously the length, breadth words and did him the service of engag-
Christ alone can save us. At a time when and depth of the Catholic tradition. ... ing him, and, dare I say it, of taking him
practicing the faith was a capital crime, It means taking very seriously the chal- on.
this conviction led him to risk his life lenge which theologians in the church One such review was by a trained,
every day to bring people to Christ in have always taken up — to face into and lifelong Roman Catholic teacher of the-
origins 189