If you are a newcomer from Latin America and are asked, “Are you Hispanic?,” you are probably not going to know what to say. You will reply, “I am Mexican, or I am Peruvian, or I am from some other Spanish-speaking country.”
I remember when I lived in California, someone would hear me speak Spanish and immediately think I was from Mexico. In some areas of the Northeast, if we speak Spanish, some people think all of us are Puerto Rican. The reality is that the term Hispanic is very much a U.S. term, and it is used for those of us who identify with – or were born in or have ancestors in – any of the 20 countries that make up Latin America and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, Spain, or, to your surprise, Equatorial Guinea in Africa.
Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the diverse contributions of Hispanics to the culture, history, society and Church of the United States of America. In South Jersey, the Diocese of Camden strives to ensure that the Hispanic community not only feels welcome, but also plays a key role in the life of the Catholic Church.
South Jersey is home to a very diverse population. Within this demographic mosaic, the Hispanic community has grown significantly over the years. The Secretariat for Evangelization and Hispanic Ministries serves this diversity by providing spiritual, pastoral and social support to members of various cultures. Therefore, during Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, the Secretariat highlights the valuable traditions, customs and spirituality of the approximately 120,000 Hispanic Catholics who represent 22% of the Catholic population in the Diocese of Camden.
One of the central components of Hispanic ministry is the celebration of Spanish and/or bilingual Masses in 23 of the 62 parishes in the Diocese, allowing Hispanics to worship in their native language while maintaining many of their own religious traditions. We pray and encourage more young Hispanics to hear God’s call to the priesthood to continue to serve our community not only in Spanish, but also for the new generations of Latinos who may be more comfortable with English but whose way of relating to God is through their Hispanic traditions.
Some of the great contributions of the Hispanic community to the Church in this country are: the sense of family, the value of work as a divine gift, respect for life in all its dimensions, devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and above all, the growth of the Catholic Church through the transmission of the faith in Hispanic Catholic families and the constant immigration of Latino Catholics. Hispanic Heritage Month is an excellent opportunity for the Diocese of Camden to celebrate these contributions and the cultural diversity of its Hispanic community.
To that end, each year we have a Diocesan Hispanic Celebration. This year’s celebration will be held Oct. 8 in Vineland, from 3-6 p.m. The theme is based on the new pastoral plan of the U.S. bishops for Hispanic ministry, “New Missionary Disciples Transformed by the Eucharist.” We will have a Eucharistic celebration presided by Bishop Dennis Sullivan and a great feast with parishioners from Hispanic Ministry parishes. All are welcome to celebrate and learn more about Hispanic cultures.
In the Diocese of Camden, we want our parishes to be welcoming to all, regardless of our cultural background. This inclusion enriches the faith of the entire Catholic community. Hispanic Heritage Month is a time of reflection and celebration, not only for the Hispanic community in South Jersey, but for the entire Catholic family. It is a reminder of the importance of diversity and the contributions of Hispanic Catholics to our local Church. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, let us embrace the cultural and spiritual richness of all Hispanic brothers and sisters in Jesus our Lord.
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!
Andrés Arango is Bishop’s Delegate for Hispanic Ministry and director of evangelization for the Diocese of Camden.
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