Being both Puerto Rican and in pastoral care, I can assure you of several things regarding celebrating the Eucharist with our Hispanic brothers and sisters.
First, I believe that like any other Catholic community, no one keeps track of your ethnic background or race. Most people probably will not notice that you’re “different.”
Second, we have to get past the race divide. Hispanics are a language group, not a racial group. There are blond Germanic Hispanics too. Take a trip to Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and you will find that most of the population is Caucasian, very few Mestizos (Mixed Racial Heritage). If you’re blond with blue eyes, you can feel comfortable in a Spanish language mass, as well as any other language.
Third, get ready for a very “matriarchal” experience, as Hispanics are very close to Jews in their views regarding the faith. The mother is the keeper and bearer of the faith in the Hispanic family. Therefore, the women at liturgy outnumber the men. The majority of males at a Hispanic liturgy are at the two ends of the age spectrum, seniors and younger men. Middle-age men rarely attend liturgy. It is not for a lack of faith, but because of strong Jewish influence in Spain for more than 800 years of Jewish and Muslim history. We often forget that Spain is a fairly young nation, compared to other European nations. The Muslims governed it for eight centuries up to the late 1400s. Their religious customs and those of the Jews are still very much alive in Spanish culture.
Fourth, if you like the Latin language liturgy, the Romance languages are the closest you’re going to get, unless you celebrate a liturgy in the Latin language.
Fifth, the Hispanic community has a very relaxed attitude toward community. It’s not that they lack reverence, but that family, community and informality are very much a part of the Latin world. To the typical Anglo-American, the environment will appear chaotic, noisy and almost rowdy at times. This stems from a strong sense of community. People tend to feel that they do not have to “behave” while in community. They can relax and do whatever it is, without stress.
Sixth, Hispanic preachers tend to be very passionate and sometimes jocular preachers. This is very much a part of the culture. Sometimes, they can be very mystical too. Again, mysticism is very much a part of the Spanish heritage. Spain has given birth to some of the Church’s greatest mystics from whom many priests and deacons have learned to preach. The typical Anglo-American preacher is frequently of German or Irish Catholic extraction. If you have ever celebrated liturgy in an Italian parish, you will find the same passionate discourse. Again, that’s the Latin flavour coming through.
Finally, the communion lines are shorter. Hispanics are very conservative about receiving communion without confession. Also, there is an interesting situation among Hispanics in the USA. While the rate of divorce among Hispanic Americans is higher than Hispanic Latin Americans (Brazilians are not Hispanics and Spaniards are not Latin Americans), divorced and remarried Hispanics usually continue to celebrate the liturgy. They don’t seem to hold it against the Church that they can’t receive communion, because they are remarried. That’s kind of strange, because it’s common among North Americans to fall away in these cases.
A piece of advice, whatever you do, if someone asks you where you’re from, remember you’re North American or from the United States. Latin Americans are offended when people of the United States identify themselves exclusively as Americans. They have very strong ties to America as a continent and hemisphere. And they often feel that the people of the United States ignore their contribution to the Church and the hemisphere. This would only come up if you’re in casual conversation with South Americans after church or some such situation.
Please excuse my own poor expression in English, as I have only spoken it for about five years. Although, we did study it in school all of our lives.
Good luck and enjoy the experience. God bless!
