Catechesis of Hispanics

[Mfaustina1]

Hello all!

I am considering beginning an apologetics class for Hispanics in my diocese (Sacramento) because I keep hearing how unknowledgeble Hispanic Catholics are in their faith. Can anyone provide me with some suggestions? I would especially love to hear from Hispanics on this forum as to whether the above is even true and get your (name removed by moderator)ut. All replies will be received gratefully. Thanks! - Mfaustina1

 

[Richard_Lamb]

Mfaustina1:

Hello all!

I am considering beginning an apologetics class for Hispanics in my diocese (Sacramento) because I keep hearing how unknowledgeble Hispanic Catholics are in their faith. Can anyone provide me with some suggestions? I would especially love to hear from Hispanics on this forum as to whether the above is even true and get your (name removed by moderator)ut. All replies will be received gratefully. Thanks! - Mfaustina1

I am Puerto Rican and deal with hispanics with the diocesan ministry…
I would say the cathechesis is no worse than it is here…the differcne is that here our culture even among catholics is anglo protestant, among hispanics catholicism is ingrained in theor culture. They may not be able to explain our devotion to Mary, but say something offensive about our lady of guadalupe to mexicans and it will be as though you ofended their mother.

They go to mass in many cases out of cultural practice than out of any devotion. St the same time you will find thair simple faith a learning experience for yourself…

 

[Fidelis]

The very popular “Beginning Apologetics 101” is available in Spanish. It makes a terrific group study. I don’t know if there is a Spanish leader’s guide like there is in English, but you could adapt it. They have other materials as well. Good luck!

catholicapologetics.com/spanish_editions.htm

 

[Serafin]

Hi there:

If you do not mind a suggestion from an Anglican here are some I have found helpful and useful in my Christian walk and life among Hispanics. Many Hispanic “culturally” RC , not only do not know their faith well, they also have very limited exposure to the study of Holy Scripture:

• The Bread of Life/ El Pan de Vida: Catholic Bible Study lectionary based! It is an Introductory level devotional Bible Study, using the readings from the Sunday mass. Book is available from Queenship publishers, available in all three cycles, only $15 for the whole year of Bible studies, suggestions for weekly personal and for small groups. A real gem!

*** Manual for Today’s Catholic/Manual para el Catolico de Hoy**: A shortened very introductory level presentation of Roman Catholic beliefs with references to Scripture and the Catechism of the CC. Available from Liguori Books , inexpensive easy reading!

*** Though the Bible in a Year/ A Travez de la Biblia en un Año. **Not Catholic, but not incompatible…overview of most books of OT and NT…Deuterocanonicals not included…simple and nice for midweek or home group study. Hensley Publishers, about $19.

• Several RC parishes in my city have also done **“The Purpose Driven Life”/ Una Vida con Proposito…**not Catholic but not incompatible and nice. We used during Lent in the CEC moderately high Anglo-Catholic Hispanic parish I attend and it was very well received.

You can also go to Ligoury publishers or Oregon Catholic Press
www.liguori.org, or www.ocp.org for other suggestions.

I would not start with an apologetics book for barely catechized, Scripture naive folk…but that is just me!

Blessings and Good luck

Serafin

 

[SeanG]

Let me offer a suggestion of approaches that you might take in planning presentations or discussions with Hispanics.

Use the ‘cultural’ aspect of their faith to your advantage. Why? Because if Hispanics come to know their faith well, the cultural aspect of their faith will make their living of their faith from day to day that much stronger and appealing to others. It will be fully integrated into their lives–something that I think people of many cultures are looking for in their spiritual quests.

So, how would one go about doing it?

Use cultural aspects of their faith as starting points, reference points in explaining the faith.

When talking with them about Mary, about how she is to lead us closer to her Son, start, of course, with a discussion of Our Lady of Guadalupe and link your broader topic to that.

When talking with them about our beliefs about purgatory, praying for the dead, and the theme that overarches all of this–the communion of the saints–you might start with a discussion of Dia de la Muertos.

Helping HIspanics learn the truth of the faith in this way would be a way to cleanse some abuses that might exist in these and other cultural aspects of their faith. On the other hand, the cultural aspects could strengthen their knowledge and make it more a real part of their everyday lives.