U.S. Hispanic Catholics

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U.S. Hispanic Catholics

The largest, youngest and fastest growing Catholic population in the United States is Latino. Estimates vary, but the percentage of American Catholics who are Hispanic is anywhere from one-third to 40 percent. And, because some Hispanics don’t register in their parishes – the undocumented, for example – some say the figure may be as high as 50 percent. With such growing numbers and intensity of expression, what do Hispanics bring to the American Catholic Church?

Judy Valente explores the ways in which Hispanics in America are changing the face of the U.S. Catholic Church. “In the Hispanic culture, the priest is everything,” explains Father Marco Antonio, pastor of Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Chicago. “We are the priest, we are doctors, we are lawyers, we are counselors. We’re everything.”

Read or watch the full story pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week1119/cover.html

This interesting story raises interesting questions.