Leadership Formation and Organizational Capacity

What innovation and collaborations could contribute to strengthening current leadership development for Hispanic leaders?

1. Integration not assimilation (14 comments). Group comments illustrate questions focused on cultural relevance and competency, exclusion, honoring difference, integration, and ecclesial movements as related to leadership development. Specific examples include questions about generational and cultural relevance, whether academic or particular approaches (e.g. business) are culturally accessible, recognizing different definitions and models of leadership, and exclusion based on doctrinal issues. There was an emphasis on the importance of integration over assimilation.

2. Pooling resources and collaboration/networking (8 comments). Comments reflect suggestions to work collectively, cross-diocesan, the importance of dialogue, and need for funding. Concern with exclusionary or “parallel” models/practices or ones where directors of Hispanic Ministry are over-burdened because other offices (religious education, youth, etc.) are not equipped to effectively work with Hispanics. One specific suggestion is collaboration between Catholic foundations and universities.

3. Other themes that received more than one comment but not mentioned as frequently include: family engagement, mentoring, and education.

What best practices and creative ideas could facilitate organizational capacity building for Hispanic ministry groups?

1. Integration, expansion and networking opportunities (13 comments). Groups mentioned integration of home and Church catechesis and traditions, domestic and parish church, and ecumenical and catechetical theologies. Groups also mentioned networking among Latino ministries, with lay movements, and with other religious communities. Questions of how to increase capacity came up through comments about collaboration, teamwork, community development outside religious organizations, networking in the Hispanic community, and utilize youth ministry.

2. Other themes that received more than one comment but not mentioned as frequently include: invitation to leadership.

Action steps

1. Broaden and integrate and utilize/explore different models (11 comments). Groups comments in this theme include: involve outside community leaders, lessen focus on the physical plant and geographic boundaries of the parish and more on the community, find ways to integrate ecumenical and catechetical theology, find common themes across different groups and nonprofits, involve families, partner with other groups and faiths, universities open to other forms of education, connect Hispanic ministry organizations to Hispanic organizations, utilize different models, build unity among leadership groups, integrate domestic Church into sacramental life, be open and engage in dialogue, and share best practices for attracting, engaging, and mentoring Latino students.

2. Other themes that received more than one comment but not mentioned as frequently include: the importance of welcoming and hospitality, and matching diocesan budgets to leadership development priorities.