‘No problemo’: Learning Spanish part of seminarian experience
Priests study language to meet growing Hispanic population

By J.D. Long-García, The Catholic Sun
May 17, 2007

It’s not an accident that all six men entering the priesthood this June can celebrate Mass and hear confessions in Spanish.

With the constant influx of immigrants from Latin American countries, the number of Catholics asking for the sacraments in Spanish continues to grow.

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted asks all seminarians who will eventually work in the Phoenix Diocese to learn Spanish to help meet that demand.

“Christ calls us to imitate His beloved Son, who came not to be served but to serve,” he said. “Learning the language of those we are sent to serve is a key part of serving them. It makes communication possible, opening the door to a dialogue of faith and charity.”

The bishop also asks permanent deacons “to make extra efforts” to learn Spanish. He said many are responding.

Seminarians spend 10 weeks in Guatemala during formation in addition to taking Spanish classes.

“I learned as much in two weeks of immersion as I had in two years of classroom Spanish,” said Kilian McCaffrey, who will be ordained this June.

“I lived with a family and this was a real positive aspect,” he said. “Señora Rebeca, Señor José and I would speak during breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

McCaffrey said that part of his routine included reading daily Scripture in Spanish and homework assignments.

“It paid off,” he said, adding that his teacher was impressed with his fluency in the language when he returned.

John Muir, who will be ordained alongside McCaffrey, said he attended Mass in Spanish once a week with his seminary community. 

“A large percentage of students here at Mundelein are native Spanish speakers, and they are gracious about helping us anglohablantes practice Spanish,” Muir said of his experience in the seminary.

Muir looks forward to serving the Spanish-speaking community as a priest.

“I will be able to say Mass and to hear confessions in Spanish, and it would be a real blessing to be in a Spanish-speaking parish — although I’m sure the people would have to be very patient with me for the first year,” he said.

“Spanish is the language God chose to bring the Catholic faith to much of this part of the world, so it is embedded in our history here and promises to be an important part of the faith’s future as well,” Muir said.

More Spanish Masses

In any given parish, the pastor decides if there is a need for a Spanish Mass, according to the diocesan Office of Hispanic Ministry.

“The Spanish Mass is a good start, but you have to be prepared for the follow-up work that comes along with it,” said Ignacio Rodriguez, assistant director of Hispanic ministry.

Rodriguez explained that once a Spanish Mass is available, parishioners will expect all of the sacraments to be offered in that language. Many parishioners will also want quiceañeras, a traditional Mexican celebration for girls marking their 15th birthday.

“We have to find ways to be a more welcoming community and let people know that the Church is going to be where they are,” Rodriguez said, adding that other churches address immigrants’ needs more quickly.

Some parishes find they need more than one Spanish Mass. Adding a Mass “helps people have a place to sit,” said Jose Robles, director of Hispanic ministry.

The additional liturgies, however, can strain the priests who are able to preside at Spanish Masses, Robles said, and those Masses are already overflowing.

The soon-to-be ordained seminarians will help provide more Spanish Masses, Robles added.

Many Spanish-speaking immigrants are also learning English. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, most Hispanics believe that immigrants should speak English to be a part of American society.

Still, most immigrants from Latin American countries feel more at home receiving the sacraments in their native tongue.

“It’s a stronger connection to the Church that way,” Rodriguez said.

Fr. Don Kline, vocations director for the diocese, noted that fewer men from the Hispanic community are answering the call to the priesthood.

Regardless of where the vocations are coming from, Fr. Kline said the Church needs to meet the needs of its people.

“The life of the Church goes on and it doesn’t know any kind of language or cultural barriers. We have a need to reach out to all of God’s people,” Fr. Don Kline said.

“There’s a certain dignity and respect that we owe to our brothers and sisters and I think that’s why we offer Mass in Spanish,” he said.