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Cultural understanding key to effective catechesis
By Ambria Hammel, The Catholic Sun
October 18, 2007
Only a few people stood up when Carmen Portela asked catechetical leaders throughout the diocese to be recognized for earning certification or re-certification credits at a recent Mass.
Portela, assistant director of Family Catechesis for the diocese, knew there were many more, so she asked again — this time in Spanish.
Dozens of catechists rose from their pews.
As a result of the growing Hispanic community, religious education leaders are striving to understand the culture in order to best meet its needs.
Hispanics hail from at least 20 different countries and most have nostalgia for their native land, Portela explained at a diocesan-wide catechist meeting Oct. 3. The majority of them try to preserve the language and other cultural values.
“You can’t talk about Catholic ministries without talking about culture as well,” said Portela, who specializes in Hispanic outreach.
The Hispanic culture is centered on family. She explained that religion has been a part of the culture for so long that it’s inseparable. Religion plays a leading role in daily activity and gives spiritual meaning to the culture.
Parents — a child’s first and primary educators — often talk about God and teach their children to pray in Spanish, explained Lupe Ornelas, director of religious education at St. Gregory Parish.
“Even though the children speak English, the faith, they learn it in Spanish,” Ornelas said of the religious education students.
Ninety percent of her students are Hispanic, so when the children come to class for further formation, it’s important to respect the family’s traditions.
That’s why the parish offers one religious education class in each language, but uses a bilingual textbook. This way, the students can learn in their preferred language and the parents have the resources to reinforce the lesson at home.
St. John Vianney Parish in Goodyear also offers religious education in English and Spanish because, as David Portugal, coordinator of religious education, said, “it’s part of our Christianity. Jesus meets us where we are.”
Like at St. Gregory, parent information is in both languages.
Portugal said the “double duty” does slow things down, especially during parent meetings, which are conducted in both languages — but it’s worth it.
The kids are more comfortable learning in English and the parents are happy, he said.
That may be the case in other dioceses, too. Ornelas noticed a trend for publishers to print bilingual books and said there was a shortage of books last year.
“Even this year, things were on back order because of the demand,” she said.
That could be part of why Ornelas has also seen an increase in art and activities in religious education classes, but it’s also in response to the children’s cultural needs.
“They have to do something with their hands,” Ornelas said.
Portugal finds the Hispanic teens at his parish more charismatic and expressive than the Anglos. The Spanish-speaking and English-speaking teens currently meet on different nights and do slightly different activities, but Portugal hopes to unite them periodically for fellowship.
Portela suggests regularly uniting the different cultural groups at a parish because “it’s like different charisms, but only one Holy Spirit,” she said. Portela suggested honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe because she is the diocese’s patron saint and Hispanics often have a special devotion to her.
St. Gregory Parish already does that. The community honors the Virgin Mother annually.
“We want our children to learn of other cultures — and to know that God is there” equally for each culture, Ornelas said.
Portugal said the challenge to effectively serve Hispanics “will always be there. It’s a matter of whether we meet those challenges.”
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