Building Intercultural Competence for Ministers

Building Intercultural Competence for Ministers
Modules for Training Workshop Committee On Cultural Diversity in the Church United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Statement on new evangelization from Lineamenta of XIII Synod of Bishops
A new evangelization is synonymous with mission, requiring the capacity to set out anew, go beyond boundaries and broaden horizons. The new evangelization is the opposite of self-sufficiency, a withdrawal into oneself, a status quo mentality and an idea that pastoral programs are simply to proceed as they did in the past. Today, a “business as usual” attitude can no longer be the case. Some local Churches, already engaged in renewal, confirm the fact that now is the time for the Church to call upon every Christian community to evaluate their pastoral practice on the basis of the missionary character of their programs and activities. -Lineamenta for the XIII Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October 2012

Module 1 Frame issues of diversity theologically in terms of the Church’s identity and mission to evangelize

The Church’s Mission is
to Evangelize To proclaim the Gospel message To dialogue with cultures

Four Pillars of Evangelization
˚ Personal encounter with Christ Conversion ˚ Inculturation – conversion (transformation) of cultures ˚ Liberation (Transformation of the social, economic and political order) e.g. Catholic social doctrine ˚ Ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue

The Church’s Very Nature is Missionary
By virtue of Baptism all Christians are missionary disciples of Christ – “the church is in its entirety evangelizing”

Terms commonly used in reference to evangelization
˚ GUADIUM ET SPES #’S 56ff. VATICAN II ˚ EVANGELII NUNTIANDI (POPE PAUL VI) ˚ CATECHESI TRADENDAE (POPE JOHN PAUL II) ˚ REDEMPTORIS MISSIO (POPE JOHN PAUL II) “New Evangelization” The new Areopagoi The Court of the Gentiles

The New Evangelization in the United States
˚ The U.S. context is increasingly multicultural and pluralistic ˚ Yet the U.S. is a culturally Protestant country - How is this exemplified? (e.g. attitude toward poor) ˚ A secular culture Secularity and Secularism ˚ Yet quite religious - “Religion is okay as long as it is kept to oneself, private”

U.S. Bishops’ ‘Go and Make Disciples’
˚ Deepen faith in order to share it with others ˚ Invite all U.S. society to hear the Gospel message ˚ Foster Gospel values in society

Other Examples ˚ Regional synods of bishops leading to Jubilee Year 2000 ˚ General Directory on Catechesis ˚ National Directory on Catechesis ˚ Ecclesia in America ˚ The Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization

˚ The U.S. context is increasingly multicultural and “pluralistic” ˚ Yet the U.S. is a culturally Protestant country How is this exemplified? (e.g. attitude toward poor) ˚ A secular culture Secularity and Secularism ˚ Yet quite religious - “Religion is okay as long as it is kept to oneself, private”

˚ Church growth through immigration and birth rates dramatic demographic shift. ˚ Hispanics are most numerous and youthful Catholic group. ˚ Disenchanted Catholics, a huge number ˚ Special challenges: Individualism, Materialism ˚ Catholic vision of the human person puts individual in relationships (e.g. in the family, community, culture, ecclesial)

The teachings of the U.S. Bishops:
Challenges to the New Evangelization in a society and church of many cultures The teachings of the U.S. Bishops: The Hispanic Presence in the New Evangelization ˚ Native American Catholics at the Millennium ˚ Asian and Pacific Presence: Harmony and Faith ˚ What We Have Seen and Heard ˚ Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity

UNDERPINNINGS OF A THEOLOGY FOR INTERCULTURAL MINISTRY

UNDERPINNINGS OF A THEOLOGY FOR INTERCULTURAL MINISTRY
˚ Christian Anthropology - (A Christian Understanding of the Human Person) ˚ Ecclesiology: The Church as Communion ˚ Catholicity: Universality, Unity in Diversity ˚ The Church as missionary

Exercises for Module 1

Exercise 1 Read one of the scriptures and discuss what strikes you about it and how it relates to evangelization today. Genesis 11: 1-9 The Book of Ruth Matthew 15: 21-28 John 4: 5-42 Acts 10: 1-35 Acts 15: 1-33 Galatians 2: 11-16

Exercise 2 In small groups, discuss the following:
If someone asked you to express the central message of the Gospel in a nutshell how would you answer? What sources in the Gospels would you cite? 2. How would you express in a nutshell the values of the prevailing U.S. culture?

Exercise 3 Choose one of the following questions to discuss in your small group: How does the prevailing United States culture square with the Gospel? How does Hispanic/Latino culture square with the Gospel? Pick another culture not yet mentioned, e.g., African American, Vietnamese, Korean, and ask how it squares with the Gospel. How can the Gospel be communicated to the culture of youth and young adults in the United States.

Seek an understanding of culture and how it works
Module 2 Seek an understanding of culture and how it works

What is Intercultural Competence?

Intercultural Competence
˚ Intercultural Competence is the capacity to communicate, relate and work across cultural boundaries. ˚ Intercultural sensitivity.

Three Key Components of Intercultural Competence
Intercultural competence involves developing capacity in three areas: ˚ Attitudes ˚ Knowledge ˚ Skills

Attitude ˚ Respect (valuing other cultures)
˚ Openness (withholding judgment) ˚ Curiosity & Discovery (tolerating ambiguity)

Knowledge ˚ Knowledge & Comprehension ˚ Cultural self-awareness
˚ Deep Cultural Knowledge ˚ Sociolinguistic Awareness

Skills ˚ To listen, observe & evaluate
˚ To analyze, interpret & relate

The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, “U. S
The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, “U. S. Religious Landscape Survey”, conducted in 2007 released in The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life ,Pew Research Center a subsidiary of Pew Charitable Trusts, September 22,

Two Pathways to Intercultural Competence ˚ The prevailing culture can get along to a great degree with very little knowledge of other cultures. ˚ Other cultures (which are not of the prevailing culture) have already learned a lot about intercultural communication in order to survive.

Pathways to Intercultural Competence
Everybody loves green! Paint the wall green? We’ll get them to like red.

Parameters of Cultures
˚ Fundamental ideologies vary drastically between different cultures. ˚ Understanding cultural ideologies is important because it shapes our everyday perception of others and the world around us. ˚ Recognizing differences in cultural ideology can be difficult because our own ideologies are very intuitive.

Contrasting Ideologies between different cultures
Collectivism Individualism

Equality Hierarchy

High Tolerance Low Tolerance

Feminine Cultures Masculine Cultures

Short Term Long Term

Communication Styles and Skills Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church (CDC) United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) www. usccb.org

Dimensions/Elements of Culture
Three elements/dimensions: Material Behavior Ideas

Iceberg Concept of Culture
Materials/Objects Behaviors/Actions Values Thought Patterns Assumptions Concepts Attitudes Beliefs Perceptions

Modern Culture Modern Culture means the unity of languages,
custom, and territory of a particular people.

Post Modern Culture Post Modern Culture is a blended way of living – traces of one’s first culture as well as borrowing from second or other cultures, and even adapting or creating new ways of living…creating a “third culture” Learning a different beat Eating with Chopsticks Empowering youth Preparing tea the Japanese way Active youth participation Learning to dance the hula

Classical Culture means the highest artistic products of a people its
poetry, literature, music, art, architecture, etc.

What is culture? Culture is the particular way in which a human group interprets life and relates with nature, God, the world, and other peoples. Culture is not accidental, but an integral part of human life. Culture is lived and expressed through traditions, languages, relationships, food, music, and religious expressions. It embraces the totality of life of the group and the life of each individual who belongs to it; therefore, all human beings relate and respond to God and express this faith from and within their culture. -Principles for Inculturation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Department of Education, USCCB

Develop intercultural communication skills in pastoral settings
Module 3 Develop intercultural communication skills in pastoral settings

Working With Groups in Intercultural/Interracial Settings

Competencies in Intercultural Group Communications
Dealing with Conflict Communication Styles Based on Face Management Meeting and Decision Making Leadership

Working with Groups in Intercultural/Interracial Settings
Communication Styles Based on Face Management Meeting and Decision-Making Leadership Dealing With Conflict

Autonomy Face: independence, self-sufficiency
Face is the public image of a group- how it wants to be perceived by others Autonomy Face: independence, self-sufficiency Moral Face: sense of dignity, honor, integrity, likeability, reliability, reputation Competence Face: expertise, skills, intelligence, leadership, appearance, material worth

Individualistic Culture

Facework Facework - what we do – “specific verbal and nonverbal behaviors - to maintain or restore face loss and to uphold and honor face gain. Face loss occurs when we are being treated in such a way that our expected identity claims are challenged or ignored.”

Communications Styles
Individualist Collectivist Equality Language code - verbal Context – low Direct Yes means a yes Hierarchy More body language High context Indirect Yes can be yes or no

Individualist ˚ Silence means absence of communication or “Silence means consent” ˚ Emotions – PDE ˚ Body language – -Eye contact means respect and sincerity -Proximity means intimacy

Collectivist ˚ Silence means respectful listening ˚ Emotions: stoic, no PDE ˚ Body language: -Eye contact means disrespect and challenge -Proximity means seriousness of intentions

Body Language Verbal: words 7 percent
Spatial relationships – distance between yourself and the other person Body movements – facial expressions, gestures, posture Verbal: words Vocal: volume, pitch, speed, etc. Body Language: facial expressions 7 percent 38 percent 55 percent

Individualist – equality, low context/long time-orientation
Meetings and Decision-Making Individualist – equality, low context/long time-orientation ˚ Plan purpose and agenda. ˚ Time-bound. ˚ Clear rules of order or process of participation. ˚ Everyone is encouraged to speak. ˚ Open discussion and debate. ˚ Decision is made.

Collectivist – hierarchy, high context, short-term time orientation
Meetings and Decision-Making Collectivist – hierarchy, high context, short-term time orientation ˚ Establish and maintain harmony and good relations ˚ Establish and maintain face. ˚ Elders/status speak first. ˚ Young members may not speak at all and will not contradict. ˚ Group caucus used to raise issues and questions and to make decisions. ˚ Spokesperson speaks for group so decision is group voice.

Mutual Invitation Process (Eric H.F. Law)
Objective: To facilitate sharing and discussion in a multicultural group. How to Proceed: Let participants know how much time is set aside for this process. Introduce the topic to be discussed or questions to be answered.

Mutual Invitation Process (Eric H.F. Law)
˚ Explain the process – In order to ensure that everyone who wants to share has the opportunity to speak – - The leader will share first. - After the leader has spoken, she/he then invites another to share. Whom you invite does not need to be the person next to you. - After the next person has spoken, that person invites another to share. - If you don’t want to say anything, simply say “pass” and proceed to invite another to share. We will do this until everyone has been invited.

Keep in Mind… Group Communication
Individualists ˚ Learn to get out of the ‘doing ’mode and enter a ‘being’ mode. ˚ Invite others to speak. Do not monopolize. ˚ Speak slowly, clearly, not louder. ˚ Attentively listen to others. Develop an ear for different language accents. ˚ Develop mutual respect and sufficient curiosity as you teach and learn from others. ˚ Develop intercultural communication fluency.

Keep in Mind… Group Communication
Collectivists ˚ Plan to participate. Write down points you wish to bring up. Practice to gain self-confidence. ˚ Don’t always wait to be invited to speak. Volunteer to speak and share from your experience. ˚ Speak clearly, confidently, loudly. ˚ Focus talking points. Do not monopolize. ˚ Attentively listen to others. Develop an ear for different language accents. ˚ Develop linguistic competence and intercultural communication fluency

Leadership in intercultural/interracial settings
Individualist – Task Collectivist - Harmony Prefer leaders who : ˚ Lead competently to accomplish task ˚ Skilled planners, set goals. ˚ Skilled facilitators that enable contribution of all talents ˚ Earned credentials from education or training ˚ Keep track of time Prefer leaders who: ˚ Hold high rank and status in the community ˚ Trustworthy and highly respected ˚ Skilled at maintaining sense of community, good relations and harmony in the group

Individualist Collectivist
Dealing with Conflict: Conflict is a natural part of human interaction. Conflict can be an opportunity. Strategy depends on external context, issues, and relationships. Individualist Collectivist ˚ Issues are at stake ˚ Concern is to resolve the issues ˚ Mode of communication is direct ˚ Strategies - aggressive, up front , dominating in order to win in conflict situations ˚ Relationship is at stake ˚ Concern is to maintain face ˚ Mode is indirect style ˚ Strategies - sometimes avoidance (eluding the conflict topic, the conflict party, or the conflict situations), obliging or accommodating the other party’s concern above one’s own, use intermediaries to resolve conflictual situations

Module 4 Expand one’s knowledge of the obstacles which impede effective intercultural relations

Prejudice and Stereotypes

Prejudice, Stereotyping and Discrimination
Prejudice is a hostile or negative attitude toward a distinguishable group of people, based solely on their membership in that group.

A Stereotype is a generalization about a group of people in which identical characteristics are assigned to virtually all members of the group, regardless of actual variation among the members.

Discrimination is an unjustified negative or harmful action towards a member of a group, simply because of his or her membership in that group.

What Causes Prejudice? The Way We Think
The first step in prejudice is the creation of groups.

In-Group bias is the especially positive feelings and special treatment we reserve for people we have defined as part of our in-group.

Another categorization is out-group bias. Usually, the perception of the out-group is negative.

Ways We Judge the “Other”
˚ We generalize about them ˚ We demonize them ˚ We see them as helpless children ˚ We trivialize painful differences ˚ We make them invisible

Study Question What can we do to eliminate prejudice?

Dealing with Racism

Intercultural Leaders with Voices That Capture the Reality of Racism
The challenge before us to deal with racisms of various kinds is as old as the Church. Racism, as used in this context, is a social dysfunction in which people do not see others as their brothers and sisters in the same human family. Racism denotes the fact that there is not one means of depersonalizing people as the “others,” but many ways. There is the “otherness” of race, gender, class, religion, ethnicity, and culture.

St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, Chapter 2:1-13, 3:27-29
˚ The challenge of cultural diversity in the Church is to not deny that those of us who are framing the question are also influenced by the unperceived racism around us. ˚ We effectively deny this challenge by simply imposing a “Don‘t Talk Rule,” which directs us as members of our cultures to: Not talk about race. Deny any feelings that we have in regard to race. Not trust ourselves with the subject.

˚ How do we as leaders in the Church break the “Don‘t Talk” rule and transform the elephant in the room into a house pet? ˚ We begin by developing the cultural competence to find our voice in a racialized culture. ˚ We begin by practicing the “Do Talk” rule: Talk about race. Express our feelings about race. Trust our own efforts to express the reality to guide our journey.

˚ To begin our journey and growth in competency we have to find our voice. ˚ Our first exercise to find our voice in the area of racism calls for us to identify the obstacles. ˚ The FIG term was developed by Fr. Boniface Hardin, OSB to assist those seeking to free themselves from racial anxiety when discussing racial issues. ˚ Hardin sees that our racial anxiety arises from three areas: fear, ignorance and guilt, thus the FIG Complex.

The FIG Complex ˚ Fear when speaking about race or racisms (discrimination). ˚ Ignorance that I have when speaking about race or racism (discrimination). ˚ Guilt when talking about race or racism (discrimination).

Finding Our Voice ˚ Intercultural leaders are called to move beyond fear and anxiety as they lead the Body of Christ into the beloved community of the Fatherhood of God. ˚ This is the work of the Gospel that all disciples of Jesus are called to in our day. ˚ When we find our voice for expressing the reality of racism, we fulfill the prayer of Jesus in the Gospel of John: “…so that they all may be one, even as we are one” (John 17:11).

Framing Our Terms as We Find Our Voice
˚ The term multicultural frames the conversation with terms supplied by the Anglo-Saxon Protestant context of the racial “other.” ˚“Multicultural” became the umbrella to collect “non-white” realities and avoid the four letter ‘r-a-c-e’ word for whites and non-whites alike in our “Don‘t Talk” culture.

A Pluricultural Frame for the Intercultural Conversation
˚ A conversation about diversity begins with the assumption that one‘s social representation in the cultures of the Americas begins with racial framing in a culture strongly influenced by white privilege. ˚ The leader in the field is one who has a dual awareness of his or her own cultural description provided by white privilege and is also aware of how he or she participates simultaneously in a number of diverse cultures which are described within the larger context.

Some Main Points Regarding Galatians
˚ In the 2nd chapter of Galatians, St. Paul criticizes St. Peter for his ethnocentrism against the Gentile converts and his hypocrisy in regarding them as the “other.” ˚ He reminds Peter that we are reborn in Christ not as Jews and Gentiles, but as people of a new creation. ˚ This early conflict which threatened the future existence of the Church can and does do the same damage if left unchecked by leaders.

˚ The plurality of racial groups in U. S
˚ The plurality of racial groups in U.S. society will require a pluricultural lens to build the bridges of interculturality. ˚ Leaders who have found their voice have assisted the Church in playing its proper role and in overcoming cultural, racial, and ethnic barriers. ˚ Intercultural leaders of the 21st century will find St. Paul to be a role model for identifying and naming the reality of racism and building bridges between all of God‘s children.

Module 5 Foster ecclesial integration with a spirituality or reconciliation and mission

Pastoral Issues, Responses, and Principles
in Shared/Inter-cultural Parishes

Spirituality for Intercultural Ministry/Reconciliation

Encounter with the living Jesus Christ
The Methodology of The Church in America Encounter with the living Jesus Christ Conversion: to “turn one’s mind and heart around.” Communion: The communion of the Church, rooted in God’s love, is called to offer all people the sense of identity, purpose and community they seek. Solidarity: A firm and persevering determination to commit one-self and a whole faith community to the common good”

Cycle for Reconciliation
Hospitality Reconciliation Conversion Encounter Hospitality Reconciliation Solidarity Communion Mission

“GOING FISHING” The same old…
Discouraged by the loss of their Master the disciples try to go back to what they did before they met Jesus

“LOWERING THE NETS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BOAT” Breaking with old patterns - Encounter
Daylight breaks. A stranger appears on the shore and asks them about their fishing in a caring and familiar tone. By doing this Jesus helps them break the cycle of their obsession

“IT IS THE LORD” Recognizing Him in others - Conversion
It is only when they lower the nets on the other side, when they are free from their obsession that they are able to recognize who has been standing on the shore

JESUS PREPARES A MEAL FOR THEM Creating trust and safety - Communion
Jesus becomes the gracious host cooking for them, and inviting them to contribute their own newly caught fish

RECONNECTING “Do you love me?” - Solidarity
Jesus asks Simon, son of John, “Do you love me?”

COMISSIONING Mission “Feed my sheep!”
Jesus commissions Simon Peter by telling him to feed His sheep. Once again Peter is the Rock upon which the community is built. Peter’s vocation to care for Jesus’ flock allows him to remember his own past in a different way, and to help create a community where trust is nurtured so that denial will never happen again.

Models for Ministry in Shared/Intercultural Parishes

Models for Ministry Shared/Intercultural Parishes
Americanizing parish ˚ Newcomers are expected to adapt ˚ Parish staff need not gain language and intercultural communication skills ˚ Newcomers, however, do not feel welcome and experience alienation

Personal/Ethnic Parish ˚ Community is served in this particular cultural context and language ˚ Leadership and parish staff reflect the culture of the parish ˚ People from other cultural groups do not participate in these parishes for the most part

Integrated parish ˚ In the integrated parish, all cultural groups are equitably and suitably served ˚ There will be residual resentment on the part of the various groups ˚ Some groups will need help embracing integration/inclusion

˚ In a recent study CARA shows that 33 percent of parishes in the U.S. celebrate Mass in a language other than English, compared with 22 percent in 2000 ˚ The great majority of these parishes are ‘shared’ by two or more distinct cultural/ethnic communities. ˚ The shared parish model strives to achieve a high level of ecclesial integration/inclusion among its diverse members in a spirit of unity in diversity

Ecclesial Integration/Inclusion vs. Assimilation
Integration is not to be confused with assimilation. Through the policy of assimilation, new immigrants are forced to give up their language, culture, values, and traditions… By [ecclesial] integration we mean that all [cultural/ethnic communities] are to be welcomed to our church institutions at all levels. They are to be served in their language when possible, and their cultural values and religious traditions are to be respected. Beyond that, we must work toward mutual enrichment through interaction among all our cultures. (National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry #4)

From Newcomers to Stewards of the Faith Community
Ownership Belonging Integration/Inclusion Catholic Identity Stewardship

Cycle for Ecclesial Integration/Inclusion
Hospitality Solidarity Sense of belonging Communion Conversion Ownership Catholic Identity Mission Encounter Stewardship

Movement 1 - Reaching Out: Meeting People where they are at
˚ Mission: visit them with good news ˚ Affirmation: affirm their gifts and contributions ˚ Invitation: invite them to the faith community to be at home away from home

Well established community
Movement 1 - Reaching Out: Meeting People where they are at Pastor Pastoral Council Finance Council Staff Well established community Parish Territory

Movement 2 - Hospitality: Make People Feel At Home
˚ Welcoming: have the ecclesial space to be themselves ˚ Identity: have room to develop their own sense of identity ˚ Trust and Safety: adapt to a different culture from a position of strength

Movement 2 - Hospitality: Make People Feel At Home Sacramental Minister Pastor Hispanic Committtee Pastoral Council Finance Council Staff Well established community Sacramental Minister Parish Territory

Movement 3 - Organizing: Develop Ministries And Ministers
˚ Opportunity: they provide for their own ministerial needs and aspirations ˚ Support: parish staff and leaders work with them to develop a comprehensive ministry ˚ Room to grow: ministries include the four dimensions of Christian life modeled in the first Christian communities (Acts 2: 42-47) and included in Encuentro and Mission

Movement 3 - Organizing: Develop Ministries And Ministers Sacramental Minister Pastor Pastoral Council Hispanic Committtee Finance Council Staff AG L C Well established community AM SS YM Sacramental Minister Vietnamese Committtee OLL L AM C Parish Territory YM SS

Movement 4: Build Relationships Across Cultures and Ministries
˚ Community: share their stories, religious traditions and cultural richness ˚ Celebration: celebrate faith and life together with other ministries and cultures ˚ Relationships: build relationships, community and unity between different cultural communities and ministries of the parish

Movement 4: Build Relationships Across Cultures and Ministries Sacramental Minister Pastor Hispanic Committee Parish Council Finance Council Staff Well established community Vietnamese Committee Sacramental Minister Parish Territory

Movement 5: Champion Leadership Development and Formation
˚ Mentoring: learn and seek opportunities for ongoing faith formation and training for ministry ˚ Access: invest time and talent in certificates and degree programs that are accessible ˚ Recognition: be recognized and supported as ministers by the entire parish community 3rd bullet:

Common Formation Experiences
Movement 5: Champion Leadership Development and Formation Pastor Hispanic Committee Finance Council Pastoral Council Vietnamese Committee Staff Common Formation Experiences Parish Territory

Movement 6: Open Wide The Doors To The Decision Making Process
˚ Decisions: space at the table where decisions are made on culturally specific ministries ˚ Leadership: an active voice on the life and direction of the faith community as a whole ˚ Representation: a place in ministry leadership, parish staff and other decision making groups 3rd bullet:

Intercultural Commission
Movement 6: Open Wide The Doors To The Decision Making Process FC = Finance Council S = Staff PC = Pastoral Council Pastor Intercultural Commission S FC PC Parish Territory

of Ownership Movement 7: Strengthen A Sense
˚ Discernment: meaningful ways to be involved in the life of the faith community ˚ Solidarity: responsiveness from all parish staff on the needs and aspirations of their families and communities ˚ Authority: recognition by parish leadership and structure as members on equal terms 3rd bullet:

Movement 7: Strengthen A Sense of Ownership Pastor Intercultural Commission Staff FC PC Sharing Resources Parish Territory

Movement 8: Sow And Reap Full Ownership and Stewardship
˚ Shared responsibility: contribute time, talent and treasure ˚ Inclusivity: build a culturally diverse faith community that is their own ˚ Discipleship: be active participants of a community of faith in which all cultures are constantly transformed by Gospel values in order to be leaven for the kingdom of God in society 3rd bullet:

Movement 8: Sow And Reap Full Ownership and Stewardship Pastor Intercultural Commission Staff FC PC Time Talent Treasure Stewardship Parish Territory

Movement 9: Achieve Full Commitment To The Mission Of The Parish
˚ Unity: strengthen the unity of the parish while honoring its diversity ˚ Mission: be alert and ready to invite and welcome newcomers in their midst ˚ Universality: become gente-puente by ministering with Catholics of all cultural backgrounds

Pastor Intercultural Commission Staff FC PC Communion in Mission
Movement 9: Achieve Full Commitment To The Mission Of The Parish Pastor Intercultural Commission Staff FC PC Communion in Mission Parish Territory

Exercise Small Group Discussions: ˚ In what movement is your parish? ˚ What are some steps you feel will help your parish achieve a higher movement of ecclesial integration/inclusion? ˚ What intercultural competencies are required? The americanizing parish model is clearly not an ideal one for parish ministry in an intercultural setting On the other hand, the integrated parish model is a process that needs to be recognized in its various stages as s shared parish that moves forward in achieving a high level of ecclesial integration and intercultural communication 1

Five Principles to Achieve Ecclesial Integration/Inclusion

Generational Differences in Immigrant Communities
2nd Generation Challenges: ˚ Pose important issues for youth and young adult ministries and the catholic educational systems in immigrant settings ˚ Effects of this are sometimes seen in the third generation, the children of the second generation, especially when the second generation has tried to jettison the cultural identity of their immigrant parents The third generation may become especially interested in the culture and even language of their grandparents, causing tension between the third and the second generation. Language is always an important factor, and an index of where the first and the second generation place (or find) themselves vis-à-vis the two cultures. 1

Generational Differences in Immigrant Communities
˚ Recognize and affirm cultural, linguistic and racial differences as a gift from God not a problem to be solved ˚ Promote the formation of culturally specific ministries, parish groups and apostolic movements as means for conversion and community building ˚ Avoid the temptation to expect others to assimilate into a one-size- fits-all youth group, program or activity Be willing to listen to the stories, perspectives, and preferences of people from the different cultures and ethnicities present in your parish Recognize and affirm cultural, linguistic, and racial differences as a gift from God not a problem to be solved Promote the right of each Catholic cultural/ethnic group to have their own space to live and practice their faith in the context of the one parish community Avoid the temptation to expect others to assimilate into a one-size-fits-all group, program, or activity Commit to achieve unity in diversity, not uniformity 126

Foster the enculturation of the Gospel in all cultures
˚ Be aware of your own cultural heritage ˚ Use the concept of enculturation of the Gospel ˚ Be willing to be a bridge builder rather than a gate-keeper ˚ Avoid the tendency to see your culture as better or more valuable than the cultures of others, and the we—they language ˚ Commit to the spirit of mission of the New Evangelization and its ongoing transformation of all cultures by the Gospel values 127

Plan with the people, not for the people
˚ First listen and welcome the unique perspectives of diverse parishioners you are trying to reach ˚ Include them, from the beginning, in the development of plans, programs and activities ˚ Avoid planning for others and judging them when they don’t show up to your activity First listen and welcome the unique perspectives of the different cultural/ethnic communities you are trying to reach Include them, from the beginning, in the development of plans, programs, and activities Use the language of ministry TO, WITH, and FROM people from the unique cultures and ethnicities present in your parish Avoid planning for others and judging them when they don’t show up to your activity Build community in everything you do within each cultural/ethnic group and between all of them as one body of Christ 128

Cast a bigger net by broadening understanding of ministry groups, programs and structures
˚ Recognize the unique experiences, needs, and aspirations of each cultural/ethnic community in your parish ˚ Understand that the existence of more than one cultural group in your parish as a blessing ˚ Promote the formation of culturally specific groups and apostolic movements ˚ Avoid the perception that allowing the formation of culturally specific groups creates division or separation ˚ Commit to creating welcoming spaces for all Catholic people living in your parish Recognize the unique lived experiences, needs, and aspirations of each cultural/ethnic community your parish Understand the existence of more than one cultural group in your parish as a blessing, and as the first step towards ecclesial integration among all Promote the formation of culturally specific groups and apostolic movements as effective means of evangelization and community building Avoid the perception that allowing the formation of culturally specific groups creates division or separation Commit to create welcoming spaces for all Catholic people living in your parish 129

Empower people from the different cultures/ethnicities into leadership positions
˚Understand the way in which people from different cultures view leadership, organize themselves and make decisions ˚ Identify indigenous leaders and mentor them into leadership positions in ministry within their own cultural/ethnic community and in the parish as a whole ˚ Avoid a mentality of scarcity- ‘there is not enough for everyone’- and foster a vision of mission and growth that generates more resources

Credits Content & Research Alejandro Aguilera–Titus
Kenneth Johnson Mondragon Rev. Robert Schreiter, CPPS Layout, Design and Editing Isaac E. Govea Melisa A. Rivera Matthew Manopoli Territorial Parish Graphics Michael Theisen Illustrations and Art Work Maximino Cerezo Barredo Encuentro 2000 Logo, USCCB USCCB Logo

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