Encountering, Engaging, and Welcoming the Latino Community into our Schools Nancy L. Sanchez June 2017

Encountering the Latino Community Where are they? Public schools Charter schools

Why public and Charter schools? Free Their community attends public and charter schools Community and family life

Engaging the Latino Community How can I find them? Where do they attend Mass? Where do they shop? Where is their community?

Welcoming the Latino Community Why do they stay away from Catholic schools? Finances Communication/Language barrier How do we speak with Spanish only parents? Comfort level/confidentiality concerns

What can we do to be more welcoming? Hi ____, you should receive the packet of information today or tomorrow in the mail. If you are interested in registering both children at ______ School, let me know and I will send out another packet. Please return the transcript request form to our office ASAP since that process could take a few weeks. If you have trouble reading the documents, please let us know. At this time, we only have the documents prepared in English. I am cc: Nancy Sanchez on this email so she can assist where needed.

What can we do to be more welcoming? Background of some parents and some common traits Little or no Education (6th grade then work) Spanish thinkers: Little or no knowledge of the English “Devotional” Catholics Seeking the “American Dream”: *Work: Unskilled Laborers and they are willing to relocate for work * Sacrifice for Children & Education Conflicted: Heritage vs. Assimilation into U.S. Culture Some have a higher education and are better skilled

Catholic School vs. Religious Education/CCD Mass, Sacraments, and Prayers (Rosary, daily devotions, family devotions) Bilingual books (Religion class) Volunteering – “sense of inferiority” Not religious, learning from their student’s books Misunderstanding about Catholic School

National Directory for Catechesis #17 Evangelization and the Ministry of the Word

The New Evangelization An ardent longing to invite others to encounter Jesus is to invite others to encounter Jesus is the spark that starts the evangelizing mission to which the whole Church is called. The Church can spare no effort in leading all humanity to Christ because in Christ all humanity discovers the deepest truths about itself. To evangelize individuals is not sufficient. The Gospel is intended for every people and nation; it finds a home in every culture. Those who proclaim the Christian message must know and love the culture and the people to whom they bring the message in order for it to be able to transform the culture and the people and make them new in Christ. “The new evangelization calls for a clearly conceived, serious and well organized effort to evangelize culture.” The dynamism inherent in the new evangelization demands both the inculturation of the Gospel and the transformation of the culture by the Gospel. (Page 47)

With Hispanic Cultures being so diverse, how do we put the pieces together?

In 1792, Mary was proclaimed the Patroness of the Diocese of Baltimore and as Patroness of the newly formed Nation.

Maria, La Conquistadora Our Lady of Conquering Love In 1643 the Spaniards sent missionaries under Maria, La Conquistadora

Californian Franciscan Friars Our Lady of Refuge for Sinners Also known as Our Lady of Refuge for Sinners January 4, 1843 – Our Lady of Refuge proclaimed Patroness of California

Our Lady of Guadalupe Patroness of the Americas