The Articles section is designed to provide you with the latest thinking and practices in culturally diverse faith formation, faith formation with particular ethnic and cultural communities. You can use these articles in a variety of ways: for personal enrichment, in teaching and workshops, with your church staff and faith formation team and leaders, and in planning for faith formation. We will make available articles by leaders in faith formation on a regular basis, so keep checking back for the latest editions. To read a PDF of the article, just click on the title. 

Attentive Teaching in Diverse Communities - Kathleen Talvacchia and Su Yon Pak
Kathleen Talvacchia and Su Yon Pak make the case that attentive teaching is essential for educating in a diverse community. This type of teaching attends to the biblical value of hospitality as a necessary aspect of religious community, and a grounding stance of openness. It attends to the development of social analysis and critical thinking skills in teachers so they can examine the make-up of a community, understanding both its diverse and homogenous components and the reasons why these exist. It attends to forming critical minds and discerning hearts in teachers in order to develop in them the habits of mind and heart to understand difference and engage it constructively.
(Source: Lifelong Faith Journal, www.LifelongFaith.com)

Faith Formation with Hispanic Families - Ida Miranda
Ida Miranda addresses three key issues and challenges for faith formation with Hispanic/Latino families:1) understanding their faith and religious practices; 2) presenting ways in which we can support and encourage Hispanic families to nurture, celebrate, and share faith at home; and 3) identifying ways in which churches can nurture family faith through family-centered faith formation models.
(Source: Lifelong Faith Journal, www.LifelongFaith.com)

Multicultural Ministry in Today's Parish - Ken Johnson-Mondragon
Research findings from the Emerging Models in Pastoral Leadership Project provide a detailed snapshot of the current strengths and challenges, the hopes and fears of leaders in Catholic parishes throughout the country. When viewed through the lens of ministry in multicultural, bicultural, and ethnic parishes, the insights offer a tantalizing glimpse into the cultural dynamics of many contemporary parish communities, but they also raise many more questions than they answer. This summary will synthesize the most important findings of the research, identify areas in which further research will enhance our understanding of multicultural parish ministry, and present important themes and suggestions for improving and expanding ministry in multicultural parishes in the coming years.
(Source: Emerging Models of Pastoral Leadership, www.emergingmodels.org)

• Download the complete report "Ministry in Multicultural and National/Ethnic Parishes"
  

Strengthening Hispanic Ministry across Denominations - Edwin I. Hernández, Milagros Peña, Rev. Kenneth Davis, CSC, and Elizabeth Station
This report examines the context in which Hispanic ministers work and the common challenges they confront and provides an assessment of the opportunities and resources that Latino churches can deploy to meet those challenges. It outlines the six strategic priorities for strengthening Hispanic ministry that participants at a 2003 national summit identified, with special attention to the top priority – leadership development. The report also summarizes key research on Hispanic ministry and church leadership and concludes with a series of personal reflections by participants.
(Source: Institute for Hispanic Studies, University of Notre Dame, http://latinostudies.nd.edu/cslr/pubs.php)