An increasing majority of Catholics in Southern California are Latino/a. Who are Hispanic Catholics? What are the challenges and opportunities they face? How is the Church being shaped by this community? What does the future hold for the Latino/a Catholic community in relation to the entire Catholic Church in Southern California and beyond?
On the evening of October 7, the LMU will lead an engaging exploration these vital questions in a free and public forum titled “Latino Catholicism in LA: Myths, Realities and Possibilities.” The event is the inaugural lecture at LMU in The Latino Theology and Ministry Initiative, part of a national discussion exploring the increasingly Latino/a character of the Catholic Church in the US.
The evening will feature a keynote address by the Most Reverend Gabino Zavala. A native of Guerrero, Mexico, grew up in Los Angeles and attended St. John’s Seminary. He was ordained a priest in 1977 by Cardinal Timothy Manning and was assigned to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, in East Los Angeles. After graduating from Catholic University of America with a degree in Canon Law, he worked in the Tribunal and was named rector of St. John’s Seminary in 1992. Two years later, Cardinal Mahony ordained him as Auxiliary Bishop for the San Gabriel Region in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
Responses will be offered by LMU’s Fernando Guerra, professor of political science and director of the Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles; Ellie Hidalgo, LMU graduate student and pastoral minister at Dolores Mission; and Hosffman Ospino, assistant professor and director of Graduate Programs in Hispanic Ministry at Boston College. An open forum will follow the panel discussion. The forum begins at 7pm the evening of Thursday, October 7 in the University Hall 1000 Ahmanson Auditorium. Admission and parking is free.
Dr. Jeffrey Siker, professor of theological studies, wrote in a recent letter: “if you are involved in Latino theology and ministry, you know how important this conversation is. If you are not very familiar with Hispanic Catholic identity, this is a great opportunity to find out about this crucial and growing majority of Catholics in Los Angeles and beyond. So, come one, come all!”
Click here for information about the forum.
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