First-ever Hispanic panel hosted at Catholic Media Conference

The Catholic Media Association hosted its first-ever Hispanic panel at the Catholic Media Conference in Atlanta, June 18-21. Titled “Communicating the Good News, con nosotros,” the panel featured Latino Catholic leaders who discussed strategies to better reach the growing Hispanic Catholic population in North America, who make up nearly half of the U.S. Catholic population.

According to the Official Catholic Directory, Hispanics accounted for approximately 47 percent of the 66.5 million Catholics in the United States in 2022. The importance of this demographic was a key focus of the panel, which attracted communications directors, publishers, ecclesial movements, universities and journalists from the U.S. and Canada, all eager to learn how to better connect with Hispanic Catholics.

Ana Rodríguez-Soto, editor emerita of the Miami edition of The Florida Catholic, moderated the panel. She emphasized the session’s goal of moving beyond acknowledging the Hispanic presence in the Church to exploring effective methods of outreach. Bishop Arturo Cepeda of Detroit, chair of the USCCB’s Committee on Cultural Diversity, opened the discussion by urging the Church to take the initiative in engaging the Hispanic community, stressing the importance of intentional and heartfelt outreach.

Youth Ministry Coordinator Gabriella Escalante shared the success of the Pascua Joven book project, which involves Latino youth in creating a Lenten publication. She emphasized the importance of empowering young voices and giving them platforms to share their stories. Rafael Roncal, editor of El Pregonero, the Spanish-language newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., discussed the publication’s long-standing commitment to education, social justice, and immigration issues for the Hispanic community.

José Manuel De Urquidi, founder of Juan Diego & Co and the Juan Diego Network, called on dioceses to align their communications budgets with the proportion of Latino Catholics they serve. He stressed that a lack of adequate financial commitment translates into lost opportunities to engage millions of Hispanic Catholics.

The CMC’s focus on this panel represents a growing recognition of the vital role Hispanics play in the Catholic Church in the U.S. and Canada. The discussions highlighted the need for intentional, heartfelt and well-funded communication strategies to ensure that Hispanic Catholics feel seen, heard and valued within the Church.

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