Dear Friends in Christ,

I am honored with having the privilege of writing this Sunday’s pastoral letter. I share with Father Jack, as his Pastoral Assistant for Hispanic Ministry, the exciting, fulfilling, joyful, life-giving, and challenging task of proclaiming the Good News of Jesus in our parish.

My work with my Latino brothers and sisters has been challenging. What makes it also exciting, fulfilling, joyful, life-giving, is that I approach our whole parish as a mission territory. It is a wonderful privilege to share in the mission Jesus commanded to his disciples of going to all nations “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28, 20).

I have been blessed with the opportunity of teaching classes to adults in preparation for Baptism and First Communion. I have found in them a great desire to celebrate the sacraments. They thirst for those great moments of grace! I play a little game in those classes. I ask three questions: How many times did you go to confession within the last year? How many times have you participated in Mass within the last year? Are you married in Church? Typical answers are: 0-3-N.

Are you surprised by these answers? The bishops of the United States have reported, based on a 2008 national study, that “only 23% of U.S. Catholics regularly attend Mass once a week, while 77% self-identify as proud to be Catholic” (http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization). Do you see our opportunity for evangelization?

You and I as part of that 23% are called to evangelize our proud Catholic brothers and sisters we miss at mass. Jesus calls us. The U.S. bishops call us, saying to us “As a community of faith, we want to welcome these people to become alive in the Good News of Jesus, to make their lives more fully a part of the ongoing story of salvation and to let Christ touch, heal, and reconcile them through the Holy Spirit. We want to let our inactive brothers and sisters know that they always have a place in the Church and that we are hurt by their absence—as they are. We want to show our regret for any misunderstandings or mistreatment. And we want to help them see that, however they feel about the Church, we want to talk with them, share with them, and accept them as brothers and sisters. Every Catholic can be a minister of welcome, reconciliation, and understanding to those who have stopped practicing the faith” (Go and Make Disciples: A National Plan and Strategy for Catholic Evangelization in the United States, 40. My underline).

Do you see Saint Andrew parish as mission territory? The Latino community certainly is and need you. I have found great, good people here. I have certainly been a personal challenge for many of them. In challenging moments, let’s not forget that Jesus gave all of us the commandment of going to all nations. And let’s remember always his promise, “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28, 20).