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General
Objective
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To
live and promote by means of a pastoral de conjunto
a model of church that is: communitarian, evangelizing,
and missionary; incarnate in the reality of the
Hispanic people and open to the diversity of cultures;
a promoter and example of justice; active in developing
leadership through integral education; leaven
for the Kingdom of God in society.
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Specific
Dimensions
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Pastoral
de conjunto
From fragmentation to coordination
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To
develop a pastoral de conjunto, which through
pastoral agents and structures manifests communion
in integration, coordination, inservicing, and
communication of the Church's pastoral action,
in keeping with the general objective of this
plan.
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Evangelization
From a place to a home
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| To
recognize, develop, accompany, and support small
ecclesial communities and other church groups, which
in union with the bishop are effective instruments
of evangelization for the Hispanic people. |
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Missionary
option
From pews to shoes
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To
promote faith and effective participation in Church
and societal structures on the part of these priority
groups (the poor, women, families, youth) so that
they may be agents of their own destiny (self-determination)
and capable of progressing and becoming organized.
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Formation
From good will to skills
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| To
provide leadership formation adapted to the Hispanic
culture in the United States that will help people
to live and promote a style of Church that will
be leaven of the Kingdom of God in society. |
Two
concepts central to the implementation of this plan
are "pastoral de conjunto" and integration.
"Pastoral de conjunto" is defined as a coresponsible,
collaborative ministry involving coordination among
pastoral agents of all of the elements of pastoral life
and the structures of the same in view of a common goal:
the Kingdom of God.
Integration
is the process by which an immigrant tries to fully
participate in the new country's way of life but the
native culture is also maintained. This posture of integration
adds to the dominant culture the specific richness of
the newcomer's own culture. Hispanic participation in
the institutions, programs, and activities of the Church
is to be constantly encouraged and appreciated. Their
language, cultural values and religious traditions are
to be respected.
Integration
is not to be confused with assimilation. Through the
policy of assimilation, new immigrants are forced to
give up their language, culture, values, and traditions
and adopt a form of life and worship foreign to them
in order to be accepted as parish members. This attitude
alienates new Catholic immigrants from the Church and
makes them vulnerable to sects and other denominations.
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