The Rich Legacy and Future of the Hispanic/Latino Catholic Community

This year 2021 we have two great moments of celebration and joy!

Our first moment of celebration is the 50th anniversary of the Diocese of Kalamazoo. The Diocese of Kalamazoo was founded on July 21, 1971. In these fifty years as a Latino community, we have grown at all levels thanks to all those pioneers who began the pastoral ministry with our community. We remember with gratitude and faith, the first Bishop, Most Rev. Paul V. Donovan, the Vincentian Fathers, the Sisters of St. Joseph, especially Sister Rosemary Tierney, Father Stephen Grozio, Father Arthur Kolinsky and many more; the first directors of Hispanic Ministry, Father Bob Flickinger and Dr. Fanny Tabares, each one bringing to the ministry their great human wealth and pastoral wisdom. The support has been enormous, from the diocese’s beginnings with Bishop Paul V. Donovan, Bishop James A. Murray and in the last 11 years, from our Bishop Paul J. Bradley. Without the support and trust of these pioneers, in the fields, in the parish offices and in the Diocesan office, our growth would not have been possible. Since its installation, each of the members of the Comité Diocesano de Pastoral Hispana (Hispanic Diocesan Pastoral Committee) have served the Hispanic/Latino community with generosity, sacrifice and love. Without the vision, direction and support of each of these members, many of the achievements we have made would not be the solid reality that they are today. Our gratitude also goes to the pastors and missionary priests, who have served the Hispanic/Latino community, as well as to the Religious Sisters of the different congregations who now support our pastoral ministry with the community.

The other reason for joy is the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Instituto San Agustín — Hispanic Pastoral Leadership Formation Program (ISAK). ISAK was formed in 2011 for the purpose of educating and preparing lay leaders. It is an intermediate, three-year-program that has teachers at the local, regional and national levels, and its general objective is to develop in the participants, their leadership abilities and their involvement in the Catholic Church through pastoral/theological formation. At its start in August 2011, more than 80 students enrolled. On July 18, 2021 Bishop Paul J. Bradley celebrated the graduation of the
third group after delays due to the pandemic. Congratulations to all the graduates of the 2017-2020 class. In these 10 years of anniversary, more than 220 people have graduated from ISAK.

The history of the Latino community in the Diocese of Kalamazoo is so long that this article is not enough to describe all the joys, challenges and opportunities that we have as a community. It has been 50 years of enrichment, growth and leadership. Thanks to each and every one of the people who in one way or another made an effort so that the Hispanic Ministry of the Diocese of Kalamazoo has become more solid over the years and has a felt presence in diocesan life. We hope that the Latino community as well as the ministry will continue to grow and become even stronger in the coming years.

Congratulations to the Diocese for these 50 years of life as a local Church!
Congratulations to ISAK for its 10 years of service, dedication and leadership!