NEWS

Leaders at Cultural Diversity Convocation Send Letter of Support to Arizona Bishops on Immigration

Archbishop Gregory: Christ the Foundation of our Unity, Diversity a Gift God has Fashioned into the Heart Of Humanity

Convocation Responds to Dramatic Demographic Shifts and Quest for a Robust Catholic Identity

HOW
By means of a process that includes celebration, prayer and worship, interaction, information, story-telling, inspirational moments with time to consider possible implications and next steps in the building of greater ecclesial unity in diversity.
WHY
In pursuit of the Catholic Bishops' priority on recognition of cultural diversity in the Church and to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the successful Encuentro 2000 in Los Angeles at the dawn of the Third Millennium, this Convocation offers a historic opportunity to renew and move forward with the project of catholicity and unity in diversity celebrated then.

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PCMRT

“ There is hope in creating opportunities for our communities themselves to come together to encourage intercommunity and interaction particularly as it relates to the decision making process on the pastoral and leadership level. Promoting leadership skills among migrants represented by PCMRT is crucial. (PCMRT Witness statement at the 2010 Convocation, Notre Dame)

“We have more opportunities for people to experience the Church universal. The greater opportunities we have to communicate back and forth both globally and locally with that Church universal, the richer we are; the better human beings we are and the better Catholics we are.” (European Witness statement at the 2010 Convocation, Notre Dame)

The Subcommittee on Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugees and Travelers is responsible in assisting and supporting dioceses, national organizations and movements in the pastoral care of migrants, refugees and travelers.

Migrants, refugees and travelers include ethnic and cultural groups such as: (a) African,
(b) Caribbean, (c) Brazilian, (d) European, (e) Mayan communities;  and people on the move groups including: (f) Migrant Farm workers, (g) Seafarers/merchant mariners (h) Airport & Airline Workers and Travelers, (i) Circus and Traveling Show workers and Truckers.

An estimated 2.5 - 3 million African-born population currently reside in the United States. The Caribbean Population in the United States is estimated at 3 million. We generally do not think of European immigrants at the turn of the 21st century. The 2000 US census reports 4.9 million European immigrants in the United States, an increase of 13% from 1990. Eastern European-born immigrants (1,906,157) were the largest.

Brazilians and Mayans are the largest non-Spanish speaking Latin American communities in the US. The majority are Catholics. The 2006 the US Census Bureau reported the Brazilian population at 345, 535. Approximately 65% are Catholic (Brazilian Apostolate Annual Report 2006). About 150,000 Mayan Catholics originally from Guatemala are present in 30 dioceses in the USA.