An essay published by America Magazine (The JesuitReview) analyzes the growing Hispanicization of Catholicism in the United States, noting that nearly half of American Catholics and more than half of Catholics under the age of 30 identify as Hispanic. This reflects significant demographic shifts, with the majority of Hispanics now born in the U.S., speaking mostly English but also retaining Spanish. This population is culturally American and Hispanic, and politically active in a polarized nation.

Historically, Hispanic ministry in the U.S. has focused primarily on immigrants, offering pastoral and spiritual services in Spanish. However, this approach has failed to meet the needs of younger generations, resulting in the loss of many young Hispanics who have ceased to identify as Catholic. Pastoral leaders are now adjusting their strategies to better engage second- and third-generation Hispanic youth by integrating more efforts in English and promoting strong family formation, engaged citizenship, and leadership in the church and society.

Despite the growing importance of Hispanic Catholics, Catholic ministry infrastructure in the U.S. is in decline, with schools and parishes closing. However, a number of Hispanic ministry organizations have emerged to fill pastoral gaps and meet the needs of this growing population. Examples include the Mexican American Cultural Center, the Southeast Pastoral Institute and the Asociación de Hermanas Latinas Misioneras en América, according to the essay.

The author emphasizes the need for more robust and strategic support for Hispanic ministry organizations to ensure they can continue to effectively serve their communities. Boston College’s Clough School of Theology and Ministry has launched the “Nuevo Momento: Leadership and Training for Hispanic Catholic Ministry Organizations” initiative, supported by a $15 million grant from the Lilly Endowment, to strengthen the organizational and financial capacity of 15 Hispanic ministry organizations by providing academic training and significant financial support. This initiative aims to prepare these organizations to play a central role in Catholic ministry life as the Hispanic population continues to grow.

Nuevo Momento has four building blocks: strengthen organizational capacity; enhance financial sustainability; provide academic formation for a new generation of leaders, with particular focus on empowering U.S.-born/U.S.-reared Hispanic young adults; and make available sizable subgrants to invest in internal capacity-building. More than 50 percent of the entire grant will go directly to organizations to achieve the fourth goal.

“To support these 15 organizations in the process of strengthening organizational capacity and enhancing financial sustainability, the Clough School has secured the commitment of excellent partners—such as the Leadership Roundtable, For Impact and the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at Indiana University, all of which have a successful track record working with faith-based organizations. Besides drawing from leadership and academic resources within Boston College, Nuevo Momento will have the support of consulting groups such as Corresponsables de Dios, founded by a Hispanic Catholic leader, and a series of professional consultants that will join the initiative as the programs are set in motion”.

The list of the 15 Hispanic ministerial organizations invited to be part of “Nuevo Momento” is linked to the aforementioned essay.