Double Standard?
Comment:

The Church hierarchy has made it clear that it is not in the job to promote ethnic heritages." (See reference links above [previous page]: 1.) Letter to Bishop Wuerl (1-13-99); 2. Joint Council Meeting (11-12-02). However, in the December 6, 2002 issue of The Lake Shore Visitor, official, weekly newspaper of the Diocese of Erie, PA, page 2 under the column World/Nation/Local Briefs an article appeared titled Hispanics important to U.S. ecumenism. After reading the article (printed below) one wonders if there is a double standard being practiced by the hierarchy. Could it be that the Church has already integrated other heritages into the mainstream of the Church that these other ethnic enclaves have served their purposes? How long will it take for the Hispanic culture to also be "integrated" into the Church? Will they also be written off as Church progress? It is sad that the Church leadership does not see the value of supporting all ethnic heritages. These identities have been a major source of religious vocations and family values within the Church. Many of the problems facing the Church today could be stemming from the loss of these strong, religious ethnic cultures. Perhaps it's time for the Church hierarchy to reassess its position on ethnicity and to start supporting them rather than proscribing them to a footnote in Church history.

Joseph C. Brozeski, Co-Ordinator-The Polish Heritage Project…12-26-02

Hispanics Important to U.S. Ecumenism

GARRISON, N.Y.-----Hispanics are becoming an important factor in U.S. ecumenical relations even though Latin American immigrants come from countries lacking major ecumenical activity, said a Catholic theologian long active in ecumenical dialog.

     Hispanics from different Christian religions offer a practical rather than theoretical approach to ecumenism, said Holy Cross Father Joh T. Ford, who teaches courses in ecumenism and Hispanic theology at The Catholic University of America in Washington.

     Hispanic Catholics and Protestants are united by a similar ethnic background and by community-oriented social issues tying together their common moral values, he said. Because Catholic and Protestant immigrants often come from the same towns in their native countries, they are also influencing ecumenical relations in Latin America as their experiences in a pluralistic society become known there, he said in a magazine article.       -----CNS