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Synod Emotional for Hispanic Community
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April 18, 2022As a synod meeting with the Hispanic community drew to a close, Bishop Michael G. Duca bowed his head and simply said, “I need you to bless me.”
In what was perhaps the most hallowed moment of the entire synod process, the 60-plus people gathered at the Hispanic Apostolate in Baton Rouge raised their arms to bless the bishop they had come to know and embrace during the past four hours.
“The community asked Bishop Duca for a final blessing, instead he asked to be bless by them, they were very impressive,” said Julia Scarnato, executive director of the Hispanic Apostolate. “It was very emotional. He was very touched.”
The synod was one of several held in the Diocese of Baton Rouge in response to Pope Francis’ call for a worldwide synod titled “Toward a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission.” Data collected from dioceses and archdioceses worldwide will be sent to the Vatican.
“It was wonderful and we had more people than we expected,” Scarnato said, adding the apostolate had held three virtual weekly meetings leading up the in-person meeting. The director of the South East Pastoral Institute, Dr. Olga Villar and Loisy Ogango, along with Father Kevin Zubel CSsR, chaplain of the Hispanic Apostolate, were also in attendance.
Scarnato said two major concerns emerged, those being the community’s desire to become a missionary church and perhaps just as significant the diocese allowing the Hispanic Apostolate to become its own church parish with a pastor.
A missionary church, rather than one that is more restricted to the church building, would allow clergy members to preach to people unable to travel because of the distance.
“They are in the strawberry farms, sugarcane (fields),” Scarnato said. “We would like instead of them coming to the church, we would like the church to go to the people.”
She pointed out there are many unbaptized Hispanics in the diocese, including adults and their children. She said many of those people were living in rural areas in their native lands and had no access to the sacraments.
“We want to reach out to those people and bring them to the church,” Scarnato said.
Establishing a parish for the Hispanic population is becoming a priority for the Hispanic community. Currently, the apostolate is located on the campus of what was St Pius X Church in Baton Rouge on land owned by St. Isidore the Farmer Church in Baker, which is leasing to the apostolate.
Scarnato is hopeful the diocese will purchase the property but added the caveat that the Hispanic community is willing and eager to collaborate on the purchase.
“They are willing to be the caretakers and committed to collaborate with the purchase,” Scarnato said. “That was the overwhelming message; we want to become a church parish.
“We would like to be more connected with the different departments of the diocese.”
“Right now, we are always about will we stay here, move to another church?” she said. “At the end of the day most of the people want to convert the Hispanic Apostolate into a parish and have their own parish or a community center.
They are asking the bishop if it is possible to create the Hispanic Apostolate as a parochial center for the Hispanic community.”
Inclusion is also a major concern. Scarnato said Hispanics have long expressed a desire for the diocese to be more dynamic to the community.
“Every church around the diocese has Hispanics (living in their parish boundaries),” she said. “All of these local churches have to find a way that they can incorporate the Hispanic community (into the life of the church).”
Scarnato said the community is eager to help develop effective outreach programs, help attract Hispanics back to the church.
Dovetailing with inclusion, Scarnato said, is a hope to develop religious education programs in Spanish. She noted that all of the courses offered through the diocese are taught in English but having evangelization and catechization programs in Spanish would help bridge the language gap for the Hispanic community as well as allow them to feel more welcome.
Concerns were also expressed regarding the lack of Spanish speaking priests and those familiar with the culture in the diocese. Scarnato acknowledged the priest shortage is a contributing factor but she also encouraged the Vocations Department to schedule activities within the Hispanic community, they are interested in doing so.
All the members present in the synod were appreciative of Bishop Duca for his willingness to listen to their concerns, as well as his support, openness and not being judgmental. Scarnato said the bishop endeared himself to the crowd by speaking in Spanish during the majority of the synod.
“He told us to speak out, that he was there to support us and listen.”
As the Hispanic community continues to expand, and Scarnato said the growth has spiked the past two years and shows no sign of slowing down, the need for the diocese to reach out to the community will also continue to grow. Scarnato noted the Hispanic population in the diocese is greater than many dioceses nationwide.
As the day ended, Scarnato took a moment to corral her own emotions, to savor the joy that filled her heart.
“It was a very moving day, humbling; everybody was happy,” she said. “It touched me to see how faithful the people are. I think the Hispanic community was encouraged.
“We love the church, we love the diocese, and we love the bishop. We would like to change something that we think can be better, God bless our Universal Church and let’s pray together for the final resolutions of the Synod.”
