Building Communion in Culturally Diverse Parishes

The universal Catholic Church is comprised of people from different places with different cultures speaking different languages. That holds true in America as well. Today, according to Liguori author Dr. Hosffman Ospino, nearly 40 percent of all Catholic parishes in the country are "culturally diverse." Dr. Ospino defines culturally diverse parishes as faith communities that normally celebrate Mass in at least two languages and have large concentrations of immigrant Catholics, or Catholics who self-identify with nonmajority racial or ethnic groups.

Dr. Ospino invites us to embrace our differences through celebrating the Mass in more than one language. He writes, “Although celebrating the Eucharist in a language other than our mother tongue may feel like visiting a different country, it’s important to understand—and embrace—the reality that we are all members of the same parish community.”

Dr. Ospino asks us to "build communion in diversity." The source of communion is our faith in the risen Lord Jesus Christ and the Church can only achieve that communion as a fruit of the work of the Holy Spirit among us. He writes, "The vibrancy of our parish will depend on how well we embrace our shared diversity." Dr. Ospino cites four practical ways to build communion within culturally diverse parishes.