Our History

Historical Memory for Hispanic/Latino Ministry

1945 - Office for the Spanish Speaking is established under the auspices of the National Catholic Welfare Council (NCWC) and promoted by Bishop Robert E. Lucey, Archbishop of San Antonio, Texas.
1969 - The National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) establishes the Division for the Spanish Speaking under the auspices of the Department of Social Development.
1970 - Archbishop Patrick Flores is named as an Auxiliary Bishop in San Antonio.
1972 - Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC) is formed in San Antonio.
1972 - First National Hispanic Encuentro calls for greater participation of the Spanish speaking in leadership and decision-making roles at all levels within the Catholic Church and for the establishment of structures for ministry to be implemented.
1974 - The Division for the Spanish Speaking of the Department of Social Development is elevated to the NCCB Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs.
1977 - Second National Hispanic Encuentro recommendations express the desire of grassroots Hispanics for a more responsive, multicultural, spiritually alive, united, and creative Church through a process of evangelization.
1979 - Southeast Pastoral Institute is formed.
1981 - Instituto Nacional Hispano de Liturgia (INHL) is formed.
1982 - The Bishops Speak with the Virgin: A Pastoral Letter of the Hispanic Bishops of the United States is published, presenting the message of our pilgrimage through history, our reality, and our role as artisans of a new humanity, courage, and hope.
1983 - The U.S. bishops' pastoral letter, The Hispanic Presence: Challenge and Commitment, is published. The U.S. bishops call Hispanic Catholics to raise their prophetic voices again in a Third Encuentro.
1985 - Third National Hispanic Encuentro process involves more than half a million Hispanics in a grassroots consultation that led to the development of the National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry.
1985 - Asociación Nacional de Diáconos Hispanos (ANDH) is formed.
1985 - Federación de Institutos Pastorales (FIP) is formed.
1986 - Prophetic Voices is published: The history and consultation process of the Third National Hispanic Encuentro.
1987 - The Catholic bishops unanimously approve the National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry. The Plan provides pastoral priorities and action for Hispanic ministry at the diocesan, regional, and parish levels.
1988 - Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States (ACHTUS) is formed.
1989 - Asociación Nacional de Sacerdotes Hispanos (ANSH) is formed.
1990 - Hispanic Ministry Resource Center is formed.
1990 - Bishop's Committee on Hispanic Affairs statement Leaven for the Kingdom of God is published.
1991 - National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry (NCCHM) is formed.
1992 - First Congress of Roots and Wings takes place in Los Angeles, CA.
1992 - National Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors for Hispanic Ministry (NCADDHM) is formed.
1994 - Instituto Fe y Vida is formed.
1995 - Communion and Mission, a guide on small ecclesial communities, is published.
1995 - The U.S. Hispanic bishops convoke Hispanic Ministries directors and coordinators to commemorate and celebrate the collaboration and communion of fifty years of a national ministry effort.
1995 - Pastoral statement The Hispanic Presence in the New Evangelization in the United States is published.
1996 - National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana—La RED is formed.
1996 - Second Congress of Roots and Wings takes place in Chicago, Illinois.
1997 - Synod of Bishops for America takes place. The U.S. bishops approve the convoking of a Fourth National Encuentro.
1998 - One Faith, One Church, One America: Symposium with the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM) on Catechesis '98.
1999 - Pope John Paul II promulgates Ecclesia in America in Mexico City.
1999 - Hispanic Ministry at the Turn of the New Millennium: A Report of the Bishops' Committee on Hispanic Affairs is published.
1999 - Many Faces in God's House: A Catholic Vision for the New Millennium, a parish guide to prepare for Encuentro 2000, is published.
2000 - Encuentro 2000: Many Faces in God's House is held in Los Angeles, California, with the participation of more than 5,000 church leaders representing 150 dioceses and 157 different ethnic groups and nationalities.
2001 - The Bishops' Committee on Hispanic Affairs convokes the leadership in Hispanic Ministry to a National Symposium to refocus Hispanic ministry for the new century.
2002 - Encuentro and Mission: A Renewed Pastoral Framework for Hispanic Ministry is published.
2003 - III Congress of Roots and Wings takes place at the University of Notre Dame.
2004 - The Committee for Hispanic Affairs approves the preparation for the First National Encounter for Hispanic Youth and Young Adult Ministry.
2006 - Celebration of the First National Encounter for Hispanic Youth and Young Adult Ministry at the University of Notre Dame.
2006 - Best Practices in Diocesan Ministry among Hispanics/Latinos is published.
2007 - The Committee for Hispanic Affairs is replaced by the Subcommittee for Hispanic Affairs.
2007 - Catholic Association of Latino Leaders (CALL) is formed.
2008 - Asociación de Religiosas Hispanas en Estados Unidos (ARHEU) is formed.
2008 - Mexican American Cultural Center becomes the Mexican American Catholic College.
2008 - The Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs is incorporated into the new USCCB structure, under theSecretariat for Cultural Diversity in the Church.
2008 - Conclusions of the First National Encounter for Hispanic Youth and Young Adult Ministry is published.
2009 - National Symposium on the Present and Future of Catholic Hispanic Ministry in the United States was held at Boston College.
2009 - Publication of the study on National and Regional Hispanic Catholic Ministry Organizational Initiatives: An Assessment, by William D. Dinges, PhD.
2010 - IV Congress of Roots and Wings takes place in Chicago, Illinois.
2011 - Hispanic / Latino Bishops publish a letter addressed to undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.
2011 - Emerging Hispanic Catholic Leadership Gathering in San Antonio, Texas.
2012 - Ministerio Hispano Presente, Pasado y Futuro: Un Nuevo Comienzo is published.
2012 - National celebration in Chicago, IL to commemorate significant anniversaries in Hispanic Ministry, including the 21st Anniversary of the National Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors for Hispanic Ministry, NCADDHM.
2012 - Production and distribution of the Media Kit Hispanic/Latino Ministry in the United States.
2014 - Federation for Catechesis with Hispanics (FCH) is formed.
2014 - ENAHVE is formed and preliminary planning for the V National Encuentro begins.
2014 - V Congress of Roots and Wings takes place in San Antonio, TX.
2014 - II National Symposium on Catholic Hispanic Ministry in the United States was held at Loyola Marymount University.
2016 - National Colloquium on Ministry with Hispanic Youth and Young Adults was held at Boston College.
2016 - V Encuentro Process Guide is printed, and Diocesan Teams are formed and trained.
2017 - Parish and organizational process of the V National Encuentro begins, followed by Parish and Diocesan Encuentros.
2017 - ARHEU becomes Asociación de Hermanas Latinas Misioneras en América (AHLMA).
2018 - Regional and National Encuentros are held.
2019 - III National Symposium on Catholic Hispanic Ministry in the United States was held at Notre Dame University.
2019 - Publication of the Proceedings and Conclusions of the V National Encuentro of Hispanic / Latino Ministry.
2022 - VI Congress of Roots and Wings takes place in Washington, DC.
2023 - Publication of Missionary Disciples Going Forth with Joy: National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry.