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The mandate of the Committee of Cultural Diversity in the Church is to be present on behalf of the Bishops’ Conference to the many cultures, ethnicities and races that today constitute the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The goal is to encourage the inclusion and fuller participation of all God's People in the life and ministry of the Church by building up their Catholic identity in a spirit of unity in diversity.
Throughout the United States we experience a profound demographic shift as Hispanics, Asians, Africans, Caribbean people, and many other communities of non-European origin are on the rise. Today, as ever, the Church's mission to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and promote the life and dignity of each and every human being has much to do with insight into cultures. Catholic parishes are moving from mono-cultural patterns to ones we call "shared," that is, to parishes in which more than one language, racial or cultural group seek to celebrate the Eucharist and embody Christian community. For ministers and pastoral workers to be effective in this diverse environment, the right knowledge, attitudes and skills need to be developed.
http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/cultural-diversity/index.cfm
These guidelines are divided into five sections representing five different modules:
Module 1: Frame issues of diversity theologically in terms of the Church’s identity and mission to evangelize.
Module 2: Seek an understanding of culture and how it works.
Module 3: Develop intercultural communication skills in pastoral settings.
Module 4: Expand one’s knowledge of the obstacles which impede effective intercultural relations.
Module 5: Foster Ecclesial integration rather than assimilation in Church settings with a spirituality of hospitality, reconciliation and mission.
In 2007 the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops established several priorities for action during the 2008-2011 planning cycle. One of those priorities was "recognition of cultural diversity." In highlighting this priority the bishops were not only pointing to the profound demographic transformation that has been taking place in the United States and in the Church over several decades, they were also manifesting the Catholic Church's concern with diversity not just as a practical matter but as something integral to the Church's very identity and mission.
The focus on cultural diversity is grounded on the urgent need to grow in knowledge and develop appropriate attitudes and skills for the purpose of carrying out the Church's mission to evangelize. One cannot preach, teach or form persons in the Catholic faith adequately without attending to the ways in which Catholic faith and identity become embodied in culture.Proficiency in matters of culture and intercultural relations is an essential feature of the ongoing process of conversion by which the Gospel becomes life for people.
The program outlined in this manual is aimed at anyone involved in ecclesial ministry. This includes, of course bishops, priests and deacons, religious men and women, lay ecclesial ministers who serve in dioceses, parishes, schools and Catholic organizations.
The background and proficiency offered by this program is for every cultural, ethnic or racial group in the Church. While it is true that persons of European ancestry constitute the majority of those involved in ecclesial ministries today, very sizable cohorts of Catholics from all cultural families enjoy positions of leadership not only among their own group but increasingly among diverse communities. The reality of shared or multicultural parishes is becoming the norm in many places.
Building Intercultural Competence for Ministers should therefore be offered to persons from all the major families, not just European Americans, for example. At the Cultural Diversity Network Convocation held at the University of Notre Dame in May 2010 the participants were selected from among six major families: (1) European American, (2) Hispanic/Latino, (3) African American, (4) Asian and Pacific Islanders, (5) Native Americans, and (6) Migrants, Refugees and Travelers. These categories reflect the ones the bishops have established for the subcommittees of the Committee on Cultural Diversity.