“How often in the course of daily parish contacts have I wished to be able to speak Spanish. For me, teaching self is not effective. The discipline of learning to speak Spanish is important, indeed urgent.”

Richard E. Hofmann, Pastor
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

 

Christopher Lloyd from Baton Rouge on the left and James King from Camden, NJ on the right with the Bishop of Cuernavaca, Florencio Olvera. They officiated at mass with the Bishop last summer (July, 2006.)

The Hispanic population in the United States increases by almost a million people each year, according to Census Bureau projections. Currently, about 22 million people in the United States speak Spanish at home, and sadly, many of these people and their families fall below poverty levels. Many (about 60%) of these Latinos are from Mexico and bring with them their cultural and religious beliefs.

One of the major forces for improving the conditions of those who migrate to the United States from Mexico and Central America is the combined efforts of the churches in the areas to which they move. In many areas, the churches have begun to offer many social services programs, in addition to the religious services, and many cities and towns have ecumenical efforts to assist these new residents, both spiritually and materially.

Those who work with them in any religious or church context will find it important to improve their Spanish language skills and their understanding of the Latino culture.

Sister Margaret Carney, President of St. Bonaventure University, writes, “Effective Church ministry in the cultural reality of the United States requires serious attention to the prominence of the Spanish language as the prime or preferred medium of communication for an increasing number of U.S. Catholics. Failure to cultivate a bilingual competence will increasingly be seen as failure to read the signs of the times that every agent of evangelization must cultivate in order to be credible.” Church leaders in other denominations have also spoken widely about the need to improve the Spanish language services offered by clergy and church workers.

For many years, Cemanahuac has had a special interest in helping church workers in all denominations who minister to and with the Latino community in the United States, and we offer pastoral programming specifically tailored to your needs. Our teachers can work with anyone representing a religious organization to improve the Spanish language ability and teach specific vocabulary which is needed to best meet the needs of those in any church community.

Cemanahuac also offers students the opportunity to become involved in the Cuernavaca area through many of the local churches of all denominations. This can increase any church worker’s understanding of the culture of Mexico and how to more closely approximate this in a church community in the United States.

Sister Margaret Slowick, a Sister of St. Francis from Tiffin, Ohio, joined the staff in 2005. Sister Margaret has led immersion experiences to Mexico for over ten years. She is now dedicated to helping church workers increase their knowledge of the Spanish language and the Latin American culture. Any church worker or clergy member who writes to Sister Margaret to explain individual concerns in a church community will receive a fast response with suggestions for how these concerns can best be addressed at Cemanahuac and how an individualized program of language study, community immersion, family living, and cultural understanding can be arranged.

Sister Margaret and other members of the staff at Cemanahuac lead frequent excursions to sites of religious interest, such as the Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Only 90 minutes from Cuernavaca, this is the most visited Marian shrine in the world; one of the world’s most sacred sites, and one held very important in the religious life of most Mexicans. Sister Margaret can also help priests, sisters, ministers, and church workers to meet their counterparts in Cuernavaca to together work for the improvement of conditions of the Mexicans who go to the United States to live and work.

Sister Margaret Slowick, OSF
Pastoral Programming Director
slowick_osf@yahoo.com

"I think the school is just wonderful. I've learned a lot in my weeks here, all with joy! This is THE school for anyone who seriously wants to learn Spanish." - Priest