For more than 40 years, the Hispanic Ministry (previously known as the Spanish Apostolate), has been dedicated to the integral care of the Hispanic community in the Diocese of Worcester. The ministry's work encompasses religious, educational, social and human dimensions in individual parishes, diocesan-wide and beyond. Twelve parishes in the diocese have an organized Hispanic Ministry.

The work of the Hispanic Ministry benefits not only the parishes but the whole diocese. Some of its many works are made possible by having a Spanish-speaking priest, deacon or religious nun in a parish so that liturgical services can be held in Spanish. This facilitates bilingual Masses, celebration of the sacraments and other services for parishioners who only speak Spanish or for those parishioners who like to participate in Spanish celebrations.

Priests, deacons, religious nuns and other leaders who speak Spanish play an important role in the religious formation of the community through religious education classes, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, Catholic youth ministry, pastoral groups and other educational occasions.

Socially, the Hispanic ministry gives parishioners, or people who come to the parish looking for guidance, help in resolving difficulties with social agencies or offices because they don't understand or write English well.

People who serve in the Hispanic ministry make sick visits to those who only speak or understand Spanish. They visit the homebound, or people in hospitals or in nursing homes. They provide them the opportunity to receive holy Communion, the sacrament of penance and anointing of the sick in their native language. The subsidy from the annual Partners in Charity appeal helps parishes with an Hispanic ministry to pay the salary, or part of the salary, of the priests, deacons, religious nuns and lay leaders who work in the ministry. 

"Without this help, it would be impossible for these parishes and for our diocese to support these men and women dedicated to the pastoral care of the Hispanic people already living in this region, as well as the newcomer immigrants," Father Angel R. Matos, director of the Hispanic Ministry, said.

"Something that also we need to be very clear about is that these priests, deacons, religious nuns, and the other leaders in these parishes — that Partners in Charity subsidizes — not only work for the Hispanic people but for the whole parish as well," Father Matos said.

The Hispanic ministry is changing lives in many ways. We can see this in the fact that the Hispanic community is growing in the diocese and participating in the different activities and aspects of parish and diocesan life. In this way, the Hispanic ministry is helping to build a strong community with a strong sense of Church. It allows the Hispanic Christian Catholic in this country to find, in his or her own parish, someone who understands not only the same language but also the same cultural and religious customs and practices.

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