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Columnas, 1970-1971
1971-05-28 ""La Raza"" Page 16
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-16- NEW NATIONAL ORGANIZATION, "LAS HERMANAS" Sisters Irene & Lucinda Munoz were present for the historical events that took place the weekend of April 4 - 7 in Houston, Texas. For the first time in history, native Spanish-speaking religious united to form a new national organization called "Las Hermanas". Sisters were represented from 20 religious communities and as far away as Arizona Colorado, California and Iowa. The purpose of the uniting group was to focus on the Spanish-speaking people and how native Spanish-speaking Sisters can be of service to them. This goal will be accomplished through the following ways: 1. An Information Clearinghouse At present there is no method of disseminating information about the Spanish-speaking community throughout the country nor about the activities of the Sisters Working with our people. As an organization we could easily disperse this type of information, so that we would all be aware of what is happening in various parts of the country, and would know where the need is the greatest. 2. Awareness of Religious Congregations. Many congregations of religious women are now aware of the vast and urgent apostolate among the Spanish-speaking people. They have all changed dramatically with Vatican IIand it is the feeling that all congregations want to serve the people of God in the best an most effective way possible. As an organization, and being in contact with our people daily, or having information concerning our people's needs, they could disperse this information to the various congregations to help make them more aware of the needs of our Spanish-speaking people, and more important, of the necessity for working in this apostolate. If they do not know that the problems exist, they cannot even begin to solve them. 3. "Las Hermanas" will serve as a pressure group so that the strength which comes from unity will enable the Sisters to put pressure on the established community and on the Church through peaceful nonviolent means. 4. The organization will serve as a stimulus to encourage members and those with whom they work to have pride in their ethnic identity. 5. There will be formed team ministries of Sisters qualified in the areas of health, education and welfare. These teams will go into the abandon barrios not yet reached by the Church. The concern of the Sisters attending the conference was the possibility of creating disunity in their own congregations. This was quickly answered by stating how more richer and more enlightened would a community be by becoming more aware of those areas wherein their Sisters could best serve the people of God. Some sisters voiced concern with their own congregations at not having met the needs of the Spanish-speaking people by not putting their native Spanish-speaking sisters in key areas of the Chicago apostolate. The president temporary president, Sister Gloria Gallardo, related to some of the Sisters present that in her own community she was assigned to the black apostolate for twelve years when she realized and made it known to her superiors that she could be more effective with her own "raza" (people). The keynote address of the national conference was by Bishop Patricio Flores, the only Mexican-American bishop in the United States. In his talk entitled "La Rasa and Its Problems" Biship Flores stated the need for total involvement with the people. First the Sisters must get to know the environment of the people, learnin what are their sufferings and joys, and then evaluate how they as religious can be effective. The bishop wen ton to say he would prefer religious to take but one vow which would be the vow of "Chairty", and that the religious must first show this in her community before she can relate it to others. He continually emphasized Christ came to serve, not to be served, and encouraged the Sisters to unite and support each other. He said, "Give Life to other convents that are dead". Bishop Flores related the problems of the Texas-Mexicans as they came at the turn of the Century. Most of these people arriving were uneducated farmers whose only concern was survival. He put it so well in the words, "Pansa llena, corazon contento" (Filled stomach, satisfied heart"). The problems
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-16- NEW NATIONAL ORGANIZATION, "LAS HERMANAS" Sisters Irene & Lucinda Munoz were present for the historical events that took place the weekend of April 4 - 7 in Houston, Texas. For the first time in history, native Spanish-speaking religious united to form a new national organization called "Las Hermanas". Sisters were represented from 20 religious communities and as far away as Arizona Colorado, California and Iowa. The purpose of the uniting group was to focus on the Spanish-speaking people and how native Spanish-speaking Sisters can be of service to them. This goal will be accomplished through the following ways: 1. An Information Clearinghouse At present there is no method of disseminating information about the Spanish-speaking community throughout the country nor about the activities of the Sisters Working with our people. As an organization we could easily disperse this type of information, so that we would all be aware of what is happening in various parts of the country, and would know where the need is the greatest. 2. Awareness of Religious Congregations. Many congregations of religious women are now aware of the vast and urgent apostolate among the Spanish-speaking people. They have all changed dramatically with Vatican IIand it is the feeling that all congregations want to serve the people of God in the best an most effective way possible. As an organization, and being in contact with our people daily, or having information concerning our people's needs, they could disperse this information to the various congregations to help make them more aware of the needs of our Spanish-speaking people, and more important, of the necessity for working in this apostolate. If they do not know that the problems exist, they cannot even begin to solve them. 3. "Las Hermanas" will serve as a pressure group so that the strength which comes from unity will enable the Sisters to put pressure on the established community and on the Church through peaceful nonviolent means. 4. The organization will serve as a stimulus to encourage members and those with whom they work to have pride in their ethnic identity. 5. There will be formed team ministries of Sisters qualified in the areas of health, education and welfare. These teams will go into the abandon barrios not yet reached by the Church. The concern of the Sisters attending the conference was the possibility of creating disunity in their own congregations. This was quickly answered by stating how more richer and more enlightened would a community be by becoming more aware of those areas wherein their Sisters could best serve the people of God. Some sisters voiced concern with their own congregations at not having met the needs of the Spanish-speaking people by not putting their native Spanish-speaking sisters in key areas of the Chicago apostolate. The president temporary president, Sister Gloria Gallardo, related to some of the Sisters present that in her own community she was assigned to the black apostolate for twelve years when she realized and made it known to her superiors that she could be more effective with her own "raza" (people). The keynote address of the national conference was by Bishop Patricio Flores, the only Mexican-American bishop in the United States. In his talk entitled "La Rasa and Its Problems" Biship Flores stated the need for total involvement with the people. First the Sisters must get to know the environment of the people, learnin what are their sufferings and joys, and then evaluate how they as religious can be effective. The bishop wen ton to say he would prefer religious to take but one vow which would be the vow of "Chairty", and that the religious must first show this in her community before she can relate it to others. He continually emphasized Christ came to serve, not to be served, and encouraged the Sisters to unite and support each other. He said, "Give Life to other convents that are dead". Bishop Flores related the problems of the Texas-Mexicans as they came at the turn of the Century. Most of these people arriving were uneducated farmers whose only concern was survival. He put it so well in the words, "Pansa llena, corazon contento" (Filled stomach, satisfied heart"). The problems
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