U.S. BISHOPS CREATE A SPANISH LANGUAGE FACEBOOK PAGE............

Addressing the continuing growth in the number of Latinos / Hispanics, in the American Catholic Church, and seeking to effectively communicate with them specifically in the social media, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are creating a Facebook page in the Spanish language.  With the Spanish speaking population increasing rapidly in many parts of the country, the Chairman of the U.S.C.C.B. Communications Committee, Salt Lake City Utah Bishop John Wester said of the new Spanish language Facebook page, "Hispanics make up almost 16% of the U.S. population, 40% of U.. Catholics, and 50% of U.S. Catholics under the age of 25".  The American Bishops have had an English speaking Facebook page for three years with about 40,000 readers; as well as English and Spanish language Twitter pages.  Speaking of the highly essential need to reach out to Latinos / Hispanics in the United States in the social media, Bishop Wester also said, "It is critically important to engage this demographic, especially through the expanding field of social media, and provide them with accurate, quality information that encourages them to grow in their faith".    New statistics gathered by the Bishops' Cultural Diversity Secretariat shows the increase in the numbers of Latinos / Hispanics in the United States since Jubilee Year 2000, with one quarter of American counties doubling in their percentage who are Latinos / Hispanics; now with more than 10 million households in the USA.  The most prominent increase in Latinos / Hispanics is in those born the past twenty to thirty years; making outreach to youth and young adults in the social media particularly a priority.  National Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15th -October 15th, is an optimal time to begin this effort to communicate as thoroughly and effectively as possible with the Latino / Hispanic  populace in solidifying their Catholic Faith commitment.  The Spanish language Facebook pages offers resources from the U.S. Bishops Conference, Catholic news, materials pertaining to the Saints, and faith formation material.  One of the focuses of the page is also the Latin American ministry of  carried out by the late Mother Teresa of Calcutta, with photographs and information she and her Missionary Sisters have provided.  Sacramento Bishop Jaime Soto, the Chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Cultural Diversity Committee, is featured on the new Spanish language Facebook page in a welcoming video presentation.  Bishop Soto's words on behalf of his brother bishops, to those visiting the page include we, "are grateful for the rich contributions of culture and faith that Hispanics bring to this country and to our Catholic Church"...also stating in his welcome to the Latino / Hispanic Community, the desire to, "communicate and dialogue with us".  In the first decade of the 21st century the Latino / Hispanic population in at least six southern and border States, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, has  greater than doubled in the decade from 2000-2010; according to the latest U.S. Census.  Demographic projections of the Federal Census Bureau estimate the Latino / Hispanic population of the USA will be 30% of all Americans by the year 2050; all this underscoring the undeniable need to address and communicate with them as brothers and sisters in the Community of Believers across the board, including in the social media, as Spanish language Facebook and Twitter pages can and will do............Fr.  Troy