Is the new face of American Catholicism a Hispanic one?
In Fall River, the overall population may be dropping. But census figures show the Hispanic population rising from 4.3 percent of total population in 1995 to 7.4 percent in 2010.
The new Fall Riverites who speak Spanish are mostly Puerto Ricans, but El Salvador, Guatemala and Ecuador are also represented.
“We’re also seeing a lot of Brazilians, particularly on Cape Cod, where many of them do seasonal work,” said Doug Rodrigues, director of the Diocese of Fall River Office for Pastoral Planning. “We are seeing a lot more Latinos throughout the diocese.”
Other parts of the country have already seen an influx of new Hispanic immigrants into Catholic churches, Rodrigues said.
“In the Southwest, growth in Catholic parishes is driven by Hispanics and retirees from the Northeast,” Rodrigues said. READ MORE
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