Process—En Conjunto

Latinx communities in the United States have birthed important theological reflection methods in the last forty years. The Encuentros and the colloquia of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States (ACTHUS) are methods of reflecting latinamente that honor community, dialogue and lived experience creating new avenues for theological and pastoral action. This has also been modeled effectively at the First and Second National Symposia on Catholic Hispanic Ministry held in 2010 and 2014 at Boston College and Loyola Marymount University, respectively. The June 2014 ¡Adelante!: Engaging Latino/as in College Campus Ministry hosted by the University of Notre Dame was an important predecessor and catalyst for this conference.

¡El Futuro Is Here! engaged these rich methodologies, invited participants into the historic Latinx communities of Chicago, and provided lectures and seminar presentations that incorporate art, food, and music in ways that only “being there” in the actual built environment and culture make possible.

Participating institutions sent teams of participants composed of three to five members intentionally assembled to maximize the impact of new thinking and new theologizing around campus ministries and theological education. These teams included those responsible for the vision and direction of such departments such as the director of campus ministry, key faculty members, and engaged student leaders. Additional members of the team came from among the campus ministry staff, faculty from theology, religious studies or other related disciplines, mission officers, diversity officers and/or undergraduate student leaders. The teams pursued more generous and culturally grounded strategies for theological education and pastoral praxis that can be implemented on their home campuses.

Download the conference schedule (pdf).

Two keynote presentations were given by nationally renowned scholars Dr. Carmen Nanko-Fernández and Dr. Hosffman Ospino.