Padres: The National Chicano Priest Movement Project Muse Upcc Books

p a d r e s 2 also pressured the church to become more involved in the struggles of their people for social justice in the United States. Many were directly involved at the grassroots level as activists and organizers. Together, PADRES and Las Hermanas formed the fi rst wave of organized resistance from within the church aimed at institutionalizing a Latino-specifi c agenda. In large part as a result of their efforts, the 1970s and 1980s witnessed an increase of activity by Mexican American and Latino Catholics across the nation and especially in the southwestern United States where Mexican Americans were concentrated. Thousands of Latino laypersons became involved at the local level in parish councils, thousands of others participated in the national Encuentros (Encounters, or conferences), the Spanish language became more common in formal church practices, the fi rst Chicano and Latino bishops were appointed, many local parishes became sites where class struggles were waged, and the dominance of white priests and nuns in Latino Catholic ministry was greatly diminished. Moisés Sandoval refers to these changes as the "Latinization" of the U.S. Catholic Church and rightly gives credit to PADRES and Las Hermanas. 3 Ana María Diaz-Stevens and Anthony M. Stevens-Arroyo, who also credit PADRES and Las Hermanas, argue that this movement started in the Catholic Church but spread to Protestant and Pentecostal denominations to create a larger movement called "the Latino Religious Resurgence in the U.S." 4 Are these changes token, or are they meaningful? This is an important question, but before it can be answered, we must take a close look at PADRES and Las Hermanas. This is the fi rst book dedicated entirely to the investigation of the PADRES movement. 5 It began as a way to obtain my Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles. It ended up as a way to honor what these Chicano priests tried to do. To be sure, this is but one book. Many more could be written. And I encourage others to do so. This book, which is based heavily on oral histories of PADRES' founding members, presents a brief history of PADRES and an analysis of its emergence. Chapter 2 reviews the Mexican American Catholic experience. Chapter 3 describes the historical context from which PADRES emerged. Chapter 4 describes the fi rst two offi cial PADRES meetings, the way in which PADRES became an exclusively Chicano organization, the organization's goals, and the initial reception by white priests and bishops. Chapter 5 highlights PADRES' major battles, and Chapter 6 describes its demise. Chapter 7 addresses the question, how and under what conditions did PADRES emerge? I answer this question by fi rst assuming that PADRES was a social movement that emerged within an established organization with the goal of liberating its oppressed membership. I analyze its emergence using a social-psychological framework called the "insurgent state of being," which refers to an action-oriented state of being among movement participants comprising their thoughts, emotions, and identities. The development of these elements over time is infl uenced by specifi c direct experiences within three interdependent dimensions: inside the formal organization, outside the formal organization within the oppressed community, and inside small isolated groups. These experiences increase the likelihood that the elements will develop.

"This is a powerful documentary of a movement whose greatest visibility was in the barrios and inside the church, where the least history is known, where much uncovering has to be accomplished in order for the Chicano community to begin to know its own Catholic history."

—Rodolfo Rosales, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Texas at San Antonio

From the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo to the 1960s, Mexican American Catholics experienced racism and discrimination within the U.S. Catholic church, as white priests and bishops maintained a racial divide in all areas of the church's ministry. To oppose this religious apartheid and challenge the church to minister fairly to all of its faithful, a group of Chicano priests formed PADRES (Padres Asociados para Derechos Religiosos, Educativos y Sociales, or Priests Associated for Religious, Educational, and Social Rights) in 1969. Over the next twenty years of its existence, PADRES became a powerful force for change within the Catholic church and for social justice within American society.

This book offers the first history of the founding, activism, victories, and defeats of PADRES. At the heart of the book are oral history interviews with the founders of PADRES, who describe how their ministries in poor Mexican American parishes, as well as their own experiences of racism and discrimination within and outside the church, galvanized them into starting and sustaining the movement. Richard Martínez traces the ways in which PADRES was inspired by the Chicano movement and other civil rights struggles of the 1960s and also probes itslinkages with liberation theology in Latin America. He uses a combination of social movement theory and organizational theory to explain why the group emerged, flourished, and eventually disbanded in 1989.

from The 1848 Treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo To The 1960s, Mexican American Catholics Experienced Racism And Discrimination Within The U.s. Catholic Church, As White Priests And Bishops Maintained A Racial Divide In All Areas Of The Church's Ministry. To Oppose This Religious Apartheid And Challenge The Church To Minister Fairly To All Of Its Faithful, A Group Of Chicano Priests Formed Padres (padres Asociados Para Derechos Religiosos, Educativos Y Sociales, Or Priests Associated For Religious, Educational, And Social Rights) In 1969. Over The Next Twenty Years Of Its Existence, Padres Became A Powerful Force For Change Within The Catholic Church And For Social Justice Within American Society.
This Book Offers The First History Of The Founding, Activism, Victories, And Defeats Of Padres. At The Heart Of The Book Are Oral History Interviews With The Founders Of Padres, Who Describe How Their Ministries In Poor Mexican American Parishes, As Well As Their Own Experiences Of Racism And Discrimination Within And Outside The Church, Galvanized Them Into Starting And Sustaining The Movement. Richard Martinez Traces The Ways In Which Padres Was Inspired By The Chicano Movement And Other Civil Rights Struggles Of The 1960s And Also Probes Its Linkages With Liberation Theology In Latin America. He Uses A Combination Of Social Movement Theory And Organizational Theory To Explain Why The Group Emerged, Flourished, And Eventually Disbanded In 1989.

From the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo to the 1960s, Mexican American Catholics experienced racism and discrimination within the U.S. Catholic church, as white priests and bishops maintained a racial divide in all areas of the church's ministry. To oppose this religious apartheid and challenge the church to minister fairly to all of its faithful, a group of Chicano priests formed PADRES (Padres Asociados para Derechos Religiosos, Educativos y Sociales, or Priests Associated for Religious, Educational, and Social Rights) in 1969. Over the next twenty years of its existence, PADRES became a powerful force for change within the Catholic church and for social justice within American society. This book offers the first history of the founding, activism, victories, and defeats of PADRES. At the heart of the book are oral history interviews with the founders of PADRES, who describe how their ministries in poor Mexican American parishes, as well as their own experiences of racism and discrimination within and outside the church, galvanized them into starting and sustaining the movement. Richard Martínez traces the ways in which PADRES was inspired by the Chicano movement and other civil rights struggles of the 1960s and also probes its linkages with liberation theology in Latin America. He uses a combination of social movement theory and organizational theory to explain why the group emerged, flourished, and eventually disbanded in 1989. Introduction The Mexican American Catholic experience The origins of PADRES PADRES: in the beginning PADRES insurgency Social activism and its cost Theory and analysis: the emergence of PADRES