Las posadas: Hispanic ministry and the Episcopal Church in the diocese of Massachusetts

256 Pages·1992·8.6 MB·English

by  Dickson, Priscilla Nye.

k53.5
LAS POSADAS:
HISPANIC MINISTRY AND THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
in the
DIOCESE OF MASSACHUSETTS
By
Priscilla Nye Dickson
A Project/Thesis Submitted
to the Faculty of the
Episcopal Divinity School
in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements
for the Degree
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY
April 14, 1992

CONTENTS
Introduction:
2
a personal journey 2
thesis project
7
Chapter One: Purpose, Project Design, and Definitions 9
Chapter Two: Hispanics in Eastern Massachusetts 14
some historical notes 15
Hispanic culture and spirituality 22
Chapter Three: The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts 32
some historical notes 34
Episcopal spirituality 38
Chapter Four: The Project 42
participants 43
summary of sessions 47
Chapter Five: Theological Foundation 74
Liberation Theology in the Latin American Context 74
Hispanic American Theology 76
Black and Feminist Liberation Theologies 85
Chapter Six: Transformation 91
Chapter Seven: Conclusions and a Model 104
Bibliography: 108
Appendix: 110
The Posada Song 111
Three charts comparing cultures 112
History of the Coalition for Hispanic Ministries 114
Digitized by the Internet Archive
2013
in
http://archive.org/details/lasposadashispanOOdick
Introduction
A Personal Journey
"Why are you leaving this comfortable community and your
morning coffee sessions with friends to go on this dangerous
and difficult journey?" the local news reporter asked me.
The question related to my upcoming trip to Nicaragua as
part of a Witness for Peace delegation in October, 1986. My
answer to him might have been that am not comfortable
I
living in an exclusive suburb when so many are starving and
homeless and that am committed to struggle for social
I
justice so as to break down walls that separate human beings
from each other.
This commitment has fueled this project, and bring to it
I
who I am, my life experiences and my faith. So I begin with
my personal journey.
Background
I was born and brought up in St. Paul, Minnesota, the
middle of three daughters of upper middle class parents.
I
went to a small private day school for girls from kinder-
garten through high school and went on to graduate from Smith
College. I had many privileges and was essentially a happy
child, although eczema and asthma from an early age made some
parts of my life more difficult. attended Sunday School
I
with my sisters at an Episcopal church nearby and was
confirmed at 15. Though not church goers my parents gave us
a strong set of values, including fairness and respect for
all persons, no matter what their background. My father was

sensitive and gentle, and was said to be like him. In
I
spite of our protected schooling, living in a city gave us
opportunities to know many people "different" from ourselves.
During college became increasingly active in the
I
Episcopal church as well as involved in student volunteer
activities in the community. After college I became a
professional social worker and practiced for ten years in
Boston and Denver. My work was very satisfying as enjoyed
I
enabling people to lead more fulfilling lives.
I was married at age 33, and we have four children who are
now ages 21-30. My husband, now retired, was a town official
and representative to the State legislature from the town of
Weston where he has always lived. I was a fulltime homemaker
and mother for the first fifteen years of our marriage,
gradually becoming involved with social agencies in Weston
and Boston. I sang in the choir of St. Peter's Church in
Weston, and our childen attended Church School. We were host
family to two inner city boys who were bussed to the Weston
schools through the Metco program. These were the sixties,
and watched the ferment from the sidelines with increasing
I
concern.
In 1976 David Van Dusen became rector of St. Peter's, and
through his ministry my faith was deepened and the way was
opened for me to re-enter the struggle for justice from which
I had retreated when my children were young.
David arrived concurrently with the new Book of Common
Prayer and enthusiastically encouraged us to embrace it.