The language of our faith was Spanish. So you can imagine the fervor that erupted in our home when Papa Francisco was elected to the papacy on March 13, 2013. I was only 10 years old at the time, but I already understood why this meant so much to us. 

Young Latinos are constantly negotiating who they are as people of faith and as members of our society. Some feel alone, others rejected, others not fully understood. Yet all carry in their lives an element of hope to which the church must pay attention.

We are called to meet Latino young adults where they are. Our dioceses and parishes need to make a more concerted effort for Latinos with strong catechesis and youth ministry programs.

Many have questioned how so many Latinos could support a candidate like DonaldTrump, who promised restrictive immigration policies. “And the answer is that, of course, Latinos are complicated people.”

For parishioners at Most Holy Trinity Church in Phoenix, Ariz., dramatizing Christ’s Passion on the Via Crucis is a way of passing on the faith.

In November voters in Arizona will vote on a ballot measure legalizing abortion in the state. If the state’s pro-life Latinas have anything to say about it, Arizona will reject expanding abortion.