Cultivating Talent: Insights from the 2022 National Study Examining Pathways to Increase the Presence of Hispanic Teachers and Leaders in Catholic Schools

This article draws extensively on data from Cultivating Talent: A National Study Examining Pathways to Increase the Presence of Hispanic Teachers and Leaders in Catholic Schools, conducted by Boston College researchers and released in January 2022. The report looks to understand and appreciate the various ways in which Hispanics educators are transforming the American Catholic school experience. Our findings clearly show that Catholic schools in the United States are and will be further enriched by the presence and contributions of Hispanic teachers and leaders. The report encourages stakeholders of Catholic education and pastoral leaders at all levels, across the nation, to make a renewed commitment to investing and cultivating talent within the Hispanic community

Hispanic Teachers and Leaders in Catholic Schools: Special Issue Introduction

Introduction to the Special Issue (no abstract needed

Catholic Schools Serving Hispanic Families: Insights from the 2014 National Survey

This article draws extensively on data from the National Survey of Catholic Schools Serving Hispanic Families, conducted by Boston College researchers in 2014. The report was released on October 2015 under the title Catholic Schools in an Increasingly Hispanic Church. The report seeks to encourage serious conversation and investment on the part of both Catholic education and pastoral leaders at all levels, across the nation, with respect to serving the needs of Hispanic families. Escuelas católicas sirviendo a familias hispanas: reflexiones de la encuesta nacional de 2014 Este artículo se basa extensamente en datos de la Encuesta nacional de escuelas católicas sirviendo a familias hispanas, llevada a cabo por investigadores de Boston College en 2014. El informe salió a la luz en octubre de 2015 bajo el título Escuelas católicas en una Iglesia cada vez más hispana. El informe busca propiciar una conversación e inversión seria por parte tanto de la educación católica como de los líderes pastorales a todos los niveles, en todo el país, en lo que concierne a la atención las necesidades de las familias hispanas. Écoles catholiques desservant les familles hispaniques : Aperçus de l\u27enquête nationale de 2014 Cet article s\u27inspire en grande partie de l\u27enquête nationale sur les écoles catholiques desservant les familles hispaniques, menée par les chercheurs du Boston College en 2014. Ce rapport a été publié en octobre 2015 sous le titre : Les écoles catholiques dans une Église de plus en plus hispanique. Le rapport vise à encourage des conversations et un investissement sérieux, de la part de l\u27enseignement catholique comme des responsables de la pastorale, à tous les niveaux, dans tout le pays, en vue de répondre aux besoins des familles hispaniques

Dimensions of Religiousness and Cancer Screening Behaviors among Church-Going Latinas

Churches are a promising setting through which to reach Latinas with cancer control efforts. A better understanding of the dimensions of religiousness that impact health behaviors could inform efforts to tailor cancer control programs for this setting. The purpose of this study was to explore relationships between dimensions of religiousness with adherence to cancer screening recommendations among church-going Latinas. Female Spanish-speaking members, aged 18 and older from a Baptist church in Boston, Massachusetts (N = 78), were interviewed about cancer screening behaviors and dimensions of religiousness. We examined adherence to individual cancer screening tests (mammography, Pap test, and colonoscopy), as well as adherence to all screening tests for which participants were age-eligible. Dimensions of religiousness assessed included church participation, religious support, active and passive spiritual health locus of control, and positive and negative religious coping. Results showed that roughly half (46 %) of the sample had not received all of the cancer screening tests for which they were age-eligible. In multivariate analyses, positive religious coping was significantly associated with adherence to all age-appropriate screening (OR = 5.30, p \u3c .01). Additional research is warranted to replicate these results in larger, more representative samples and to examine the extent to which enhancement of religious coping could increase the impact of cancer control interventions for Latinas

Enhancing organizational capacity to provide cancer control programs among Latino churches: design and baseline findings of the CRUZA Study

Abstract Background Faith-based organizations (FBOs) have been successful in delivering health promotion programs for African Americans, though few studies have been conducted among Latinos. Even fewer have focused on organizational change, which is required to sustain community-based initiatives. We hypothesized that FBOs serving Latinos would be more likely to offer evidence-based strategies (EBS) for cancer control after receiving a capacity enhancement intervention to implement health programs, and designed the CRUZA trial to test this hypothesis. This paper describes the CRUZA design and baseline findings. Methods We identified Catholic parishes in Massachusetts that provided Spanish-language mass (n = 65). A baseline survey assessed organizational characteristics relevant to adoption of health programs, including readiness for adoption, “fit” between innovation and organizational mission, implementation climate, and organizational culture. In the next study phase, parishes that completed the baseline assessment will be recruited to a randomized cluster trial, with the parish as the unit of analysis. Both groups will receive a Program Manual and Toolkit. Capacity Enhancement parishes will also be offered technical support, assistance forming health committees and building inter-institutional partnerships, and skills-based training. Results Of the 49 parishes surveyed at baseline (75%), one-third (33%) reported having provided at least one health program in the prior year. However, only two program offerings were cancer-specific. Nearly one-fifth (18%) had an active health ministry. There was a high level of organizational readiness to adopt cancer control programs, high congruence between parish missions and CRUZA objectives, moderately conducive implementation climates, and organizational cultures supportive of CRUZA programming. Having an existing health ministry was significantly associated with having offered health programs within the past year. Relationships between health program offerings and other organizational characteristics were not statistically significant. Conclusions Findings suggest that many parishes do not offer cancer control programs, yet many may be ready to do so. However, the perceptions about existing organizational practices and policies may not be conducive to program initiation. A capacity enhancement intervention may hold promise as a means of increasing health programming. The efficacy of such an intervention will be tested in phase two of this study