In this urgent and inspiring book, Blind Spot: The Evangelizing Power of Latino Culture, Deacon Charlie Echeverry of Los Angeles makes a bold claim: Latinos are the most influential cultural force in the Catholic Church in the United States today--and unlocking their potential can transform, even save, our post-pandemic Church.
But how can this be accomplished? Echeverry proposes insights to help ministry leaders--especially those who are not Latino and may feel unsure of how to engage this growing community--implement effective strategies in their own parishes and dioceses. At the same time, Latino readers will recognize their own stories reflected here and find encouragement to claim their place at the center of renewal.
Echeverry doesn't just give statistics--though they are striking (40 percent of all US Catholics and 57 percent of Gen Z Catholics are Latino). Rather he sets Blind Spot apart with a dynamic tour through Latino culture, where faith, family, and resilience converge. He shows non-Latinos how Latino Catholics are "living in the hyphen"--Latino and American, traditional and modern, Catholic and culturally Catholic--and how this dual identity can become a source of creative energy and spiritual renewal for the wider Church.
Drawing on his own Latino-American Catholic story; extensive experience as a senior executive with companies such as The Walt Disney Company, Univision, and AOL; and years of pastoral leadership, Echeverry distills seven game-changing insights that parish leaders can adapt to their unique communities and challenges.
Blind Spot is not a step-by-step how-to manual. Instead, this book offers powerful, strategic wisdom--rooted in data, lived experience, and lessons from the wider culture--that will spark creativity and action in any pastoral setting. Here you will explore seven key insights into Latino culture that will transform your Catholic community:
Go through Latinos, Not Just to Latinos: When something resonates with Latinos, especially younger ones, they amplify it beyond their own community. Leverage this gift.
Language Is a Tool; Culture Is a Gateway: Connection comes more from shared experience than from shared language alone.
Cultural Duality Is a Superpower: Those who move easily between Latino and Anglo communities act as bicultural superconductors, driving powerful ministerial impact.
Cultural Catholicism Can Hamper Genuine Faith: Religious customs and traditions enrich, but they can also mask the need for deeper understanding of the faith.
Talent > Time > Treasure: Latinos may give less financially, but their sacrificial generosity, commitment, and leadership potential are abundant and underleveraged.
Communion Surpasses Community: True unity requires more than parallel tracks of ministry divided by language.
Don't Stress Differences; Build on Commonalities: Latino diversity is vast, but effective engagement doesn't require overly detailed strategies.
With passion, clarity, and conviction, Echeverry offers a vision of renewal that centers on the Latino Catholic heart. His message is clear: For non-Latinos, this book is an invitation to learn from and collaborate with a community that is shaping the Church's future. For Latinos, it is a clear call to embrace the responsibility of leadership that is vital for the Church's renewal.
