Vicente Del Real founded the Chicago-based nonprofit Iskali fifteen years ago to support young Hispanic Catholics in the U.S. Iskali focuses on the leadership and holistic development of Latino youth, aiming for spiritual, personal, academic, and social flourishing. The organization's name, "Iskali," is derived from the Nahuatl language, symbolizing growth, resurgence, and new beginnings. The core mission of Iskali involves evangelization by providing formation so young Latinos can understand the faith and have a personal encounter with God. Iskali's ministry is structured around four main pillars: faith and community, mentorship and scholarship, sports and wellness, and service to the poor.
3 months ago
Iskali, a Chicago-based nonprofit, was founded 15 years ago by Vicente Del Real to support young Hispanic Catholics in the U.S.1
It aims to foster leadership and holistic development—spiritually, personally, academically, and socially—drawing inspiration from Our Lady of Guadalupe as the "star of the new evangelization."1
The name "Iskali" derives from Nahuatl, the language spoken by Juan Diego, symbolizing growth, resurgence, and new beginnings.1
Iskali operates on four pillars: faith and community, mentorship and scholarship, sports and wellness, and service to the poor.1
Faith and community gatherings draw 5 to 600 young adults weekly for fellowship and Catholic formation, promoting personal encounters with God.1
Mentorship pairs youth with Latino professionals for career development, while scholarships aid college and trade school attendance; sports leagues build relationships and faith.1
Monthly service initiatives target the homeless, hospital patients, nursing home residents, and immigrant families facing detentions or deportations.1
At its core, Iskali emphasizes evangelization through faith formation to address life's questions and struggles from a Catholic perspective.1
Iskali recently received major grants to sustain its evangelization work.1
It is launching the first U.S. missionary program assigning full-time missionaries to parishes with over 50% Hispanic populations to bolster Hispanic ministry and foster vocations.1
Studies highlight Latinos as the fastest-growing Catholic demographic, attributed to faith embedded in family and culture.1
Iskali seeks to empower participants to flourish, knowing they are beloved by God and called to intimacy and purpose.1
How does Catholic youth formation foster Latino spiritual identity?
Catholic youth formation plays a vital role in nurturing the spiritual identity of Latino young people by integrating culturally attuned evangelization, catechesis, family-centered support, and a personal encounter with Christ, all while drawing on the rich religious expressions and traditions of Hispanic communities. This approach counters challenges like proselytism from other groups, family instability, and societal frustrations, empowering youth to embody a Christ-centered spirituality that incarnates the Gospel in daily life.
A key foundation of Catholic youth formation for Latinos lies in acknowledging and incorporating the "richness of religious expression and cultural diversity" inherent to Hispanic communities. Pastoral programs must adapt to this reality, ensuring that ministry to young Hispanics transmits "a genuine and demanding spirituality centered on the knowledge and love of Christ the Redeemer and directed to incarnating the spirit of the Beatitudes in daily living." This fosters a spiritual identity that is authentically Catholic yet resonates with Latino cultural heritage, such as the devotional traditions from the Southwest Missions, which serve as "effective channels of a deeper and more effective evangelization." In the broader American context, youth ministry emphasizes constant and active formation to help young people—many of whom are Latino—find their place in the Church and world, addressing issues like unemployment and frustration that can lead to withdrawal from faith.
Evangelization and catechesis form the core of this formation, particularly amid "extremely active proselytism by other religious groups" targeting Hispanics. Programs prioritize sustaining the family within "a community of faith and solidarity," especially through small ecclesial communities relevant to everyday lives. This builds a spiritual identity rooted in communal faith transmission, echoing the Latin American Church's "opzione per i giovani" (option for youth), where youth expect clear guidance toward holiness and full Christian realization. Well-structured catechesis from childhood through adolescence ensures knowledge of the Christian mystery, with follow-up to sacraments like Confirmation, integrating anthropological, moral, and spiritual dimensions beyond mere technical training. For Latino youth, this includes cross-cultural experiences and inculturation, fostering service in multicultural settings while stewarding Church resources for the poor—a hallmark of diaconal and broader ministry.
Central to fostering Latino spiritual identity is leading youth to a "personal encounter with the living Jesus Christ," upon which rests "the hope and expectation of a future of greater communion and solidarity." Youth ministry must engage them wherever found—schools, workplaces, universities—through dialogue, initiatives, and apostolic training, turning young Christians into "apostles to their contemporaries," especially the needy. This counters immaturity or family disruptions, like absent father figures, by inviting courage for lifelong commitments: priesthood, consecrated life, or Christian marriage. Spiritual direction from trusted adults helps youth discern God's will, overcome struggles, and mature emotionally, particularly in fragile family contexts common among Latinos. Large gatherings, like World Youth Days, further quench their thirst for God, fostering active participation in sacraments and community life.
Catholic formation uniquely strengthens Latino spiritual identity by cultivating native-born vocations and leadership. Among Hispanics, success hinges on "fostering native-born vocations among Hispanic men and women" with rigorous seminary and religious formation standards. University students and youth in Catholic Action provide hope, directing peers and harvesting souls through prayer, sacraments, and apostolate. This positions Latino youth as "leading characters in evangelization," not just evangelized but evangelizers, especially to alienated peers, through associations, movements, and service to the needy. In urbanizing Latin contexts, special centers and cultural initiatives address their numerical dominance, shaping the Church's future.
Initiatives like cultural associations, reflection groups, pilgrimages, and leisure activities create supportive environments for faith, emphasizing role models who live the Gospel in diverse milieus. For Latinos, this includes vigilance against immoral influences, as in historical calls for family leagues and media oversight to protect youth. Deacons and laity exemplify charity, ensuring resources reach the poor and promoting social harmony amid diversity.
In summary, Catholic youth formation fosters Latino spiritual identity through inculturated evangelization, Christocentric catechesis, family and community support, vocational discernment, and missionary empowerment, transforming cultural richness into vibrant faith. This holistic approach, faithful to Church tradition, equips Latino youth to build a "civilization of love" amid contemporary challenges.