We commit ourselves, accordingly, to working to strengthen understanding among the many cultures that share in our Catholic faith, to promoting intercultural communication among our people and to seeing that those in ministry to our communities gain the language and cultural skills necessary to minister to the immigrants in our midst . (Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity, USCCB, 2000, 31)

Calendar IPS / IS , IPE

To realize a vision of unity in diversity, the U.S. Catholic Bishops encourage all ministers of the Church in the United States to learn a language other than English and to “acquire cultural knowledge relevant to their ministry.” Similarly, they encourage foreign born ministers of the Church “to acquire a proficiency in English as quickly as possible…to further the communion of their communities with the wider Church… (37)” In response, MACC offers an excellent pastoral language component to help ministers acquire proficiency in English or Spanish. The following characteristics of MACC's language component reflect its unique gift to the multicultural Church of the twenty-first century:

I. Pastoral and Cultural Focus  

Focus: Language skills for ministry - MACC's language studies component develops or strengthens the language skills needed for pastoral care, liturgy, preaching, organizing and other facets of pastoral ministry in bilingual situations. The supportive and prayerful environment encourages participants to practice new language skills in a non-threatening setting. Opportunities to practice new language skills include daily bilingual morning prayer, liturgy and daily life with multicultural participants on campus.

II. Small Classes and Individual Attention

Focus: Specific needs of participants - MACC purposely keeps language classes small so that each participant has ample opportunity to speak in class and to participate. The daily class schedule includes conversation, phonetics, grammar and pastoral vocabulary. Participants have the flexibility to move at their own pace. In addition, t eachers are willing to meet with participants individually to help with specific needs.

III. Computer-based Language Laboratory  

Focus: Individualized Practice - MACC provides a state-of-the-art language lab and encourages participants to use it daily for independent practice in their target language. The programs are user-friendly and provide activities and exercises for improving oral comprehension and pronunciation. As the participant's proficiency grows, the computer programs continue to enhance what is learned in the classroom.

IV. Adult Learning Methodologies

Focus: Adult learners - MACC's participants bring a wealth of life experiences to the learning process. They are self-motivated and know what they need to learn. The teachers are there to support them in achieving their specific goals. Neither tests nor grades are given, except for those taking the programs for academic credit .

The Language Studies Program offers the following, small-group courses in Spanish and English for all levels of proficiency: Intensive Pastoral Spanish (IPS), Intensive Spanish (IS) and Intensive Pastoral English (IPE). MACC is proud to announce that the Language Studies Program is the only program of its kind with initial accreditation from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Commission on Certification and Accreditation.

The Intensive Pastoral Spanish (IPS) and the Intensive Pastoral English (IPE) programs are offered during the day, year-round, in 3-week blocks. The curricula of the IPS and IPE programs are designed for persons who are involved in or are planning for a ministry in multicultural settings. Classes focus on conversation for pastoral communication and participants develop bilingual skills that are useful in multicultural parishes, ecumenical groups, ministerial alliances and social service settings.

The Intensive Spanish (IS) program is also offered year-round in 3-week blocks for persons who need to learn Spanish for business, travel or other settings not related to ministry. The program’s grammar and conversational classes are held with the IPS participants. Special classes for vocabulary and practice of terminology, specific to the participant’s needs, personalize and enrich the overall learning experience.

Calendar - IPS / IS , IPE