glossolalia, latinos and the catholic church

The growing numbers of Latinos in the United States, and that population's embrace of charismatic styles of worship, are reshaping the Roman Catholic Church and the nation's religious landscape, according to a major study of Latinos and faith released Wednesday.

The study, by the Pew Hispanic Center and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, found that a majority of Latino Catholics practiced a distinctive, charismatic form of Catholicism, one that might include speaking in tongues, prophesying and other practices considered more typical of Pentecostal churches. Those traditions are much less widespread among non-Latino Catholics, who also are less likely to identify themselves as charismatics or Pentecostals, the researchers found.

The study also showed that Latinos tend to gather in churches that have at least some Latino clergy, offer Spanish-language services and serve predominantly Latino congregations. These "ethnic congregations" are emerging across the country and draw in both immigrant and U.S.-born Latinos.

"Latinos are finding each other and worshipping together," Roberto Suro, director of the Pew Hispanic Center, said in a conference call with reporters. "Religion appears to be one area where ethnic identity matters a lot."