Minnesota Parish Offers English Tutoring to Spanish Speakers

Friar Charles McCarthy

In recent decades the Spanish-speaking population in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area (in Minnesota) has increased to such an extent that the Government of Mexico has opened a consulate in St. Paul to serve its citizens.

The Church of the Assumption in the St. Paul suburb of Richfield has realized that in order for the local Spanish-speaking population to flourish its members need to learn English. Consequently, the parish has set up tutoring sessions at its La Mision Resource Center. English-speaking volunteers from the parish receive training on how to teach the English language effectively and then meet with Spanish speakers for their lessons. Besides the practical component of these lessons, tutors present to their tutees an opportunity to join a community and realize that they are not alone in a foreign place.

St. Paul, Minnesota

Assumption Pastor, Franciscan friar Charles McCarthy’s previous assignment at Ysleta Mission in El Paso, Texas prepared him well for his work with different cultures that share the same faith. El Paso sits on the border with Mexico and has members of English as well as Spanish-speaking cultures who attended and attend Mass at the mission. During his many years at Ysleta, Friar Charles served both groups’ needs. He began his work at Richfield’s Assumption Parish only last year.

(Sources of all related images on homepage and webpage: wikipedia.org and Ysleta Mission.)