It was 25 years ago this December that the first issue of Chicago Católico, the official Spanish language newspaper of the Archdiocese of Chicago, was published. In these 25 years, Católico has also been a vehicle by which the Good News has been proclaimed to Spanish-speaking Catholics, many of them newcomers to this country. It has brought to its readers stories of hope, stories that seek to inspire others, explore the various ministries within this local church, to update and inform, to challenge them to share their gifts of time, talent and treasure, as well as to become an evangelizing people. Although Hispanics in Chicago come from many different countries and cultures, what unites them is not only their common language, but also their strong faith in God. Although not all Hispanics are Catholic, one of the priorities of this local church is to assure that the large majority of Hispanics that are Catholic remain practicing Catholics. The Catholic Church — our parishes, schools and agencies — must continue to work diligently in providing resources and support in order to feed their unquenchable thirst for the truth. As Cardinal George stated in a recent interview with Católico, “The faith has to be shared or it will be lost. This is the great challenge for Hispanics if their faith is to remain strong; they must share it.” Católico is the result of a grass roots effort by a few pioneering priests and laypeople that needed a vehicle to be able to communicate to Spanishspeaking Catholics in a more unified, focused manner. In a world that existed before the Internet and social networking sites, Católico was launched in order to connect Hispanic Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago. Católico has continued to exist because of the contributions of a great many priests and laity working in Hispanic Ministry throughout its 25 year history. Y You can find Católico, published and distributed the first weekend of every month, at parishes throughout Chicago and the suburbs, as well as selected articles and columns online at www.catolicoperiodico.com.