HISTORY OF THE MISSIONARY EXPERIENCIES OF CORPUS CHRISTI AND AUSTIN, TEXAS CATHOLIC DIOCESIS IN ARTEAGA AND COAHUILA, MÉXICO (1973- 2001)

Abstract

This article is a brief historical account of the missionary experiences of two Texas dioceses, Corpus Christi and Austin, between 1973 and 2001, accompanied by a pastoral-theological refl ection in the light of Medellín (1968) and Puebla (1979) documents. These experiences took place in the context of the post-conciliar history of collaboration between the churches of North America and Latin America, in response to the call of Pope John XXIII. During the decade following the closure of the Vatican Council (1965), the increase in the number of European and North American missionaries in Latin America was remarkable. The socio-political, and religious reality of Latin America with the Cuban revolution, the  ovements for socialism, the struggle for human rights, the rise of the military regimes and autocratic governments had a decisive infl uence in the ecclesial praxis, in the social doctrine of the church, and on the transformation of the meaning of mission.