Hispanics are often associated with a strong adherence to Catholicism. Though Catholicism is a common religion among Hispanics, other religions have grown among this community in the Hill Country and the rest of the United States. In 2013, 55% of Hispanics identified as Catholic, the largest denomination for the population, and 22% identified as Protestant as the next largest denomination (Figure 1, Pew Research Center).
Although it appears that Catholicism dominates the religious identity among Hispanics, it is quickly losing its Hispanic members (Figure 2). In just the last four years, Catholic Hispanic affiliation dropped 12% from 67% in 2010 (Pew Research Center). Of those that have moved away from Catholicism, most have converted to Protestant or no religious affiliation. Young Hispanics are more likely to have become non-religious while middle-aged and older Hispanics have switched to other Christian denominations or have not changed at all. One major reason that has been cited by many Hispanics for their religious change is dissatisfaction with their previous church and lack of community outreach (Pew Research Center).
Another reason are the different ways to interpret and practice Catholicism all around the world. One could say there are different ‘geographies’ of rituals in the Catholic Church. While at El Buen Pastor, the case study for this research, we learned that in Mexico, the parading of the saints and the pilgrimage are central, while in other spaces, like Texas, it is not a ritual practiced (Esperanza 2014). At El Buen Pastor we were able to observe and survey the congregation about religious trends in the Hill Country, as well as