As the New Year begins, there’s been lots of talk of Hope. Given the economic realities we all face, that’s a little surprising.

Rev. Ignacio Castuera

Sometimes out of collapse, new things take root. In the midst of all this a new president will take office and try some new ideas. And the beginning of a new year and a new Presidency is a time to slow down and reflect.

To begin our conversation for 2009, Latino USA invited Rev. Ignacio Castuera. A prolific writer on issues of tolerance, Rev. Castuera is the pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Pamona, California and was the first National Chaplain for Planned Parenthood of America.

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Castuera is a graduate of the School of Theology at Claremont University, where he studied and wrote about the problems of violence and the patriarchal worship of a mother goddess in Mexican culture. Completely fluent in both English and Spanish, his skills as a communicator are evidenced by his work in the community and in the pulpit (his pulpit being whereever the spirit takes him).

Rev. Ignacio Castuera and Rev. Sam Rodriguez discuss same-sex marriage with Univision's Jorge Ramos. (en Español)

He was the first Mexican-American district superintendent of the United Methodist Church in the Los Angeles District and went on to become the pastor of Hollywood United Methodist Church. Over his 11 years at Hollywood UMC he transformed the church into a center of the growing movement aimed at creating a positive religious response to the AIDS pandemic. An accomplished preacher and author, Ignacio has edited a collection of sermons gleaned from those given on the Sunday after the infamous Rodney King riots.

He was born in Puebla, Mexico, October 23, 1941 and attended Instituto Mexicano Madero 1956; Compton College 1960-1962, AA in Psychology; California State University Long Beach 1962-1964, BS in Social Sciences. After completing his education, Ignacio served at churches in Mexico, as well as in Hawaii and California.

Ignacio Castuera is the author of Dreams on Fire: Embers of Hope, From the Pulpits of Los Angeles After the Riots.

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