Practices, Perceptions, and Perspectives of Hispanic Catholic School Diocesan Leaders

Centering on (a) the pathways and beliefs that characterize the experiences of Hispanic Catholic school diocesan leaders and (b) the impact of ethnic and cultural heritage on their leadership practices and perceptions, this article articulates the key findings of a qualitative descriptive study involving eight Hispanic Catholic school diocesan leaders in the United States. Drawing upon the four frames of understanding used in Ospino and Wyttenbach’s (2022) broad study on the 14,000 Hispanic Catholic school educators in the United States and existing literature on Hispanic superintendent leadership, the authors detail three key thematic findings in the areas of motivation, mentoring and support, and navigating pathways to leadership. The study’s findings suggest meaningful shifts in practice related to the recruitment and support of Hispanic Catholic school diocesan leaders as a means of increasing the inclusivity and responsiveness of Catholic school communities and systems