Several noted speakers addressed the assembly. Johns Hopkins University professor Judith Mayotte delivered the opening address, “Toward the Third Millennium: Humanitarian Challenges in Crises and Prevention." Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, United Nations Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees gave the keynote presentation titled, “Protecting Persecuted, Uprooted and Unwanted People: Who Will Respond?”

The Office for The Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees offered a plenary session on “Faith and Culture” presented by Rev. Anthony Gittins, CSSp, and Sr. Margaret Guider, OSF. Their insightful theological reflections on the pastoral challenges of inculturation in a multicultural society and Church were followed by a panel of pastoral ministers who spoke on “Faith and Culture: Continental Contextualization.” The panelists and continental perspectives were as follows: Rev. Chris Egbulem, OP, Africa; Sr. MaryAlice McCabe, SND, Latin America; Rev. Peter Phan, Asia; and Sr. Lucienne Siers, OP, Europe. For many participants, these presentations and the discussion that followed were the high point of the conference.

In a general session, “Response to Faith and Culture,” PCMR staff members: Sr. Suzanne Hall, SND, Sr. Marie Prefontaine, SND, Rev. Aniedi Okure, OP, and Rev. Jerry Orsino,OMI described the many and varied ministries of the national pastoral care office. A number of breakout sessions were offered for pastoral agents, centering around such topics as pastoral care models for small ethnic communities, evangelization and lay leadership development, the role of diocesan contact persons, pastoral responses regarding integration of newcomers, youth and intergenerational issues, and challenges of ministry to people on the move. PCMR workshops were a welcome and helpful addition to the conference. Some of the issues explored were intergenerational and gender issues in immigrant communities, pastoral care of INS detainees, diocesan pastoral care, eastern Catholic Churches, liturgy and popular devotions of newcomers, using media effectively, understanding Islam and newcomers. A pastoral reflection process, “Ministry and Our Work with Newcomers” provided a quiet time for pastoral agents to reflect on and share with colleagues how ministry enriches and also challenges the ministers.

The conference ended on a liturgical high note with the celebration of the Eucharist at which Most Rev. John S. Cummins, chair of the NCCB Committee on Migration presided. Korean, Zairean, Brazilian and American choirs helped create a joyful atmosphere of praise and worship. The inspirited liturgy provided a fitting conclusion to this significant gathering of those engaged in the Church’s work of welcoming and sustaining our sister and brother refugees and immigrants.

On January 23, 1997, the governments of the United States and Vietnam agreed, via an exchange of letters, on the modalities of a resettlement opportunity for certain Vietnamese who are of special interest to the United States and who have returned to Vietnam from first-asylum camps in Japan, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia under the Comprehensive Plan of Action for Indochinese Refugees.

In April 1996, the United States announced a new resettlement opportunity for certain Vietnamese migrants (often referred to as “boat people”). This initiative, referred to as the Resettlement Opportunity for Vietnamese Returnees (ROVR), was designed to offer a final chance at resettlement in the United States to eligible Vietnamese who were then still in camps of first-asylum in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, or who had recently returned to Vietnam....

Under terms of the agreement, both sides are committed to a flow of about 1,500 persons interviewed per month, with an estimated total caseload of about 14,000 people. Limited processing began in February as stipulated by the terms of the agreement, with large-scale interviewing expected to begin in March or April 1997.... The interviews will be scheduled through the Orderly Departure Program (ODP) and will take place in Ho-Chi Minh City. A specially trained corps of INS officers will be deployed to conduct the interviews. Those Vietnamese approved for resettlement in the United States will be processed for departure in the same way that all ODP refugees are now processed.

Source: Excerpts from U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, February 11, 1997.

Eastern and Central European peoples bring with them a life-view based on communism and nationalism. This perspective affects the new immigrants’ understanding of U.S. society and Church. As a result, pastoral agents confront two important pastoral challenges (1) the need to provide education about Vatican II ecclesiology, and (2) the need to inculcate a different set of values to offset those previously adopted by the refugees to survive, e.g., dishonesty, selfishness, etc. In addition, since these Europeans adhere to either the Latin rite, or Eastern rites, ministry in their own rite is essential.

In all the European apostolates, there is a growing undocumented population subject to increasing detention and deportation. In a curious reversal, the U.S. enforcement of deportation of Western Europeans has a serious negative impact on the home country, where they are not able to absorb the deportees into the economy, or offer them suitable pastoral care.

Members of the European immigrant communities view ministry with their ethnic youth and young adult populations as critical. The majority of the new European immigrants are young; the second generation of youth and young adults continues to struggle for an identity. The various immigrant groups place strong emphasis on promoting priestly and religious vocations from within their communities.

Finally, many new European immigrants do not feel that their pastoral needs as newcomers are attended to as readily as other immigrant communities. They attribute this to the general attitude that they are closer to the American culture, and so do not have the same needs as other newcomer communities. The challenge to the pastoral agents ministering with European immigrants is to recognize their unique pastoral, cultural, and language-based needs, and to respond to the Lord’s imperative to “welcome the stranger” in our midst.

About 400 people—both Chinese-American and American—attended the festivities. Some were non-Catholics who, nevertheless, took part in the Mass and were impressed by the liturgy of honoring ancestors. A Chinese apostolate committee served food to all participants, who enjoyed the repeat performance of the lion’s dance and music. More than 150 persons registered to join the Chinese Catholic Apostolate after this remarkable religious, educational, cultural and social gathering.

Beginning on May 4, a bilingual Mass in Chinese and English will be celebrated on the first Sunday of each month. A Chinese bible class will be offered before Mass, and a catechism class will be held for those who wish to learn about the Catholic faith. The Archdiocese of Miami appointed newly-ordained Deacon Alex Lam as the official coordinator of the Chinese Catholic Apostolate in Miami.

Source: Report from Rev. Joseph Chiang, director, National Pastoral Center for Chinese Apostolate.

Other resources being developed are a confirmation program adapted to the needs of migrant youth, a program of sacramental preparation for adults, and a catechist formation program. The Catholic Migrant Farmworker Network is collaborating with PCMR in preparing a leadership formation program to be carried out in collaboration with the Mexican American Cultural Center.

Rev. Aniedi Okure from PCMR, who attended the retreat, reported that the retreat was truly a time for bonding, mutual support, and spiritual renewal for the twenty-one participants. The priests were grateful for the opportunity to reflect and share pastoral experiences with colleagues in similar ministries, and committed themselves to communicate frequently with one another. Participants look forward to the next gathering in early 1998.

Giovanni Cheli and Monsignor Anthony Chirayath, both from the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, Bishop Norbert M. Dorsey of the Diocese of Orlando, Rev. Slawomir Kawecki, airport chaplain from Warsaw, Poland, and Sr. Suzanne Hall (director) and Sr. Mary Reilly, both from the Office for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees, MRS.

Presentations during the convention included “Crisis Intervention” by Orlando Police Captain Jerry Demings, “Dealing with Death, Grief, and Suicide” by David San Filippo, “TWA Flight 800: Personal Experiences” by Kennedy Airport Chaplain Rev. James Devine, “Value of an Airport Chaplaincy” by Orlando Airport administrator, Mr. Dan Wilson, and “An Update on Immigration Legislation” by Ms.Abigail Price and Sr. Suzanne Hall, both of USCC Migration and Refugee Services.

Newly-elected NCCAC officers are president, Rev. David Baratelli; vice president, Rev. James Devine; secretary, Rev. Mr. Donald Kelsey; treasurer, Rev. Mr. James O’Malley; and at-large administrative board members: Rev. John Fitzgerald, Rev. Mr. Ben Wenning, and Rev. Glenn O’Connor.

Continuation of the in-house celebration took place during the week of January 6-10. This year’s program included displays of ethnic costumes, informational exhibits from Immigration and Naturalization Services, as well as photos and displays from various sections of Migration and Refugee Services and Office for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees. Priests from several ethnic communities celebrated liturgies during which they shared their own immigration experiences. The high point of the week was the annual Ethnic Food Festival to which many USCC employees contributed their favorite ethnic dishes which were enjoyed by large numbers of their colleagues.

National Migration Week was begun in 1980 when the U.S. bishops set aside the first week in January as a time to focus attention on immigrants, refugees, and migrants as valued and valuable members of the U.S. Church and society. Today with the increase in xenophobia across the country, there has been an increased need for and request of NMW materials to counter the current anti-immigrant sentiment. In 1997, 24,200 copies of NMW materials were mailed to all U.S. parishes, ordinaries, superintendents and curriculum personnel in Catholic schools, as well as diocesan directors of religious education, and social action offices.

Excerpts from a report prepared by the Hispanic Affairs Secretariat and the Office for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees, NCCB for the XXVI Inter-American Bishops’ Meeting January 27-29, 1997 in St. Lucia

Historical Context The Hispanic presence is integral to the history of North America. Jesuit and Franciscan priests explored, established missions, and evangelized many areas that are now the United States. Due to historic, economic, and political circumstances, Hispanics/Latinos in the United States did not fare well, and even today struggle to find a place within American society and within the Catholic Church. This population of nearly thirty million people in the United States has been fighting to preserve its cultural identity in a hostile anti-immigrant environment, and is also fighting to preserve its faith tradition in an ever-growing arena of fundamentalist churches....

Migrant Workers Today It is difficult to say precisely how many migrant farmworkers continue to plant, prune, hoe and harvest the crops today in the United States. Estimates by government agencies say there are between three and five million farm workers and their families who continue to follow the crops across the country. The majority of these workers are of Mexican descent, but many are citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States. Additionally, there are sizeable numbers of indigenous Guatemalans, Puerto Ricans, Jamaicans, Haitians, Salvadorans, Filipinos, and Native Americans. The continue to experience prejudice, racism, and are exploited by the system in which they find themselves. Many of them, however, in spite of the low wages they receive, send sizeable amounts back to Mexico or to the other countries of origin to maintain their families there.

In addition to the large numbers of migrant workers in the fields, packing plants and canneries of the United States, there are other large groups of migrant workers. Employment is sought by the newly-arrived in the poultry processing plants, meat packing plants, nurseries, as well as in the lowest wage scale jobs in the urban areas. These include hotel and restaurant work, cleaning offices, yard maintenance, and child care. The sweatshop industries, such as garment work, still employ many of the new immigrant workers....

Often overlooked in discussions of migrant workers are several hundred thousand workers who travel with circuses, carnivals, and traveling shows. The number of Hispanics (Latinos) in some of the circuses is as high as eighty-five percent. Many of the workers who perform the day-to-day chores are Mexicans who return home for the few months when the shows are not on the road.

Another group of workers becoming increasingly more evident in the urban areas of the United States is the estimated one million Brazilians. While the Immigration Service estimates the number of Brazilians to be less than 100,000, pastoral workers from across the country can identify ten times that number in their parishes and churches. Needless to say, many of these are undocumented workers.

Also identified in the United States today are the more than 100,000 indigenous Mayans from Guatemala, a group with specific linguistic and cultural characteristics. For this reason, they are not attended to by the traditional Hispanic Ministry Offices. Many Mayans are involved in farm work and other low-wage occupations.

Pastoral Challenges The challenges presented to the Church in the United States by the presence of large numbers of migrant workers today are many and complex....The Office for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees of the United States Catholic Conference has tried to respond to the needs of the migrants and the new ethnic groups. The office has tried to develop pastoral ministry to the Brazilians through networking dioceses and locating returned missioners and other pastoral agents fluent in Portuguese to minister to these groups. A Maya Pastoral program has been developed to assist in the ministry to the indigenous Guatemalans. Through pastoral visits by church leaders from Guatemala, leadership training programs, and the development of resources in Kanjobal and the other indigenous languages, this program seeks to assist the Maya population to feel at home in a Church that is very different from the one to which they are accustomed.

A network of pastoral agents has been developed to care for people on the road, i.e., persons in the carnival, circus, race track and other traveling shows. An attempt is made to educate local bishops and clergy about the unique needs of this group. A catechetical manual has been developed for the use of families in these professions. Also, pastoral and catechetical resources have been developed for use with migrant farmworkers. A network of pastoral agents responds to the needs of these workers around the country. Attempts are made to inform dioceses and parishes of the presence of the migrant workers in their midst, as harvest and crop patterns change with consequent relocation of workers. The office developed a curriculum on immigration for use in schools, to educate and sensitize children and young people in the Catholic schools and religious education programs to the presence and needs of migrant people.

VATICAN NEWS

Popularly known as “El Pepe,” Ceferino Malla was not a “plaster-cast” saint. He loved fiestas, popular dances, and bullfights. But he was also devoted to the Eucharist, to recitation of the rosary, and to teaching catechism to Gypsy children. The cause for his beatification is being promoted by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, and various European Catholic organizations of Gypsies. “This beatification will be an impulse to the Gypsy population to look to him as a hero,” said Msgr. Anthony Chirayath, an official of the Pontifical Council. He added that it should also remind “ the non-Gypsy population not to see Gypsies always in a negative sense. There are Gypsies who are honest, faithful, devout and ready to lay down their lives for the faith.”

All of the celebrations surrounding this beatification will reflect the two facets of Ceferino Malla’s life—his Catholic faith and his Gypsy culture. A Gypsy dance for the liturgy has been planned, as well as songs and prayers in the languages spoken by the European Gypsies. In addition, a special evening of Gypsy dancing and music will take place in the camp prepared by the Vatican to house the expected 3,000 Gypsies from all over Europe who will take part in the beatification.

Born a slave in 1766, Toussaint was brought to New York in 1787 by his master. He became a hairdresser and was allowed to save some of the money he earned, enough to eventually buy his freedom and that of Juliette Noel, whom he married in 1811. His owner, John Berard du Pithon, died on a return trip to Haiti, and Toussaint then secretly supported the du Pithon family for twenty years. It was said that he would put on his valet uniform to serve the meals for which he had paid.

New York Cardinal John J. O’Connor launched Toussaint’s cause in 1989. For now, no public veneration can be given Toussaint; that will come when he is beatified or declared “blessed.” But before beatification can occur, a miracle must be attributed to his intercession.

The pope urged Catholics in China to remain faithful to Rome and not yield to conceptions of Church which do not correspond to the will of the Lord Jesus, to the Catholic faith, or to the sentiments and convictions of the great majority of Chinese Catholics. The Holy Father, in conclusion, reiterated his hope to one day visit China.

The American synod is one of a series of regional synods called for by the pope in preparation for the year 2000. The synod for Asia is expected to meet at the Vatican in the spring of 1998, followed by the synod for Oceania—Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific—in the fall of 1998. The special synod of Bishops for Europe is expected to be held in the spring of 1999, with the next World Synod of Bishops expected in the fall of the same year. The synod for Africa already met at the Vatican in 1994.

Certainly there are many factors which can help restore peace, while safeguarding the demands of justice and human dignity. But no process of peace can ever begin unless an attitude of sincere forgiveness takes root in human hearts.... With deep conviction, therefore, I wish to appeal to everyone to seek peace along the paths of forgiveness....

“When so many of our brothers and sisters are suffering, we cannot remain indifferent! Their distress appeals to our conscience, the inner sanctuary where we come face to face with ourselves and with God. How can we fail to see that, to different degrees, we are all involved in this revision of life to which God is calling us?

Forgiveness, it its truest and highest form, is a free act of love. But precisely because it is an act of love, it has its own intrinsic demands: the first of which is respect for the truth. God alone is absolute truth. But he made the human heart open to the desire for truth which he then fully revealed in his Incarnate Son. Hence we are all called to live the truth. Another essential requisite for forgiveness and reconciliation is justice which finds its ultimate foundation in the law of God and in his plan of love and mercy for humanity (Dives in Misericordia, 1980).... Forgiveness neither eliminates nor lessens the need for the reparation which justice demands....

I wish to conclude this message...with an appeal to every individual to become an instrument of peace and reconciliation.... To every person of good will, eager to work tirelessly in the building of a new civilization of love, I say once more:

These one-page resources are available free-of-charge from PCMR, phone 202-541-3230 or fax 202-541-3351.

New publication from the MRS Refugee Information Series: “Barawan Refugees from Somalia.”

The Barawans are a subset of the Benadirs (a group recently settled in the United States); they are generally less educated and less wealthy then the Benadirs.

Resettlement of the 4,000 Barawans, who are now in Kenya undergoing processing and cultural orientation, is expected to begin in mid to late March.

To order “Barawan Refugees from Somalia,” call 202-541-3230 or fax 202-541-3351.

A Millennium prayer in Creole, composed by Miami Archbishop John C. Favalora is available by calling 305-751-1240. This Dial-a-Prayer features a brief presentation of the theme of the Millennium for each year, followed by the Archbishop’s prayer. The faithful may then add their own prayer intentions.

Through the Son: A Catechesis in Preparation for the Third Millennium, Vol. I: January through June 1997 by Rev. Jonathan Morse; contains a short text from Scripture or tradition which can be used in the weekly parish bulletin. Available from Ukrainian Catholic Relief, 14 Peveril Road, Stamford, CT 06902. Phone: 203-324-1999.

Two new free-of-charge Fact Sheets on Immigration (prepared January 1997): “Facts on Refugees and Asylees” and “The ABCs of U.S. Immigration.” The fact sheets are available from the National Immigration Forum, 220 I Street, NE, #220, Washington, DC 20002-4362. Phone 202-544-0004 or fax 202-544-1905.

Finding Common Ground: A Primer for Environment and Population Advocates Concerned about Immigration, a new easy-to-read booklet which discusses environmental and population issues as they relate to immigration and the reality of global migration forces. Cost: $5.

The booklet is available from the National Immigration Forum, 220 I Street, NE, #220, Washington, DC 20002-4362. Phone 202-544-0004 or fax 202-544-1905.

Korean Sisters in the United States, as part of their annual meeting, will attend a workshop developed in collaboration with PCMR, titled, “Religious Women in U.S. Church and Culture” on May 14 in Seattle, Washington.

The first National African Sisters Network meeting, sponsored by PCMR will take place May 23-26 at the Hampton Inn, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Vietnamese Catholic Congress, the third biennial seminar for Vietnamese pastoral ministers will be held July 21-25 in Houston, Texas. The seminar is sponsored by the National Pastoral Center for the Vietnamese Apostolate and the Federation of Vietnamese Catholics in collaboration with PCMR. If you would like registration information, please contact Geri Garvey at 202-541-3350.

The 15th National Convention of the Haitian Apostolate will be held at La Salle University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 6-8. The theme of the convention is “Evangelization-Leadership Development.” For more information, contact Rev. Guy Sansaricq at the Haitian National Center, phone 718-462-0223.

World Youth Day 1997 - The Twelfth World Youth Day will be celebrated August 14-17 in Paris, France.

International Meeting of Catholic Airport Chaplains, April 15-18 in Rome, Italy, sponsored by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People.