“Go all over the world and

proclame the Good News to all

creation” (Mc 16:15).

With this comand Jesus fund the concept of the

Universal Church. Is Jesus who

eliminate borders between nations and differences

between cultures.

In the first Christian Churches one of the main problems was to accept non jewish

within their communities.

The destruction of the city of Jerusalem on the year 70 A.D.

The Jewish–Christian Diasporas

Hospitality was absolutely necessary for the survival of the Christian missionaries

P A R O I K I A close to the bishop’s house

The “hospital” for the pilgrims

Different interventions made by the

Church to aid migration

The Phenomenon of Migration, intended as the movement of masses of workers between countries

due to the industrialization process, caught the Church by surprise because of its tipical territorial nature!

In past centuries, during the political colonization, the clergy used to accompany

the colonial forces of occupation.

On the contrary, typical

migrations of workers in the

XIX century presented new

problems: particularly the

immigrant mentality of a

temporal residence and the precarious

relationship with the local

society.

EUROPEAN MIGRATIONSThe first contingents of European emigrants

were from the North-West countries, and they were religiously organized with their

own clergy.

Migrations from South and East Europe were less prepared; poor and without special skills

they worsened an already disorganized religious assistence.

Around 1850 Church’s interventions started to be more organized:› Pushing Religious Missionary Congregations to give

pastoral assistance to indigenous people as well to European migrants.

› In 1871 Saint Rafael Society was founded in Germany for German migrants (lay people).

› In 1875 Pius IX asked the Salesians of Don Bosco to assist italian migrants.

› The most fruitful discussions and initiatives on migration are made between 1880-1890.

› Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum established that the natural wealth belongs to everybody, beyond the concept of national borders and prepared the bases for the Exsul Familia.

› Scalabrini: proposing a specific and permanent ministry.

Structuralization of the ministry to migrants: documents and pastoral initiatives for a cultural and religious assimilation.

Pius X : social and religious assistance for migrants in all dioceses y parishes.

In 1912 in the Roman Curia a migration department is opened for the first time .

In 1914 orientational and disciplinary rules are defined for clergy dedicated to migrant ministry (necessity to know the language and culture for their ministry).

The Carta Magna for Migration Ministry

Characteristics:› The duty of the Church to care for “Pilgrims,

foreigners, exiled and all kind of migrant”.› “... the sovereignty of the State, although it

must be respected, cannot be exaggerated to the point that access to this land is, for inadequate or unjustified reasons, denied to needy and decent people from other nations,...”(Letter to the American Bishops 1948)

› Previous Interventions of the Church › Definition of the role of the “Delegate for

migration”. › Reconfirm that “everybody has the right to

migrate”.› Severe condemn of racism and masses

selection.› Ministry given to priests from the same

country or at least with the knowledge of the culture and language of the migrants.

1. Fundamental rights for human beings.2. Migrant must be respected and welcomed.3. Migrant = all people who live outside their own country.4. Promote integration into the welcome society contrary

to a passive and abusive assimilation process.5. Assistance to immigrants has no generational limits. 6. “the right to migrate it is a human right”, and “the duty

of an immigrant is to contribute in all aspects to the development of the place he is going to live in”.

7. In 1970 the “Pontifical Commission for ministry to Migration and Tourism” is created and as a consequence similar offices are opened in many dioceses all over the world (PMC 29).

“Thus the human person's dignity itself becomes part of the content of that proclamation,”… (Redemptor hominis 12)

“Man has the right to leave his native land for various motives-and also the right to return-in order to seek better conditions of life in another country... Nevertheless, even if emigration is in some aspects an evil, in certain circumstances it is, as the phrase goes, a necessary evil … The most important thing is that the person working away from his native land, whether as a permanent emigrant or as a seasonal worker, should not be placed at a disadvantage in comparison with the other workers in that society in the matter of working” (Laboren exercens, 23).

1. 1985. “a wave of dramatic mobility” 2. 1986. Family is the most affected by the

negative aspects of migration. 3. 1987. The commitment of the Lay for the

typical social aspect of migration. 4. 1988. Marianum Year. The “difficult migrants

situation” confide to Mary.5. 1989. Migrations: a “journey of faith” in the

evangelization process. 6. 1990. The risk of the sects to the migrants’

faith. Invitation to local churches to a commitment in the formation of “well prepared priests, ready to make themselves migrants with the migrants for a proper assistance”.

Del 1991 al 1995: a constant exhortation to look at the migrant as “human being rich of values and dignity”.

Migration: positive factor of human promotion in the osmosis process between cultural, social and political values brought by immigrants.(1991)

“The criteria that determines the measure of tolerance cannot be uniquely the defence of our own wealth.” (1992-93)

“The Government, the believers and the church’s communities are the ones who take care of the situation of migrant families”. (1994)

International Year of the Woman. The message is particularly for women who suffer the drama of migration. (1995)

- Irregular migrants: “The Church is the place where the irregular migrants are accepted and welcomed as brothers and sisters… “And the Church is no foreigner to anyone, anywhere” (1996).

- “How can the baptized claim to welcome Christ, if they close the doors to the foreigner who comes knocking?” In the Jubily Year the Pope insist on migration as an opportunity for encounter and unity between cultures and peoples. (2000)

- The Church create means and adequate forms of pastoral intervention, understanding the positive effect of migration on the evangelization of different countries. Invitation to local recipient communities to be not only charitable, but also open to dialogue in the encounter with immigrants (2001)

- “Interreligious dialogue is the path that the Church proposes to take in order to change from distrust to respect, from rejection to a welcome” (forced migrations caused by religious wars… Migration as an instrument of peace (2002-2004)

In 2005 the Holy See published the last important document on Church and migrations, reaching the goal to unite all previous efforts in one Instruction.

1. People has the right to a dignified life in their own country. If their job has a just salary and sufficient to support a family.

2. People has the right to emigrate in order to support themselves and their families. Sovereign countries has to find ways to make this right doable.

3. Sovereign countries has the right to control their borders … Although the Church do not approve the abuse of this right for the sole purpose to acquire more wealth… Rich countries has to adapt to migratory flows.

4. Anybody asking for refuge or asylum has to be protected … those who flee war, persecution and hunger!

5. The human rights of undocumented migrants have to be respected … Every human being has a intrinsic dignity that has to be respected, in spite of their legal situation.

ECCLESIA IN AMERICA (1999) “Migrants should be met with a hospitable and welcoming attitude which can encourage them to become part of the Church's life, always with due regard for their freedom and their specific cultural identity. Cooperation between the dioceses from which they come and those in which they settle, also through specific pastoral structures provided for in the legislation and praxis of the Church”. “In this way the most adequate and complete pastoral care possible can be ensured. The Church in America must be constantly concerned to provide for the effective evangelization of those recent arrivals who do not yet know Christ.” “the Church in America must be a vigilant advocate, defending against any unjust restriction the natural right of individual persons to move freely within their own nation and from one nation to another. Attention must be called to the rights of migrants and their families and to respect for their human dignity, even in cases of non-legal immigration”.. (EA, 65)

The voice of our Church through its representatives was traditionally week, although the last pastoral letter of Mex-USA bishops was very promising and prophetic

1987-2000 The bishops in the north border of Mexico they were very worried about the constant exodus of their people toward USA with all the struggles, sufferings and deaths involved.

In 1995 “One family under God”

underline

› The strong criticism to USA migration policies and the defense position in favor of irregular immigrants and their rights… who supposedly has no rights.

› The challenge that same title of the document expresses, to be one family under God, despite the differences that come from the human mobility phenomenon and cultural pluralism.

This joint letter of USCCB and CEM is a basic document for the ministry to migrants in North America and the Church of the future.

INTRODUCTION: Immigration numbers are growing. Immigration is

necessary and beneficial, still some of its aspects are far from the kingdom of God preached by Jesus. In the migrant we see the face of Jesus crucified and resurrected.

The migrant touch and challenge the conscience of the Church, of the authorities and of the politicians… They must accept the reality of migration instead of rejecting or ignoring it.

Signs of hope: 1. Migrants bring faith and culture.2. Growth in support and help for migrants (shelters, advocacy,

international forums).3. Mexico and USA have an irrefutable historical interdependency.

Historical reality of the conquest and the colonization. A Continent that constantly received immigrants. Mexico: a country of emigrants, immigrants and

transmigrants USA: a country built by immigrants. “… The phenomenon continues even today, especially

with many people and families from Latin American … The Church is well aware of the problems created by this situation and is committed to spare no effort in developing her own pastoral strategy among these immigrant people, in order to help them settle in their new land and to foster a welcoming attitude among the local population, … (EA, 65)

Addressing the root causes of migration Creating legal avenues for migration (63) Implementation of a more humane control on

migration (suggestions to both countries) Respect of family unity and family reunification. (65-

67) Legalization of undocumented already present in the

country (permanent visa, work visa, temporal visa). (68-71)

Criticism on the actual border control policy that causes corruption, violations and deaths. (79-85)

CONCLUSION: (101-108)

Suggestions to Church and governments, and the commitment of bishops representing the Church to defend and accompany the migrants on their journey.

The exhortation to migrants to maintain their faith, culture, spouse and family fidelity, because they are bearer of many riches to the country of destination.

2000 Letter to Federal Minister Lloyd Axeworthy Concerning the Status of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families

2003 Social Affairs Commission/ Letter to Federal Citizenship and Immigration Minister Denis Coderre Regarding Refugee Policies in Canada

2004 BISHOPS OF CANADA sanctuary 2005 Refugee Appeal Board/ The Chairman of the Human Rights

Committee of the CCCB is very disappointed in the refusal of the government

2006 Pastoral Letter on Immigration and the Protection of Refugee

2006 Pastoral Letter_Immigration 2006 pastoral-letter-canada-must-demonstrate-every-effort-to-welcome-

immigrants-and-refugees-with-dignity

2010 pastoral-letter-on-human-trafficking 2010 letter to minister kenney 2011 Bishops of Canada reflect on immigration, (CCODP)