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The USCCB's Subcommittee on Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugees and Travelers works toward supporting and strengthening the pastoral care of the Church in the United States to ethnic communities of African-Caribbean, Brazilian and European Catholics as well as to people on the move such as: mariners and fishers, migrant farmworkers, airport workers and travelers, and communities of traveling shows from the circus, carnivals, race tracks and others.
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A Visit to the Port of Jacksonville, Florida: A Sign of Encouragement
By: Sr. Dr. Joanna Okereke, HHCJ
The Catholic Church in the United States of America continues its efforts to draw a special attention to the pastoral needs of those working in the maritime industry. Undeniably, l
iving the Catholic faith on board ships at sea is a big challenge. Many seafarers face painful and long periods of separation from family and friends, without the support or network to help them prosper.
Their work is strenuous, dangerous, isolated and lonely. Their unique and unusual profession is challenging, prone to accident, boredom and with poor salary. The
Church therefore makes special effort to promote the pastoral care through the Apostleship of the Sea;
caring for seafarers, fishers and their families.
The visit to the Port of Jacksonville (JAXPORT) at St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida was an exciting and encouraging opportunity to experience the life at the port and to
be exposed to the different ministry styles and the challenging but rewarding tasks of the Apostleship of the Sea.
The huge number of car ships that traffic through Jacksonville Port, reflects the continuing growth of the Port.
One of the
widest shipping channels in the Southeast region of the United States. The volume of trade and cruise shipsthat move through JAXPORT is a proof of its international network and activity.
Thanks to Bishop
Felipe J. Estévez of the Diocese of St. Augustine
for supporting the Catholic Port Chaplains and volunteers who carry out pastoral care, welcome and hospitality to seafarers and their families, the
Diocese of St. Augustine established its own Stella Maris Seafarers Centre.
This has ensured that the Christian faithful are able to show their unconditional love to the seafarers. The Bishops appointment of Deacon Milton Vega as the Director of the Stella Maris Seafarers Centre evidences his fraternal love and care.
The Catholic Port ministry of Jacksonville, continues to promote the spiritual and social well-being of seafarers by giving them a friendly and safe environment, a chance to relax and support in living the Catholic/Christian faith while serving aboard ships at sea.
The d
irector of the
Apostleship of the Sea, Catholic
Port Ministries Jacksonville, Florida Deacon Milton Vega found it extremely valuable to have volunteers. He recognizes when the centres are busy and relies on the support of the volunteers.
Some of the services offered by the Catholic Port Ministries of Jacksonville are:
- Visit to the ships that arrive at the terminals
- Mass, Catholic Communion Service, Confession and Spiritual counselling
- Transportation from the ship to the Seafarer's Centre, as well as to points of interest in
Jacksonville, for example, to churches, local shopping centres/malls
- Provision of spiritual materials
- Postal service
- Call centre (Land line/Cell phone usage)
- Computer with internet service
- Television/movies
As the National Director, the passion and dedication of the chaplains to the mission of the Apostleship of the Sea inspires me to bring the assurance that the Church cares for the people of the sea. Visiting the ports and supporting the chaplains to effectively reach out to seafarers enables me to know the chaplains, to give them a chance to ask questions, to share experiences and to assist in any issues they may have.
The visits help to open up the lines of communication, it's a chance to build relationship and trust. Indeed, it is a time to listen, to offer ideas and to share resources. I am thankful to be able to support quality services, further the improvement and expansion of pastoral care to more ports and to advance the mission of the Apostleship of the Sea.
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The Church's Pastoral Concern for Migrant Farmworkers
in the United States
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Photo by:
Philip Laubner/Catholic Relief Services
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The Staff of the Subcommittee on Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugees and Travelers of USCCB organizes annual pastoral visits to migrant farmworkers with Most Rev. John Manz, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago and Episcopal Liaison to migrant farmworkers. This past October 2017 the Subcommittee supported a pastoral visit in Boise, Idaho.
Among other things, we gathered a group of national leaders from organizations such as Catholic Migrant Farmworker Network, the Southeast Pastoral Institute (SEPI), Congar Institute, diocesan migrant ministries across the country, the University of Detroit Mercy and USCCB Offices for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and for Home Missions. All of them had a sincere desire to support the migrant ministry in Idaho.
One of the highlights of this visit was that it prompted the establishment of a new diocesan leadership formation program for migrant farmworkers in Idaho. This, from my perspective, was a clear outcome and evidence of the impact of such collaboration project. This initiative will engage the diocesan office of Hispanic Ministry of Boise, the University of Detroit Mercy and the Catholic Migrant Farmworker Network.
New leaders will be empowered to grasp the presence of God more radically in the lives of migrant farmworkers. They will also be given tools to create effective programs that address spiritual and social concerns in order to benefit their communities, the Catholic Church and the United States.
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Photo by: Philip Laubner/Catholic Relief Services
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These pastoral visits have also shown me the complexity of the phenomenon of migration. I have found, for example, that migrant farmworkers often come to this country because of the despairing poverty they experienced back home but also because of the love they have for their children, parents, spouses and relatives.
This love, ironically, sometimes pushes them to endure extraordinary hardships every day to provide for their loved ones.
What are your dreams? What do you hope to achieve in this life? I asked these questions to many of the migrants I met as we visited the dairy farms and produce processing plants in Idaho. The answers were almost always the same. A better life for our children and our loved ones. I remember particularly the response of a single migrant mother who said, "I only hope to see my children become honest and productive members of society".
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Photo by: Philip Laubner/Catholic Relief Services
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It is not always easy to relate to struggles we have not experienced before. It is even harder to be moved when people undergo hardships that we believe we have overcome on our own. Sometimes we are numb to people's sufferings because we resent the fact that we did not receive help when we needed it. One way or the other, this disability to feel compassion and empathy toward someone's sufferings often comes from our own brokenness. I've found tremendously eye-opening that many psychologists have demonstrated that when anger and fear become mechanisms of self-preservation that hinder a people from being compassionate to one another, these same people only end up hurting each other even more. Isn't that what we so often see in the news today?
Given the difficult circumstances migrants face, we, as Christians, must challenge ourselves daily to live up to our own religious standards and figure out ways to proactively sensitize hardened hearts and minds - always beginning with our own. We are called to live with a Samaritan heart - one that laughs and cries with migrants and seeks ways to welcome, promote, accompany and encourage them. This is not easy and it is often uncomfortable. However, we must ask ourselves: Is there a better way of living in this country of immigrants than by making sure we are truly looking after one another? This is the Christian Way. It is the way of looking after one another. The way of mercy and love toward our neighbor.
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- March 12-14, 2018: AOS Maritime Association Stamford, CT
- April 11-13, 2018 CMGFN Board Meeting
- April 28, 2018: Richmond Migrant Ministry Conference
- April 29, 2018: 51th Anniversary of Chapel of Our Lady of Czestochowa, Poland
- April 18-20, 2018: AOS-USA Annual Conference Dania, FL
- May 3-5, 2018: Graduation Speech and Pastoral Visit, South bend, Indiana
- May 11-14, 2018: Pastoral Visit Jacksonville, FL
- May 19-22, 2018: Maritime Day Celebration - Shrine and US Department of Transportation - Washington DC
- August 29, 2018 Anniversary of the Chapel of Our Lady of Hungary in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, in Washington, DC.
- June 2, 2018: ACA, Annual Prayer Day - St. Camillus, Silver Spring, MD
- June 9, 2018: National Center for Haitian Apostolate Annual Conference, New Jersey.
- June 12, 2018: Bishops Meeting - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
- June 20, 2018 World Refugee Day
- June 23-26, 2018: Igbo Catholic Community USA Annual Convention, Baltimore, MD
- July 22-25, 2018: National Diaconate Congress - New Orleans
- July 31- August 4, 2018: African Conference of Catholic Clergy and Religious in the United States, Phoenix AZ
- August 14-18, 2018: North American Maritime Ministry Association Conference, Annual Conference Baltimore, MD
- August 20-23, 2018: AOS Regional Conference, Vancouver, Canada
- September 20-23, 2018: V Encuentro, Grapevine, TX
- September 27, 2018: World Tourism Day
- September 27, 2018: Feast of Our Lady Star of the Sea - Washington DC
- October 13-14, 2018 Pastoral Visit to Brazilians, Los Angeles and San Diego, California
- October 7-11, 2018 Pastoral Visit to Migrant Farmworkers, Spokane, Washington
- October 25-27, 2018: US Catholic Mission Association Annual Conference Boston MA
- November 11, 2018: Bishops Meeting - Baltimore, MD
- November 21, 2018: World Fisheries Day
- December 8, 2018: Haitian Apostolate Pilgrimage, Washington, DC
- December 12, 2018: Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe
- December 18, 2018 International Migrants Day
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Copyright ©
2015,
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc., Washington, D.C.
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright holder.
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