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In this issue, you will find news about the Young Black Catholic Encounter, which took place in Orlando, FL on July 6, 2017. We also share resources and updates about the launching of the new two yearlong "Share the Journey" Campaign lead by Pope Francis and other important initiatives for migrants and refugees.
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PMCRT Activities and Outreach Imparts the Communities
Send us yours stories to be published in the electronic newsletter for the Subcommittee of Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugees, and Travelers (PCMRT). We hope to provide timely news and information about the activities of PCMRT.
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The Young Black Catholic Encounter:
An Evening with the Black Catholic Bishops
July 6, 2017
Orlando, Florida
On July 6, 2017, the National Black Catholic Congress was held in Orlando, Florida, giving young Catholics of color the opportunity to build a growing community. They gathered, along with several bishops and the nuncio, to reflect on the reasons why they celebrate the Eucharist in the ways they do.
Many young adults had the opportunity to discuss the ever present disconnect between the youth and young adults and the Church. The main goal was to create ways of integrating black young adults into the church taking into consideration their own culture.
Most young adults are going through a transition moment in their lives generally associated with going, being or leaving college to begin taking control of their own lives. This transition often challenges their faithfulness to their religion. With pressures from society, school, and the distractions of life in general, doubts arise, often feeling stuck without a place to really belong to. The conversation turned to effective and culturally sensitive, evangelization, communication, and formation, as an opportunity to decrease the gap between the Church and these Catholics.
Although within the Catholic community, our African-American brothers and sisters are not as included in how others view Catholicism, the immigrants of African descent were identified as an even less considered reality within American Catholicism. In order to start efforts addressing this latter issue, a newly founded organization was formed within our small group - the National Catholic Association of the African Diaspora (NCAAD, Young Adult Chapter), being inclusive of Africans, Haitians, and all others having African heritage around the nation. This organization will promote leadership and commitment to bring the voice of the youth and young adult recent generation of immigrants of Afro descent to the attention of the leadership of the church to benefit the Catholic American community as a whole.
The following 6 recommendations were provided at the end of the discussion for the Church to be better equipped to integrate youth and young adult immigrants of African descent:
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Provide them with authentic leadership opportunities and not simply jobs to fulfill.
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Let the youth and young adults assist the Church to renovate and actualize itself with modern practical approaches to ministry.
-Open spaces for the youth to become an integral part of the community at an early age by focusing on prayer and spiritual formation
-Empower pastors and priests to become more approachable to the youth and vice versa by organizing more social events like meet-and-greets that might draw the attention of youths and young adults
-Reach out more to the African community and make intentional efforts to get to know one another
-Be creative and dynamic in making young adult groups
With these different purposes and solutions in mind, NCAAD divided into various small committees and official roles:
- Coordination Team
- Publications Team
- Secretary and Assistant Secretary
- Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer
The specific members will be announced in future meetings as these roles are confirmed.
The black Catholic youth and young adults have been found to embody the negativity unfortunately associated, not only with the color of their skin, but also with the doubts others view of their Catholic traditions. We are all called as Catholics to make conscious decisions and show others how we live in the life of Christ. By embodying the being of Christ, we will all be rich in the spirit and always on fire for Him, making our faith genuine, captivating and inspiring.
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Strengthen the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees in your Parish
Week of Prayer and Action
October 7-13, 2017
The Holy Father is about to launch a two yearlong worldwide campaign on September 27, 2017 for migrants and refugees called "Share the Journey".
USCCB, CRS and Catholic Charities USA are working together so that the Catholic Church of the United States is able to respond to the Pope's call with a
Week of Prayer and Action
on October 7-13
.
PCMRT is particularly working with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Migration and Refugees Services in an effort to raise awareness about the essential component of Pastoral Care in the resources to be disseminated during this initiative. The first text making reference to PCMRT resources was provided in a CRS new Parish
Toolkit
. This resource now offers the following concrete steps your parish can take to strengthen its pastoral care to migrants and refugees:
Contact the subcommittee for information on the latest study on the pastoral care of migrants, refugees and itinerant people in your diocese.
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New Migrants and Refugees Section
He has started a new Dicastery for Integral Human Development, which has established a new Migrants and Refugees Section with which PCMRT will be collaborating in the near future. Visit the new website
here
.
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Message for the 104th World Day of Migrants and Refugees
January 14, 2018
The Holy Father has published his message for the upcoming 104th World Day of Migrants and Refugees which will take place on January 14, 2018. The message has the of "welcoming, protecting, promoting and integrating migrants and refugees".
In response to the Pope's call to remember the migrants and refugees, PCMRT will be disseminating more resources in collaboration with MRS during National Migration Week on January 7-13, 2018.
Along with the Holy Father, PCMRT encourages you to remember the migrants and refugees in every way you can and to disseminate the Pope's vision for a world that welcomes, protects, promotes and integrates migrants and refugees. Click
here
to read the Pontiff's entire message for the upcoming 104th World Day of Migrants and Refugees.
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Share the Journey Campaign Prayer
Have mercy on me, God most high.
In my fear and loneliness, be my refuge.
Far from my homeland, I feel lost.
My heart is stirred by thoughts of the family I left behind.
O God, hear their cries and come to their help!
Calm the storms
of anxiety and doubt raging within me.
Go before me and guide my steps among a people I do not know.
May their kindness and compassion assure me that You are there to
welcome me.
Prayer developed by Cardinal Luis Tagle, president of Caritas Internationalis following his experiences meeting migrants and refugees helped by Caritas.
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- September 27, 2017: Feast of Our Lady Star of the Sea - Washington DC
- September 27, 2017 - September 30, 2019: "Share the Journey" Campaign for Migrants and Refugees: Official Launch in Rome by Pope Francis on September 27, 2017
- September 27, 2017: World Tourism Day. Click to read Pope Francis message.
- October 1- 7, 2017: XXIV AOS World Congress 2017, Kaohsiung - Taiwan
- October 7-13: Week of Prayer and Action across the U.S. A Toolkit will be disseminated by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) with Information by PCMRT.
- October 11-13: Center for Migration Studies Immigrant Integration Initiative Annual Conference in Los Angeles
- October 22-26, 2017: PCMRT's Pastoral Visit to Migrant Farmworkers hosted by the Diocese of Boise
- October 27-29, 2017: US Catholic Mission Association Conference in San Antonio. Stop by our PCMRT booth for contacts and resources for the pastoral care of migrants, refugees and itinerant people.
- November 21, 2017: World Fisheries Day - Activities in Washington DC Metro
- December 12: Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe
- December 18, 2017: International Migrants Day
- January 4-7, 2018: XXVI National Gathering of the Circus and Traveling Show Ministries, St. Martha's Catholic Church, Sarasota, Florida co-sponsored by PCMRT and Catholic Extension. Contact us for accommodation assistance and more information.
- January 7-13, 2018: National Migration Week
- January 14, 2018 104th WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES 2018
- February 8, 2017: St. Josephine Bakhita Day of Prayer to Stop Human Trafficking / Modern Day Slavery
- February 15-18, 2018: Building Intercultural Competence for Ministers (BICM)
- February 18 - March 2, 2018: Houston Maritime Ministry Training Program at the Houston International Seafarers' Center. Contact us for access to our scholarships.
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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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