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JOIN US FOR A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY

Immigration is a contentious topic in the world right now. Let's show our desire for community, diversity, and brother-and-sisterhood among communities and immigrant groups with a joyful recognition of all the benefits immigrants bring to Michigan! We are hoping for more than 1000 people to join us--and we need you!

110th World Day of Migrants and Refugees "God Walks with the People"

Sunday, September 29 - at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament 9844 Woodward, Detroit

2:30PM - Procession starting at the Cathedral , 3:30PM - Mass

Plans include:

• Multi-national music
• National flags and dress
• Parish banners and banners of our allied organizations
• Multi-national food tables

ALL ARE WELCOME--Catholics, non-Catholics, immigrants, non-immigrants, allies, and advocates of Jesus's call to welcome the stranger.

Bring your parish banner and national flag, your drums and national attire!

Invite friends and family to join you--Click here to let us know you are coming.

Click here for printable flyer.

EXCITEMENT FOR YOUR PARISH -- Leading to Our Celebration of Diversity on September 29

When was the last time a high school student or immigrant leader talked to your congregation? How about SNL's chaplain, Fr. David Buersmeyer? Guest speakers for your parish are available! What a great way to educate parishioners AND promote our Celebration of Diversity on September 29th at the same time! Click here for more.

DRIVE SAFE ADVOCACY - THE FIGHT CONTINUES

Efforts continue to keep the Drive Safe bills in the minds of our legislators as we wait for the lame-duck session after the November elections. Our hope is that the bills will finally be brought up for debate.

Meetings with the Governor and Catholic Bishops

• A group of nuns from several orders and SNL staff met with Aaron Sepulveda, a policy advisor to Governor Whitmer on July 23rd. Coming out of the meeting Aaron committed to: Elevating the Drive Safe Bills and the info we left to Gov. Whitmer and her legislative affairs staff, and trying to get an appointment for us with the Michigan State Police Legislative team.

• A delegation of our women leaders also plan to go to Lansing to the Governor’s office. We want to be sure that the Governor gets the nuns’ message loud and clear. Barb Staniszewski (Servants’ Entrance) and Nancy Silveri (Nativity) are organizing this. 

• The immigrant leaders are asking their bishops for a meeting to ask them to be stronger and more vocal, about their support for DRIVE SAFE.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

November 13 - Advocacy Day in Lansing

This post-election trip is to insure the Drive safe bills come up for debate and are passed before year-end. We will urge as many of our legislators and senators as we can one more time to support these bills! Interested? WE NEED YOU.



Click here to let us know you are available. More info to follow.

The Sisters of Mary Reparatrix asked Sr. Martha to relocate to Rome to be part of their leadership team for the new Novitiate.  July 15th was her last day.  Her leaving us is painful, but a reminder not only of the good work she has done and the goodness she has brought to us, but also of the wonderful people that she has brought into our lives. Here is her good-bye to Strangers No Longer:

"I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

Jn. 10:10

This phrase from the Gospel of John describes what my experience has been like during my time in the United States. In a particular way, I have been able to feel this life by having felt accompanied and supported by Strangers No Longer during the four years of accompaniment to the immigrant circles of support.

I want to thank the Board of Directors, Bill O'Brien and Amy Ketner – Staff Companions – and each and every one of the members of the support circles, immigrants and non-immigrants, for the trust placed in me so that Strangers No Longer can make possible the improvement of the lives of immigrants through what Pope Francis asks all Christians to do: "welcome, protect, promote and integrate" those who have come and continue to come to this country in search of better living conditions.

I also want to thank each of the women and men of the immigrant circles of support for allowing me to get closer to their lives and share their struggles, their anguish, their sorrows, but also their achievements, their joys, and their hopes! Thanks for allowing me to witness the personal growth and the deep faith in a God who accompanies all in the journey, protecting and sustaining the daily life! Thanks for being a part of this organization and working hard to come out of the shadows!

I thank God for so much good received, I can say that everything achieved HAS BEEN FOR THE GREATER GLORY OF GOD AND REPARATION.

Sr. Martha

Read the recent NCR article about Sr. Martha's work:

"Q&A with Sr. Martha de la Torre Juárez, networking support for immigrant women across Michigan" - Click here.

DAY OF REFLECTION AND EDUCATION PLANNED IN THE DIOCESE OF GAYLORD

In continuation of the November 2023 Assembly for Human Dignity at St. Francis in Traverse City, Strangers No Longer and parish leaders across the Diocese of Gaylord are excited to invite all to gather and learn about our Church’s rich Catholic Social Teaching and how to put it into action.

Day of Reflection and Education on Catholic Social Teaching in

the Diocese of Gaylord

St. Mary Cathedral, Gaylord, MI

Sept 21, 2024 - 10am - 2pm

SNL's Chaplain, Fr. David Buersmeyer, will present the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. In addition, a panel of parish leaders will share how Catholics are living out these principles across northern Michigan including:

• Working for affordable housing and helping those who are homeless
• Advocating for mental health and substance abuse treatment resources
• Supporting our diverse Catholic population - including immigrants and migrants
• Caring for God’s creation.

We will discuss how we, in our parishes, can use Catholic Social Teaching to improve our communities and strengthen our parishes at the same time. All are welcome to join us in Gaylord on Sept 21.

Click here to register. Click here for printable flyer.

Immigration will be a hot topic in the coming election season and we need to understand the issues and be prepared with facts to talk to our friends and family this summer. SNL has been offering monthly webinars on Zoom to help. We had over 100 participants at the last two events. (See below for links to the recordings.) Coming up next:

• Research Shows: Immigrants Make Societies More Successful with Zeke Hernandez - Tuesday, August 20 at 7:00 p.m. Click here to register.

• Catholic Social Teaching and Our Responsibility as Citizens - Fr. David Buersmeyer - Tuesday, September 17 at 7:00 p.m. Click here to register.

Recordings from our first two webinars:

• Common Sense Reforms to U.S. Immigration Policy (June). Click here

• What is Really Happening at the Border? (July) Click here

In two trips this summer, students from SNL's Youth in Action for Immigration traveled to the border to immerse themselves in the realities immigrants and asylum-seekers face when trying to enter the US. 

Students from Detroit Cristo Rey, Shrine, and the University of Detroit-Jesuit were hosted by the Mercy Sisters' ARISE Adelante Immersion Program. The students spent time at a camp for migrant children in the mornings and evenings, playing games and making art projects. In the afternoons they listened to speakers describing multiple perspectives of border realities.

The students returned to Michigan both exhausted and re-energized in their work to support immigrants here in Michigan.

You can watch a video of highlights of the experience of Detroit Cristo Rey students here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzHnOFiDfXk 

On June 6, 2024 we welcomed a new resident to Bakhita House, our temporary shelter for asylees on the campus of Christ the King parish in Detroit. 

His name is Daoud (David) and he arrived with a calm look around, weighing 7lbs-6oz. Here he is at two days old! (at left)

When word got around the birth hospital that there was a woman in labor who only spoke French, a young French speaking Canadian nurse came to the room every hour or so to assist the mom to understand where she was in the laboring process.

It was so reassuring, as all I could do was demonstrate how to breathe during contractions!

This baby is a very peaceful little guy who rarely cries, except when he is hungry. Mom and baby are doing well.

We now have two girls and two boys at Bakhita House! 

The 7 year old boy was thrilled to have another boy in the house!

Karen Seefelt

Volunteer at Bakhita House

Click here to invest in Bakhita House

Sr. Martha reports:

I have been so proud of the SNL immigrant leaders that have been working with psychologist Stephanie Rico Izquierdo for the last three years.  Stephanie has accompanied them through online sessions, both as a group and by meeting with members individually. I have seen our members grow in many positive ways.

The members have often expressed their appreciation to Stephanie for how much she has helped them. So, when they recently had the opportunity to meet her and participate in an in-person workshop during the weekend of June 28-30, they were very excited.  

Click here for more.

In the past few months Strangers No Longer has become acutely aware of several personnel and funding changes that will occur during the coming year. With these inevitable changes in mind, SNL has formed a Transition Team who has tasked itself with the job of creating a roadmap to be presented to the Board of Directors to move us to 2026.

The team has had two meetings, organizing its goals around the SNL Vision and Mission statements.

• On the agenda was the development of a budget for 2025 that accounts for salary and funding changes and, hopefully, will provide financial stability going forward. It will be presented to the Board of Directors in August. The team also reviewed a job description and hiring procedures for a new position of deputy director who will work under the tutelage of our present director, in preparation for a move into the role of director in the future.

• Also discussed was the hiring of a replacement for Sr. Martha who has organized and provided support for our Circle of immigrant Members. Her loving spirit and organizational skills will be greatly missed as she moves onto Rome in service of her Religious Community.

• Thirdly, the Transition Team is studying options for future programming and community partnerships that will continue to grow the organization and broaden its impact, as it strives to honor the dignity of every human being through education, direct support and advocacy for humane immigration policies.

If you have any questions, please email strangersnolonger11@gmail.com.

Thank you,

Judy Brooks

President, Strangers No Longer

Sr. Grace Keane, OSF was one of the founders of Strangers No Longer and is also Coordinator of Christian Service at St. Mary of the Hills in Rochester Hills, Michigan.

She recently told us that she has accepted the request of her Franciscan Congregation to become the Director of the Office of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC.)

We thank Sr. Grace for all she has done for SNL and wish her well in her new assignment!

Vatican News - July 26, 2024 - "Truly honoring the Body of Christ

The great Eucharistic Congress in the US; the words of St John Chrysostom; the defense of every life." Click here.

Detroit Catholic News - July 25, 2024 - "Catholic advocates 'deeply troubled' by alleged abuse of migrant kids in U.S.-funded shelters." Click here.

On the Media Podcast - July 12, 2024 - "What the Media Get Wrong About Immigration." Click here to listen.