THBOLOGY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH IN RELATIOIT TO MIGRATION by BISHOP ALFRED ANCEL CENTEN FOR MIGMTION STUDIES 209 Flagg Place Staten Island, N. Y. 10304 THEOLOGY OF'THE LOCAL CHURCH IN RELATIOI\ TO MIGRATIOI\ CENTER FOR MIGRATION STUDIES 209 Flagg Place Staten Island, N. Y. 10304 THEOLOGY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH IN RELATION TO MIGRATION by the Most Rev. Msgr. Alfred Ancel Auxiliary Bishop of Lyon A paper delivered at the European Meeting on the Pastoral Care of Migrants, Rome, 15-18 October, 1973. Translated from the French Copyright O 1974 by the Center for Migration Studies of New York, Inc. ISBN 0-913256-15-3 CONTENTS Page OPENING MESSAGE: RESPONSIBILITY OF THE LOCAL CHURCHES REGARDING TI{E PROBLEMS OF MIGRATIONS by Pope Paul VI 5 INTRODUCTION I. CONTRAST BETWEEN THE IDEAL WE OUGHT TO REACH AND THE ACTUAL REALITY AS LIVED IN THE WORLD AND IN THE CHURCH........,............. I 1. BASIC THEOLOGICAL DATA 9 Universal Church and Local Church-Bonds Between Local Churches Local Churches and Episcopal Conferences Bishops- and Priests in the Local Churches The- People of God The Mystery of the Local Church- - 2. THE IDEAL WE MUST ATTAIN.,... t2 Attitudes Toward Foreigners Mutual Aid at the Level of the Local Churches - 3. THE CRUEL ASPECTS OF MIGRATION.................. t4 Racism Exploitation of Migrants Collective Migration- - 4. THE MIGRATORY PHENOMENON AS A FACTOR IN DECHRISTIANIZATION L7 Support by the Church of Emigration and by the Mission The Church of Immigration and the Migrants - II. TOWARDS A DYNAMIC THEOLOGY......... 27 1. THE PROPHETIC ROLE OF THE LOCAL CHURCH: THE EXPERIENCES OF BROTHERLY LOVE 2t 2. THE DYNAMIC ROLE OF THE LOCAL CHURCH IN THE PASTORAL CARE OF MIGRANTS.............. 23 3. THE NEW ROLE OF THE LOCAL CHURCH: NEW STRUCTURES 27 The International Right of Migrants The Human Family - ABBREVIATIONS L.G. Ad Centes C.D. Christus Dominus G.S, Gaudiam et Spes lnstruction: lnstruction on the Pastoral Care of People uho Lligrate L.G. Lumen Gentium N.Ae. Nosrra Aetate O.A. O ctogesimo Adoeniens P.M.C. Pastoralis Migratorum Cura P.O. Presbyterorum Ordinis P.P. P opulorum P rogressio Voiceless lniusticest Document of Synod I, 1971 RISPOI\I$IBItIil 0r t0cAr CtllJRCHTS RICARDIIIO IHI PROBITtlllS OI NlleRAIIO[l On 17 October Paul VI receivecl But yorrl prescnce also bears wittress participants in the European Con- to the .work carried out in your respective gress on pastoral wol:k for nri- cor.rritries. by so nrany national, regional; grants, in the presence of the meul- diocesan or othel teams, in the service bers of the Pontifical cornmissior-r o[ uprootcd populations. We are aware for migration, with the President, horv delicate, obscure, often nristtndet- Cardinal Sebastiano Baggio. Paul st6od, this work is. We hope with yotr VI delivered the following address. that this Romair Congress will bring about a bold and realistic advance in pastotal I\{1 Lord Catciinal, work for migrarrts. We need not multi- Dear Brothers in the Episcopate, ply, in this talk, r'eferences to the docu- Dear Sons, meuts which remain the charter of a YoLrr visit and the words that have rearl presence of the Church in the world just bcen spoken fill us with seriousness of migrants. You have meditated, com- ancl hope. Throtigh you, we join the mented and circulated "Pastoralis Migra- immensc multituric of migrants. Is thele totum Cura", "Apostolicae Caritatis", not talk of about twelve million ir.r West "Populolum Progressio". "Octogesima Ad- Europe alone? And il the vast majority veniens". It is a necessary stage, and ale nr;urual wolkers, we cannot forget we conglatulate lou or.r it. It calls for all the refugees for political or religiotrs concrete achievements, which we invite reasons, the stuclents. technicians. the you to cofttinue, and which we would personrrel of intetnatiorral organizations. like to stimulate with all our strength. Assumes gigantic proportions It is a {act that in the nlost indrrs- these local Churches are called to live trializcd Europezrn countlies, the migra- their universaI vocation nrore and morc. tiorr oI workers has taken on gigantic We wor"rld like reflection on the meaning proportions. Has not one of thent as of migratiorr, and more widely of mobility, m.lnv ;rs 28 per curt of immigrants alllong to be studied more deeply and to nourish its u orkers? This situation creates such mol'c the pastoral action of the Church problcurs that some people wonder.: tod a1'. rvould it not be better to expott factories We encoulage in the first place the rather than import men? Even so, it Churches affected by the exodus of their' would be necessary for these irnplanta- populations to develop, renew, cre,rte, tions to be constantly concerned with if necessary, pastoral services to prepare the leal advancement of the local workers. and accompany workers and their fam. In at-r1, case, the conditions of the present ilies. There sometimes exist surprising given migratory phenonrenon, which cer- disproportions betu,een the figures will group tainlv corrtintre in the frrture in one Ior.m for such and such an ethnical or another, call for a reform. and the figures for missionaries, laymen, Sistets, dedicated to their evangelization. While it is not the business of the Should not the dioceses o[ origin revise local Chruches to take the place of gov- furthet the use of their apostolic forces ernnlents, which have their own responsi- and material resources to direct them bility with regatd to this kind of modern towards strategic points. before it is too nomadism, they have a specific contribu- late? Present-day mobility must find a tion to make to the solution of the corresponding pastoral mobility in the serior.rs problems to which it gives rise. Church. Witliout giving up their owr.r personality, Then, too, we again invite the host Churches to cooperate humbly and sin' tude, however, which will allorv migrant cerelv to meet the variotts pastoral needs persons and communities to be them: o[ irnmigrants. Work that is often ad- selves, to express themselves, to undcr- mirable is being accomplished. Many stand their problems with regard to in- evangelical workers, however, could be sertion, to acquire confidence in them- called, prepared and sent to these nerv selves in order to solve them gradually. harvests. The irritial reception and the Purely directive ot demagogical nrethods early period after arrival are so important are to be banished absolutely. We also for-the inseltion of the ethnical groups, make a special appeal to the spiritual temporarily or dcl irritively! It r,emains leaders of the different ethnical groups very difficult for the inhabitants of coun' and to the local clergy to collaborate tries that corrsidcr themselves advanced, more. This unity of pastors is absolutely to become poor with the poor, to learn indispensable for the unity of each nri- to look at them, listen to them; receive granf community and the unity of the from them. It is this fundamental atti- iommunities with one another. Statutes for migrant workers We still hope that this solidarity. ed- pressing a living laith. lt is a qLrestion. ucated in a healthy way, will hasten, irr shori, of helpirrg the migrants to nrake on its p;rrt, the coming of a real sta,tute their faith more mature. If the Churches for miglaut workr:rs. This statute, which or origin and the host Churches irrtellsilv vatii,tit-rns lroll onc coulltrt their [r'ank and tltrsting dialogtrc. shalc misht"anothet. contain to wotrld gualalrltec the l'ights to a gleater extent their httmatr and o[ miglants to respect of the ir personality, matelizrl resotlrces, we will still see the secu.ity of rvork. vocational trainir-rg, fam- Light of the Lord shining above the ilv lil'e, schooling for their children adap- Nations. ted to their needs, social insr.tt'ance and Together, dear Brothers and dear Sons' freedom of speech and association. As let uJ maintain serenity and hope. Can the migratolv has rightly'call beer.r. said: the industr.ia,lizecl it not be said that thror.rgh countlles or accept clreitp labour, phcnonrenon. wonying though it is, God but it is men tl'rey t'eceive, men with invites us to pull down the barriels a head and a heart. Let tts not forget of racism, arrd to do away with economic Christ identilied himself with the and political selfishness? Should not .that that fear to lose f oreigner: " I was a stl'allger, and .r"or't Christian conrmttnities macle nre welcotr-,c" (Mt' 2r' 35). their homogeneity see in migration an All this coopela tiorl ir.r the rezrl develop- uracllt aDDeal to build real conrmttnities. ment ol' rnigrants is clirectly in line with ,,6r..ii.,t" and more ecunrettlcal. irt Gospel o[ justice and peace. But which recognition of the other, sharing the rule wc hasten to add, are equallY ir-l with the other, will become the neecl oI spirittral life. The immigrants, of lil'e? Could we not Propose as the furthcrrnotle. are neally all bearers oI ideal for such t'elations the sholt and religious values. To criticize too rapidll' pithv words ol' thc Gospel of the Apostle ol io ignole syste'nratically this religious iohn. intended in thc Iirst place to cltatac- elemcnt, otr tl-re pretext that it is not ierize the ielloivship of the Fathel and suf[icierrtly livect, is a gravc lack of re' the Son, in tl.re Sfirit: ",t11 I have is yotr have is mine" (Tn' spect ancl trust. What is n.rore. it .is yours and all the door open to indilferentism or de' 17.