WWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG | Oct. 26-Nov. 8, 2018 | Volume 79, Number 24 ORLANDO DIOCESE PALM BEACH DIOCESE VENICE DIOCESE Honors for laity, clergy Prayers for priests Post Hurricane Michael Mexican parishes pitch in to help Central American asylum seekers DAVID AGREN tion of anti-government protesters main murky, but the migrants Catholic News Service in Nicaragua have sent even more marching through Mexico said they people fleeing with some joining in either saw news reports, social me- HUIXTLA, Mexico | Members the caravan. dia postings or heard rumors about of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in this The problem, however, is espe- it. Many thought it was a way to find southern Mexican city rose early cially acute in Honduras as prices safety in numbers as they headed Oct. 24 to feed but a fraction of the rise, salaries stagnate and gangs north. Criminal gangs and crooked Central American migrants travel- prey on populations. Many Hon- cops in Mexico often prey on small ing in a caravan, which is trying to durans report being charged “war groups of migrants. traverse Mexico and reach the Unit- taxes,” or extortion, to live in their The caravan has captured wide- ed States border. own homes. spread international attention. It “Tortas! Take one. The road “This is an indignant reality also has caused controversy in the ahead is long,” Rafael Gomez yelled caused by the current situation in U.S. as President Donald Trump from the bed of a white pickup to the our country,” the Honduras bish- has tweeted his displeasure. Trump passing migrants as they streamed ops’ conference said in an Oct. 20 has threatened to cut foreign aid to out of town in the predawn hours. statement on the caravan. Central American countries in re- A large caravan of migrants from Central America, trying to reach They had slept in the streets in what “It’s forcing a determined group taliation and adamantly stated the the U.S., climb on a truck Oct. 21 in Tapachula, Mexico. (UESLEI resembled an impromptu refugee to leave behind what little they migrants will not enter the U.S. MARCLINO, REUTERS | CNS) camp. have, risking themselves without Governments in Guatemala and “God bless you,” the grateful any certainty on the migrant route Mexico have tried to impede the “We don’t want to return to with infants and carried toddlers recipients responded as they took toward the United States, with the caravan. Honduras after all of this effort on their shoulders. the ham sandwiches and head for desire of reaching the promised Mexico closed its end of the to get here. We only want to live Chiapas is Mexico’s poorest Mapastepec 40 miles ahead. ‘American dream,’ which would bridge at its border with Guatema- a better life,” said Elias Ruiz, 21, state, but people along the route The caravan left Honduras Oct. allow them to resolve their eco- la, prompting migrants to swim and a construction worker who fled shared bottles of water, bunches of 13 and has swelled to at least 4,500 nomic problems, improve their liv- raft across the Suchiate River, which San Pedro Sula after being un- bananas and surplus clothing and participants, according to the Mexi- ing conditions and, in many cases, separates the two nations. able to support his wife and in- cushions with the passing throngs. can government. preserve their physical safety,” the Mexico also sent two plane- fant son. Parishes in the Diocese of Tapa- Nearly 1,700 people already bishops said. loads of Federal Police officers to its Ruiz hit the road after having chula have collect supplies for the have requested asylum in the They bitterly noted, however, the southern border, but the caravan to pay tattooed gangsters the war caravan and fed its hungry par- country, but most of the migrants country has come to depend on re- pushed past them. tax. Work also was spotty and he ticipants, with the parish in Huixtla interviewed told Catholic News mittances as Hondurans in the U.S. “Their hands are tied,” Huixtla couldn’t make ends meet. distributing 3,000 tamales and Service they want to arrive in the supported family members back Mayor Jose Luis Laparra Calderon “If you don’t pay them, they’ll kill other provisions. Karime Alejandro U.S., where an uncertain welcome home. said of the Federal Police. He point- you,” he said of the gangs. “They say, Garcia, 19, and Dana de los Santos, awaits. “We have preferred to be happy ed to the presence of foreign jour- ‘We’ll make an example of you.’ The 17, brought bags of clothes collected Catholics working with mi- with remittances as a solution to nalists and human rights groups for example is they kill you.” at St. Bartholomew Parish to the grants describe the caravan as the our internal problems. What’s new preventing the Federal Police from Upon decamping Huixtla, the highway as the caravan passed the response to a desperate situation about this caravan is the massive taking a heavy-handed response. caravan slowly snaked along the town of Villa Comaltitlan. in Central America’s northern tri- way thousands of people, the ma- Caravan participants act un- coastal plain of Chiapas state un- “Every barrio was collaborating angle — Guatemala, Honduras and jority young, are going with the fazed in the face of Trump’s threats der scorching temperatures. People as it could, some collected clothes, El Salvador — as poverty, violence hope obtaining sufficient resources and expressed hope that he has a walked until they were tired, then others water, food,” Alejandro said. and drought push people to risk the to transform Honduras,” the bish- change of heart or a higher power hitchhiked, hopping aboard pick- “Little by little we’re working to treacherous road through Mexico. ops said. intervenes. Almost all shared fears ups, dump trucks and tractor trail- have something we could give our Political unrest and the persecu- The origins of the caravan re- of being returned. ers. People even pushed strollers brothers.” n Florida Respect Life Conference • Mother shares story of daughter’s murder and forgiveness for kidnapper • • Death and life with dignity • Bishop removed from governance Support for Florida’s Panhandle WWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG | Oct. 26-Nov. 8, 2018 FLORIDACatholic ORLANDO DIOCESE Catholic Charities provides the calm after the storms ELIZABETH WILSON De la Rosa knew her only option Florida Catholic correspondent was to leave the island to keep her mother healthy. They arrived in ORLANDO | Ten days after Hur- Central Florida in November 2017 ricane Michael pummeled Florida’s and were living in a hotel with as- Panhandle, Catholic Charities of sistance from FEMA until she was Central Florida mobilized a crew referred to Catholic Charities of of six to assist in recovery efforts. Central Florida in May. Disaster Loaded with a van full of supplies, case manager Greta Roubert was the caravan headed to Port St. able to help secure an apartment Joe, the coastal town located just for de la Rosa by assisting with three 10 miles from where the monster months of rent and utilities. She is storm hit land. also working with de la Rosa to con- “Supporting our sister diocese nect her family with other social in their time of need, knowing they service agencies who can assist her are trying to maintain their families with the care of her mother. and communities, allows us the op- “The help of Catholic Charities portunity to serve when they need and Greta has been tremendous to us the most,” said Julie Yetter, senior establish ourselves economically in director of operations. Florida, as well as emotionally and Catholic Charities crews physically,” said de la Rosa. “It has throughout Florida will rotate to allowed us to take a breath. Because best meet the needs in the region. I am a full-time caregiver, it’s been The Central Florida team members a difficult process. Without Catho- arrived just as volunteers from the lic Charities, it would have been Archdiocese of Miami departed. impossible. There is no adjective They will be dispersed during their to describe how grateful I am and five-day mission to maximize relief what it has meant for us.” efforts. Sadly, the tragic scene is a Unfortunately, de la Rosa’s situa- A U.S. flag is seen amid rubble Oct. 11 after Hurricane Michael swept through Mexico Beach in Florida’s familiar one for many. tion is not unique. A year after Hur- Panhandle. The Category 4 storm raged through Florida and into Georgia Oct. 10 as the most powerful “One of the things we found ricane Maria, many people are still storm to hit the continental United States in decades. (JONATHAN BACHMAN, REUTERS | CNS) with the individuals and families struggling to establish a new life for coming from Puerto Rico last year themselves. While also providing ‘Everyone wants to help was that they had suffered such a relief efforts in the midst of the cur- traumatic event, they needed more rent, turbulent hurricane season, immediately at the time than just a meal,” Yetter said. “They Roubert said that victims of the 2017 or right after the disaster. needed someone to listen and that’s hurricane season are in dire need of who we are. That’s who Catholic help. Where are the services Charities is.” “Families are still coming over,” Meantime, employees who said Roubert. “We help with rent two weeks, one month, stayed behind will continue to tire- and utilities and connect them three months down the lessly serve storm victims in and with community resources. Many around Orlando.