SCALABRINIANS JFM20059/7/061:55PMPage2 1905 2005 JOHN BAPTIST SCALABRINI CENTENNIAL NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID UTICA, NY THE PIOUS SOCIETY OF THE MISSIONARIES PERMITNO. 79 OF ST. CHARLES BORROMEO, INC. 27 Carmine Street New York, NY 10014-4423 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED SCALABRINIANS JFM 2005 9/7/06 1:55 PM Page 3 JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH 2005 • VOL. 26 • NO. 1 The Good Samaritan Is Risen! 3 FALL 2004 SCALABRINIANS 3 SCALABRINIANS JFM 2005 9/7/06 1:55 PM Page 4 From the editor’s desk A Publication of the Serving Our Migrant Bretheren Missionaries of St. Charles (Scalabrinians) of the Provinces There are different ways to serve our of St. Charles Borromeo and St. John the Baptist brothers and sisters. For Scalabrinians – • Editor priests, brothers, sisters and lay people – our René Manenti, c.s. • neighbor appears with the face of a migrant. Editorial Board Fr. Andrew Brizzolara, c.s. Blessed John Baptist Scalabrini teaches us to Ray Gregory Lucie Mouro take care of our migrant brethren in all their needs, material Fr. Pat Murphy, c.s. • and spiritual. Contributors to this issue Sr. Maria do Rosario Onzi, MSCS In our work for the kingdom of God, a tricky snare might be Adelia Firetti, MSS Geethani Pigera concealed in our good deeds. We might become more concerned about Claudia A. Ramirez Lydia Keklikian our own work, projects, and endeavors, than about the people who Rosanna I. Grillo Maria Lourdes Arias Trujillo would be helped by these activities. We might be conscientious Leslie Palma-Simoncek Francesco Valentini administrators and efficient social workers without ever meeting • Designed by - Marketology, Inc. and knowing those human beings we are trying to help. • Copy Editor - Thomas M. Sullivan As Scalabrinians, we are not dealing only with numbers as • Word Processing we attempt to solve problems or understand social patterns. First of all, Mona Hesterhagen • we are called to be compassionate good Samaritans who follow the Secretary - Cindy Amato • Printed by steps of our Lord through the example of Monsignor Scalabrini! Jesus Dodge Graphic Press, Utica, NY • did meet the people of His time, he spent time with them, He ate in The Missionaries of St. Charles (Scalabrinians) are their company, He cured them, He rebuked them … and, finally, a Roman Catholic community of priests and brothers gave His life for them, before rising on the third day. founded in 1887 by Blessed J. B. Scalabrini to share in the This has been the mission of the Church on its pilgrimage mission of the Church through a specific service to migrants through history. This is our life within our Christian community and refugees. • and the entire world. Direct correspondence to: Happy Easter! The Editor - Scalabrinians 209 Flagg Place Father René, c.s. Staten Island, NY 10304-1122 [email protected] Editor SCALABRINIANS JFM 2005 9/7/06 1:55 PM Page 5 NEWNEWNEWNEW Publications from the Center for Migration Studies Place your orders at Center for Migration Studies 209 Flagg Place, Staten Island, NY 10304-1122 Tel: (718) 351-8800 Fax: (718) 667-4598 E-mail: [email protected] or visit us on-line Website: http://www.cmsny.org SCALABRINIANS JFM 2005 9/7/06 1:55 PM Page 6 In each and every activity and ed against continuing, others did not group, we tried to train someone to later have the proper training to handle the give continuance to these programs and groups, many of the people were afraid we attempted to form a council of these to take advantage of the services we leaders with local professionals (doctors, opened to them concerning their migra- lawyers, psychologists, etc.) to maintain tion status, and so on. these programs and better their present situation. Nevertheless, I know that we gave Testimony and that is all that we as reli- We culminated our mission with a gious can do, to be “useless servants” for Soccer tournament that included both the Lord and for the construction of His young men and women’s teams followed Kingdom. This, I believe we did as best by The Festival of Hope where the chil- we could and God placed and continues dren, adolescents, and young adults per- to put the rest. I recognize that God was formed what they had worked on dur- able to inspire, reach, touch and heal ing this month. These last two events many people through us and He contin- showed that cooperation was possible ues to. One of the young men in my between a divided society, many began youth group wrote to me on the Feast of to believe in themselves and in those Saint Francis to wish me well, almost a around them, others realized the special full year after our mission. He wrote to gifts that they possessed and that could tell me that he had gone back to school be shared with others, and so much while he continued to work to support more. Still, three things stand out above his family, that he had “squared” things the rest: one, that although it rained with God since his father had aban- throughout the entire Festival, the doned them, that he was finding the crowds continued to swell and no inci- time to organize soccer games for the dent occurred among the varying sub- children three times a week and that groups, the second is that most of the there were others like him. He wrote public officials, religious leaders, teach- many other things that moved me but ers and other community figures were one left me with much to praise God able to allow, work together, or at the over. He said that he learned that the least, not impede the month long activ- more that one spent time with the other, ities and final proceedings, and lastly, the more one learned about himself and the month long events and concluding God, and that the more he gave of him- Festival had been offered without any self, the more he received from God. I monetary investment. In fact, many answered him that his studies are paying permitted the use of fields, classrooms, off and that God is certainly with him. social halls, and more, that had not been open to the public previously. However, there is no fairy tale ending to conclude with. The fact is that most things went back to normal, some of the leaders that we tried to motivate decid- Typical House 30 WINTER 2005 SCALABRINIANS JFM 2005 9/7/06 1:55 PM Page 7 contents VOL. 26 • NO. 1 • JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH • 2005 Message of The Holy Father John Paul II for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2005 4 Greetings! 6 4 Rhode Island Communities Celebrate the Centennial Year of Blessed Scalabrini’s Death 13 6 Preparations for the 100th Anniversary of the Death of Blessed John Baptist Scalabrini 15 New “Remote Adoption” Program 16 15 Articles: Migration and Theology • Working In The Ways of The Lord • A Lay Perspective on the Migration and Theology Conference • “Let’s Start To Do Something” 18 16 Saint Charles Mission Center Bids Farewell to Sisters 26 Francesco Valentini Writes to Us 28 27 SCALABRINIANS JFM 2005 9/7/06 1:55 PM Page 8 Message Of The Holy Father John Paul II For The World Day Of Migrants & Refugees 2005 Intercultural Integration Dear Brothers and Sisters, 1. The World Day of Migrants and Refugees is at hand. In the annu- al Message I usually address to you on this occasion, I would like this time to consider the phenomenon of migra- tion from the perspective of integra- tion. Many people use this word to denote the need for immigrants to be IOANNES PAULUS PP. II truly incorporated in the host coun- to avoid the occurrence of exasperated try, but neither the content of this differentiation. concept nor its practice is easy to I will not deal with the various define. In this regard I would like to aspects of integration. All I desire on sketch the picture by recalling the this occasion is to go deeper with you recent Instruction Erga migrantes cari- into some implications of its intercul- tas Christi (The love of Christ towards tural dimension. migrants) (cf. nos. 2, 42, 43, 62, 80, 2. No one is unaware of the iden- 89). tity conflict that often comes about in In this document, integration is the meeting of persons of different not presented as an assimilation that cultures. Positive elements do exist in leads migrants to suppress or to forget this. By introducing themselves into a their own cultural identity. Rather, new environment, immigrants often contact with others leads to discover- become more aware of who they are, ing their “secret,” to being open to especially when they miss the persons them in order to welcome their valid and values that are important to them. aspects and thus contribute to know- In our society, characterized by ing each one better. This is a lengthy the global phenomenon of migration, process that aims to shape societies individuals must seek the proper bal- and cultures, making them more and ance between respect for their own more a reflection of the multifaceted identity and recognition of that of gifts of God to human beings. In this others. Indeed, it is necessary to rec- process the migrant is intent on taking ognize the legitimate plurality of cul- the necessary steps towards social tures present in a country, in harmony inclusion, such as learning the nation- with the preservation of law and al language and complying with the order, on which depend social peace laws and requirements at work, so as and the freedom of citizens.