A pastoral visit brings a realization of migrant issues
WENDOVER — The Most Rev. John R. Manz, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago, Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugees and Travelers, and Episcopal Liaison to the Migrant Farmworker Apostolate, made his pastoral visit with migrant farmworker communities in the Diocese of Salt Lake City from Sept. 20-22.
Bishop Manz was accompanied by Missionary Sister of Saint Charles Myrna Tordillo, assistant director of pastoral care of migrants, refugees, and travelers in Washington, D. C.
The visit allowed Bishop Manz and The Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, to come together to be more informed and to provide a direct pastoral visit to migrant farmworkers. Bishop Manz was able to see how best to respond and help migrants and encourage those who work with the migrants. The pastoral visit was also an occasion to look at how migrant farmworker pastoral outreach is provided.
After his visit, Bishop Manz will prepare a report for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church.
Their first visit Sept. 21, was with Adan Batar, director of Immigration and Refugee Resettlement at Catholic Community Services (CCS). The resettlement program guides refugees toward self-reliance by providing pre-arrival services, needs assessments, community orientation, job development, housing, supportive counseling, referrals to health care, English-as-a-Second-Language classes, and other necessary services.
Batar said CCS started resettling refugees early in the 1970s. At that time refugees were coming from Southeast Asia. As situations in world crises change each year, there are about 400 to 500 refugees resettled in Utah.
CCS looks for housing for the refugees according to the size of the family, rents the apartment, pays the first month’s rent and deposit, and fully furnishes the apartment with what a family needs to start a new life in Utah. That includes beds, furniture, linens, dishes, appliances, and clothing.
“The money we receive from the federal government is about $425 per person, which does not cover their needs,” said Batar. “Everything else is provided through donations from the community. We also provide food the family can eat when they first arrive. We take them to apply for a Social Security card and to the welfare office for food stamps, and financial assistance. It is our goal to help them become self sufficient and American citizens.”
After a visit to CCS, Maria Cruz Gray, Deacon Forrest Gray, Bishop Manz, Sister Myrna, and Bishop Wester visited the Moroni Turkey Farm.
“The day we were there, they processed 18,000 turkeys,” said Cruz-Gray. “About ninety-nine percent of the workers were Hispanic. They showed us the whole process, and they said now is their busiest time until Thanksgiving. They have more than 300 workers.”
After that they visited St. Jude mission in Ephraim. The migrant workers told both bishops their needs and problems coming to the United States. It is difficult for them to find jobs. All of the migrant workers are Catholic. It is difficult for them to raise their families in a migrant-worker life style because their children need to go to school, and sometimes it requires them breaking up their families. But they really enjoy being members of St. Jude Mission because they are welcomed.
On Sept. 22, the group and they went sight seeing, and loved the Stations of the Cross in the Cathedral of the Madeleine. Dee Rowland, the Diocesan government liaison joined the group.
“Then we met with the Holy Cross Sisters at Holy Cross Ministries,” said Cruz Gray. “We met with the promotores, who work with the migrant people. Bishop Manz was delighted to see the outstanding job the Holy Cross Sisters are doing in this diocese with their many programs. Holy Cross Ministries Counseling Program has two licensed counselors working in schools in Salt Lake City and in Wendover and in the after school programs in Park City/Heber and Wendover. They have an after school and summer program, English as a second language.
“We then picked up Jose Lopez, the director of migrant farmworkers in Stockton, Calif. We went to Logan, and met with Father Clarence Sandoval, pastor of Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish. We went to the church and were greeted by more than 200 people. Bishop Manz celebrated Mass, and then they talked to him about their needs, and how he might be able to help them. They also told him how much help they receive from Fr. Sandoval and Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish.
“We then went to see Gerald Brown at the Utah State Department of Workforce Services,” said Cruz Gray. “Brown said the agency is mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another state, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country. In more than five decades, the agency has helped an estimated 50 million people restart their lives.”
Cruz Gray said they also visited Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish in Midvale, and then traveled to San Felipe Parish in Wendover. In Wendover they were welcomed by several migrants who told the bishops their stories and how they appreciated San Felipe Parish.
“Bishop Manz, Bishop Wester, and Father German Umaña concelebrated a Mass that was attended by more than 600 people,” said Cruz Gray. “We realize after all the visits, and listening to all the migrants and hearing their stories and their issues, we are doing our best, but there is more we have to do for these people.”
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