New Migrants Are Among Us… What Would Jesus Do?

              It has been coming for some time, with the increasing number of migrants spreading across the country, including many arriving in our Commonwealth. Now one of our parish communities, Plainville, joins Foxboro, Franklin, and some seventy others so far in Massachusetts where state authorities have found temporary shelter for them in hotels. While the circumstances may be different, in its essence this is nothing new. Local governments, private charities, and Catholic organizations have long provided temporary housing for those in need – including, at times, in hotels.
People’s responses to this latest news have been all over the spectrum – from asking how they can help the migrants, to worrying about migrant assistance taking away from long-time residents in need, and some even looking for ways a town could say “no” to the migrants coming. Say what you want about the politics and practicalities of how these particular arrivals come to us, but lets not forget the traumatic experience these families, mothers and children have endured as migrants. That on top of the earlier circumstances that led them to seek refuge here in the first place. Naturally, we may have many questions: Where are they from and what are their stories? How are their basic needs being met? How will their presence and involvement in our community affect others? Many of these answers are being pursued by our towns and legislators.

Perhaps these migrants will be here only a short time, or perhaps they will choose to stay in our community. As with any of the myriad of other reasons people move to our towns, there are legitimate concerns that come with population growth: housing, education, employment, governance, etc. Thankfully I have been in communication with town officials in Plainville since the day the state called them, and we are looking for ways that our parishes can help meet some of the needs of these recent arrivals. I also attended the Wrentham Board of Selectmen meeting this week (along with the Plainville Town Administrator and our State Representative) where this issue was discussed. Therefore, I personally can attest that both of our towns are working hard to balance both the humanitarian needs and the practical concerns involved in caring for our sisters and brothers in the human family who are all residents of our towns – whether for many years already, or these newest residents who – if welcomed – can become contributing members of our communities.

What is not helpful is when we exaggerate our concerns or give in to fear: fear of the stranger, fear of the unknown… . We all know government and charity budgets are limited, but we can work on addressing the needs of the most vulnerable among us, regardless of how long they have been here.

Especially as Catholics, with the example of Christ and our rich history of Catholic social teaching, we can tame our fears and concerns by asking ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” or, “What is Jesus calling me to do, here and now?” Just a couple of quotes from Church teaching can reminds us:
“Justice will never be fully attained unless people see in the poor person, who is asking for help in order to survive, not an annoyance or a burden, but an opportunity for showing kindness and a chance for greater enrichment.” St. John Paul II, Centesimus Annus: On the Hundredth Anniversary of Rerum Novarum
“In the Old Testament, the Torah teaches that strangers and the homeless in general, inasmuch as they are exposed to all sorts of dangers, deserve special concern from the believer.” St. John Paul II, Developing Special Concern for the Homeless
“We call upon all people of good will, but Catholics especially, to welcome the newcomers in their neighborhoods and schools, in their places of work and worship, with heartfelt hospitality, openness, and eagerness both to help and to learn from our brothers and sisters.”… “As Catholics we are called to take concrete measures to overcome the misunderstanding, ignorance, competition, and fear that stand in the way of genuinely welcoming the stranger in our midst and enjoying the communion that is our destiny as Children of God.” Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity, a statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops.

So, rather than worry about what is not in our control, let us do what we can – individually and collectively – to care for all our neighbors, both new and old. We’ll keep looking for ways to help coordinate these efforts. Meanwhile, please keep them in prayer. Who knows… some of the new arrivals may become our new parishioners!