b'S herine Green vividly remembers the day in 2006 when she about immigrants, says Mary, but we rarely get a chance to talkfirst stepped foot on U.S. soil. She was a jumble of emotions. with someone about who they are, why they came and what weI was hopeful about the future, says the 34-year-old from have in common. We yearn for a personal encounter.Jamaica who had come looking for work opportunities. But I also Last August, with the help of Catholic Charities, the Immigrantwas scared. I didnt feel safe until I got my green card. In 2014, she Justice Team set up such an encounter by inviting refugees livingbecame a naturalized U.S. citizen. in the New Jersey and Philadelphia area to a potluck dinner and aTwo years after she arrived, Sherine met a group of Marianists at night of sharing. Fifty recent immigrants and refugees compriseda meeting in Philadelphia, including Marianist Father Ted Cassidy. of parents and children, participated, along with more than 80 localTheir concern for immigrants and their willingness to act on their Marianists and parishioners from Christ Our Light Catholic ChurchGospel values impressed Sherine. I drew strength from this com- in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, the parish that hosted the dinner.munity, she says. In the spirit of Mary, we welcomed people to our tables to listen,to be present and to share small things, like our favorite foods orOur Church has responded to Christs callfamily traditionsthose things that make us human, says Mary.to welcome the stranger among us, forWe all have a story to tell, she adds, acknowledging that her motherin this encounter with the immigrant, thecame from Northern Ireland in the 1940s to escape religious dis-migrant and the refugee in our midst, wecrimination.The point was to connect around issues that felt safe for every-encounter Christ. one, says Sherine, who is now director of youth faith formation atChrist Our Light. Even when people are here legally, thats some- Catholic Social Teaching on ImmigrationThe United States Conference of Catholic Bishops times hard. So while the children played, the adults relaxed andenjoyed a meal together. It was that simple.Catholic Social Services, who oversees refugee resettlement pro- Later that evening, an Egyptian woman, who had arrived in thegrams, estimates that there are roughly 65 million people on the U.S. a few years ago, confided to Sherine, no one has ever welcomedmove todayeconomic immigrants searching for work, refugees me to this country until tonight.desperate for food and safety, and political asylum seekersmore Both Mary and Sherine were profoundly moved. Wed like topeople than at any point since World War II. Some are acting out see this event replicated around the country by other Marianistof desperation. Families are taking treacherous journeys, even groups, says Mary. with their babies, because they are fleeing for their lives, saysThe Immigrant Team has explored other initiatives. Last year,Father Ted. Bruce Segall, a team member and a former Marianist brother, becameMarianists working on the front lines of immigrant justice admit involved in a detainee pen-pal program. The idea behind the letter-its a complicated issue. Our immigration system is broken, says writing program is to provide emotional support to those held inMary Vanderhoof, former assistant director of the Marianist Social detention until their immigration status can be resolved. That canJustice Collaborative (MSJC). As a country, we need an immigration take a few months or up to several years. For those enduring apolicy that is compassionate toward people seeking asylum while lengthy wait, a simple letter can mean a lot. Just knowing someonestill securing our borderssomething that meets the needs of the cares can help detainees feel less isolated and lonely, says Bruce.American people. We cant accept unlimited numbers of unskilled Through an immigrant accompaniment program sponsored byworkers. Our economy cant sustain that. That means we need to his local diocese, Bruce also has been trained to accompany detaineesaddress the reasons why people are leaving their countries in the to their court hearings. I do it because Catholic Social Teaching tellsfirst place. us that every human life has dignity. As Catholics, were called toWhile these problems, and the politics that drive them, continue help the marginalized and the asylum seeker.to be debated, Father Ted believes we are obliged to assist thosestruggling for their lives. Morally, we cant ignore or evade them, Always something we can dohe says. While some may not be able to participate in a dinner or inclined towrite a letter, there is always something we can do, says Father Ted.A proverbial toe in the water: simple steps We may feel powerless about this issue, but we can pray about it.Last year, the MSJCs Immigrant Justice Teams 12 members, includ- Prayer helps us reframe how we see the other and who we are ining Mary, Sherine and Father Ted, banded together to bring these relationship to the stranger among us.issues to the forefront. We hear a lot of statistics from the mediaFor more information: If you are interested in hosting a potluck dinner or getting involved with the Marianist Immigrant Justice Team,contact Jim Vogt, director, Marianist Social Justice Collaborative, [email protected] or 859.291.6197.marianist.com/donate 15'