By Judy Alvarez, Salesian Cooperator
(Los Angeles, California) – On the Salesians of Don Bosco USA West website and in the InTouch, published on January 28, 2025, there is “A Call to Be Agents of Hope, Unity, and Transformation.” It is “a statement from the Salesians of Don Bosco USA West regarding the recent actions and policies of the US Government on several issues.” I urge you to revisit this statement, which opens with naming these concerns:
“In these uncertain times, when recent actions and policies from our government have stirred fear, division, and confusion, particularly among our immigrant brothers and sisters, undocumented families, refugees, LGBT youth, women, and the poor, we stand together united in the spirit of our founder, St. John Bosco, with a message of unwavering solidarity. We offer not only compassion but hope.“
At this time, I want to focus our readers on an opportunity to understand better Catholic Social Teaching on immigration. This teaching is to be understood by the faithful in making ethical and compassionate choices as good Christians and honest citizens living in our current times.
Recently, I received an invitation from Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life to attend an online session related to immigration entitled: Conversations That Matter: Immigration and Human Flourishing at the Southern Border. The conversation will gather noteworthy experts on migration to “explore the complex realities of immigration at the U.S.- Mexico border, considering human stories of migration, ethical principles, and a theological vision that can inform a genuinely Catholic response to migration. Panelists will explore what drives migration at the southern border, the social and legal realities migrants encounter, and the theological foundations required to recognize that responding to migration is essential to building an integral culture of life.” This opportunity is happening on Thursday, April 24, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. PT.
The experts to speak at this occasion include Rev. Daniel G. Groody, C.S.C., who is “internationally recognized as an expert on migration and refugee issues. He has collaborated with institutions such as the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the World Council of Churches, the Vatican, and the United Nations.” Years ago, I heard him speak and felt deeply moved by his research stories and theological perspectives on immigration.
Many Catholics have not had the occasion to take a deeper look at the complexities of migration and the theological foundations that guide a Catholic response to the issues we face as a nation. I asked the McGrath Institute if I could promote this workshop to our InTouch readers. If you are interested in attending, please register using this link. If you are interested but unable to attend, you will also find a recording of this session on the McGrath Institute website at a future date.
Source: McGrath Institute for Church Life