T he United States is widely considered to be a nation of immigrants. Since the 1600s millions of individuals have crossed vast oceans and dangerous borders, as the bishops have stated, “to support and protect themselves.” Our history as a country has not kept immigration from being a contentious topic though, which is how we at SAINT PETER’S PREP arrived at our theme for the fall 2010 Arrupe Lecture Series. “The Church recognizes the Over the past 14 years the Arrupe Lecture Series has been an opportunity for us to consider in what ways right of a sovereign state to the Gospels asks us to respond to matters of social control its borders in injustice. Pedro Arrupe, S.J., who as superior general furtherance of the common of the Jesuits first talked about the idea of creating a good. It also recognizes the world in which we could live as men and women for right of human persons to others, was known for the relationships he forged migrate so that they can with individuals. When it came to matters of realize their God‐given rights. injustice, Arrupe focused on people, not These teachings complement problems. It is through that lens that we explore the each other. While the issue of immigration. sovereign state may impose reasonable limits on More than two dozen speakers – ranging from Prep immigration, the common teachers to national advocates – have been invited good is not served when the to share their work on immigration issues with us basic human rights of the during the Arrupe series. individual are violated. In the current condition of the In an attempt to expand our call to dialogue on world, in which global immigration, this year’s series will include a poverty and persecution are “workshop day” following the keynote address on rampant, the presumption is Friday, November 5. The schedule is: that persons must migrate in order to support and protect 8:10 – 9:45 a.m. Sean Carroll, S.J. themselves and that nations Kino Border Initiative who are able to receive them Keynote Speaker should do so whenever 9:55 – 10:35 a.m. Workshop 1* possible.” ­The U.S. Catholic Bishops 10:45 – 11:25 a.m. Workshop 2* 11:30 – 12:15 p.m. HR Reflection * Students will have the opportunity to select from among 25 possible sessions for each of the two “workshop” slots. In the days leading up to the Arrupe Series you will be asked to complete an online form ranking your workshop (breakout session) choices. You will receive confirmation of what two sessions you must attend in homeroom on Tuesday, November 2. Complete information on the workshop sessions can be found on the Arrupe website, www.spprep.org/arrupe. In the statement “Strangers No Longer” the U.S. Bishops identified three areas of challenge and response that we, as people of God, face when addressing immigration: working toward conversion, communion, and solidarity. The more than two dozen breakout sessions are categorized into those three areas to aid in your selection of sessions.
TOWARD CONVERSION: “…Part of the process of conversion of mind and heart deals with confronting attitudes of cultural superiority, indifference, and racism; accepting migrants not as aliens, terrorists, or economic threats, but rather as persons with dignity and rights, revealing the presence of Christ; and recognizing migrants as bearers of deep cultural values and rich faith traditions.” XComing to the U.S.: Experiences of Prep’s Immigrant Parents
Hear the stories of three Prep parents who emigrated to the US:
MRS. LEONOR PEREZ, (CUBA), MOTHER OF DANNY, '12
MR. BRIAN FREEMAN, (IRELAND), FATHER OF COLIN, '12 AND CIARAN,'14
MR. OMAYEMI AGBEYEGBE, (NIGERIA), FATHER OF OMAYEMI, '12
These parents will discuss the reasons for their arrival here and they
will also discuss some of the advantages they see and the
challenges they face here in the United States.
FACILITATED BY: Campus Ministry Staff
XThe DREAM Act Now: Telling Your Story
The session will allow students to witness and exercise the power of
stories in the DREAM (Development, Relief and Education for Alien
Minors) Act and immigration reform struggle, The DREAM Act would
provide certain inadmissible or deportable alien students who
graduate from U.S. high schools, who are of “good moral character,”
arrived in the U.S. as minors, and have been in the country
continuously for at least five years prior to the bill's enactment the
opportunity to earn conditional permanent residency if they complete
two years in the military or two years at a four year college.
PRESENTER: Ms. Brenda Aguilar, NJ DREAM Act Coalition
XImmigrant Family Values vs. Immigration Law:
Crossroads and Impasse
So you've arrived here in the United States, land of the free and
home of the brave...now what? “Why do I have to wait 22 years to
bring my family members here?” “Why does some of my family
qualify for green cards and not others?” “I married a US Citizen, why
can't I become a citizen too?” From the White House to the local
service agency, those who work with immigrant communities agree
that the current system is broken and does not serve immigrant
families. Learn about the barriers to family reunification, the laws that
force 12 million immigrants to live in the shadows, and the work that
the Church and other allies are doing to fix it.
PRESENTER: Ms. Christina Baal, NY Immigration Coalition
XYearning to be Free:
Catholic Social Thought and the Urban Political Machine
This presentation will focus on the ways in which Catholic social
teaching influenced the old political machines of New York, Jersey
City and other urban areas. The urban machines did not directly
influence the politics of immigration, but did respond to the vast
human needs of immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries.
Given that these organizations were conspicuously Catholic, their
responses offer a glimpse at Catholic attitudes towards immigrants.
PRESENTER: Mr. Terry Golway, P ’14,
Director of the Kean Center for US History at Kean University
XFILM: “Dying to Live: A Migrant’s Journey”
A profound look at the human face of the migrant. It explores who
these people are, why they leave their homes and what they face in
their journey. Drawing on the insights of Pulitzer Prize winning
photographers, theologians, church and congressional leaders,
activists, musicians, and the immigrants themselves, this film
explores the places of conflict, pain, and hope along the U.S. –
Mexico border. It is a reflection on the human struggle for a more
dignified life and the search to find God in the midst of it all.
FILM BY: Fr. Daniel Groody, CSC, University of Notre Dame
X"Was heisst Multikulti?": Immigration and
Multiculturalism in Germany
This session will introduce students to current issues involving
immigration, multiculturalism and national identity in Germany.
Students will have a chance to discuss some of the key debates
regarding integration and cultural understanding in areas such as
education, religion, and social policy.
PRESENTER: Mr. Ryan Grusenski, Saint Peter’s Prep,
and Ms. Christina Lordeman, NYU/Saint Peter’s Prep
XOn the Move: The Faces of Forced Migration
Join Jesuit Refugee Service/USA for an interactive look at the
realities of refugee life. Throughout the session, students will hear
stories, explore the facts, and participate in activities to discover the
faces behind the statistics. By the end of the session, students will
gain understanding in where forced migration is occurring as well as
what it really means to be a refugee.
PRESENTER: Ms. Kim Miller, Jesuit Refugee Service (USA)
XMyth Busters: Immigration Fact or Fiction?
Perceptions can be deceiving. Crime, Poverty, Jobs, Economy, Hard
Work, Illegal, Legal, Documented, Undocumented – What comes to
mind when you hear the word immigration? Did you hear something
on the news? From your parents? Online? This session will take a
look at some of the hot topics that are discussed around the
immigration debate and attempt to challenge you to separate fact
from fiction. It will be highly interactive and will be driven by
participation from those who attend.
PRESENTER: Mr. James Porter, Catholic Legal Immigration Network XThe Consequences of Everyday Discrimination
We will consider how misleading the American Promise is for
migrating people, and the everyday experiences of prejudice and
discrimination migrant farm families experience in places like your
town’s supermarket.
PRESENTER: Dr. Dominic P. Scibilia, Saint Peter’s Prep
TOWARD COMMUNION: “…Conversion of mind and heart leads to communion expressed through hospitality on the part of receiving communities and a sense of belonging and welcome on the part of those in the communities where migrants are arriving.” X “Hospitality” – Nigeria, West Virginia, and the Gospel of Luke
We will share the different customs of the people in Nigeria, West
Africa. We will also talk about our experience of welcome in West
Virginia. We will then share what Luke says in the Gospel about
hospitality and welcome and how this pertains to ourselves
personally and also to the issue of immigration.
PRESENTER: Fr. Tony Azzarto, SJ, Saint Peter’s Prep
XOur Undocumented Sisters and Brothers: Walls or Welcome?
“I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” How do we follow a Jesus
who was homeless and the son of a migrant family? What does the
Bible say about immigration? What does our Catholic Church teach?
Where does our faith lead, challenge, and discomfort us? Why do
we believe what we believe about immigration?
PRESENTER: Mr. Larry DiPaul, Romero Center Ministries
XI(‘)mMigrant: the Sights and Sounds of Human Flight
“Love shows itself better through deeds than by words.” - Saint
Ignatius Loyola. Immigration is usually a story of love: how love
pushes one to seek greener pastures for a brighter future, how love
keeps a family intact across vast distances, how love pulls one away
from that which is comfortable and familiar. This breakout session will
share these stories uniquely through art and song.
PRESENTER: Mr. GP Eleria, Mr. Nyugen Smith, and VOX members
XFILM & DISCUSSION: “Posada: A Night to Cross All Borders”
Posada is a documentary about unaccompanied children coming to
the U.S., which annually turns away 100,000 unaccompanied
immigrant children. This is the story of three who stayed. Las
Posadas is a Mexican Christmas story of Joseph and Mary's search
for shelter. In Posada, the journeys of three teens unfold in a
pilgrimage from Central America to the United States. Each one was
detained by immigration officials for several months. Their stories
helped lay the foundation for future immigrants. *DOUBLE SESSION
– Those in this session will remain for both time slots.
FILM BY: Fr. Mark McGregor, S.J., Gonzaga University
X“I was in prison, and you visited me”
Fr. Sheridan’s session will discuss what it means to be a companion
alongside immigrants. The session will be an opportunity to share
your own thoughts from the morning’s keynote and hear about Fr.
Sheridan’s work as a minister to immigrants in federal detention at
the Elizabeth Detention Center in New Jersey.
PRESENTER: Fr. Tom Sheridan, S.J., Saint Peter’s College
XImpact of the Immigration System on Children & Families
This workshop will provide an overview of immigrants in New Jersey,
why and how immigration system is not working for many, and
hardship facing mixed status families (more than 3 mil. children live
in mixed status families). A testimony will be given by a young person
from a mixed-status family as an integral part of the workshop.
Participants will be encouraged to speak and raise questions.
PRESENTER: Ms. Chia-Chia Wang,
American Friends Service Committee –Immigrant Rights Program
TOWARD SOLIDARITY: “…Working closely with other advocates…the Church can be instrumental in developing initiatives for social change that benefit the most vulnerable members of the community.” X Empowering and Serving our Local Immigrant Communities
The session will look at the services that agencies like Cabrini
Immigrant Services offers for immigrants, how the services are
provided, and most importantly, why the need and services exist. Sr.
Kelly will discuss the role of community-based immigrant service
organizations and the pros and cons of such organizations and work.
PRESENTER: Sr. Kelly Carpenter, RSHM, Cabrini Immigration Service XThe Catholic Church in the U.S. and the Question of Immigration
We will address some of these questions together: 1) Why is the
Church involved in the issue of immigration? 2) Why is the Church
interested in the plight of the immigrants? 3) Why is the Church
advocating for a comprehensive immigration reform? 4) What are
the Bishops of the U.S. doing to help bring about immigration reform
that is good for the country and for the immigrants?
PRESENTER: Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, SDV, Arch. of Newark XHow to Help Immigrants in the Process of Settling in a New Life
What does it mean to be an immigrant? What are the reasons to
leave your home and come to America? What are the difficulties with
language, immigration burdens, challenges, etc.? The session will
take a look at what we are doing in our Mission to help immigrants
obtain their legal status. Our emphasis is on interpersonal
relationships with people who are undocumented, or people who are
struggling through the immigration process. We will also present how
we try to serve them with other human and social services they need
PRESENTERS: Ms. Gertrudis Duran and Mr. Jose Javier Bosque,
Southside Community Mission.
XGlobal Solidarity and Immigration: What Can We Do?
This breakout session will take a look at immigration from a global
perspective, offer some thoughts on the dignity of the human person,
and examine an action step to immigration through advocacy efforts.
PRESENTER: Mr. Dennis J. Fisher, Catholic Relief Services
XCatholic Social Teaching: My Ideal Immigration Policy
An overall of Catholic teaching in regards to immigration, with a
special emphasis on the DREAM (Development, Relief and
Education for Alien Minors) Act. Students will be encouraged to
formulate thoughts for their own ideal immigration policy.
PRESENTER: Fr. Brian Jordan, OFM, Immigration Counselor
X Immigration Law and How it Can Help People
We will briefly examine some of the forms of relief (green cards,
political asylum, family relief) that are available to those who come to
this country and what those forms of relief require.
PRESENTER: Deacon Joseph W. Lonergan, Esq., Archdiocese of
Philadelphia, Catholic Social Services X Bitter Bread: The Story of Italian Immigrants in the U.S.
A post-screening Q&A and discussion of the film Pane Amaro (Bitter
Bread), which recounts the story of how Italians in the United States
transformed from immigrants into Americans. Dr. Trasciatti was one
of the individuals interviewed in the documentary. *DOUBLE
SESSION – Those in this session will remain for both time slots.
PRESENTER: Mary Anne Trasciatti, Ph.D., Hofstra University X New Immigrants! – New Immigration Laws!– New America!
The work of acknowledging our immigrant roots, accepting our new
immigrant neighbors and aspiring to build a a New America for the
21st century is the work of everyone: faith communities, schools
neighborhoods, towns and cities, states and the federal government.
Where are we now? Where is America going? Who are we taking
with us? Who are we leaving behind?
PRESENTER: Rev. Terry Troia, Ph.D., Project Hospitality