The First International Meeting of the Daughters of Charity in Ministry with Migrants took place in Paris at the Motherhouse from September 5 through September 20th , 2005. Some 75 sisters from every continent attended the conference whose theme was
“Bearers of Hope towards a World without Borders”. The global phenomenon of migration, among other topics was discussed by the European Visatatrixes’ meeting in Salamanca in 2002. A small committee drawn from some of the European Provinces prepared a report that was then read at the 2004 General Assembly.
Sister Evelyne and the General Council proposed an international conference of the Daughters of Charity in Ministry with Migrants as a follow up of this discussion. Sister Julma Neo and Sister Maria Rosa Camminati, General Councillors, together with a coordinating committee planned the conference, set out the objectives and convened the sisters.
The conference began with discussion in small groups of Sisters from different countries who spoke the same language. The goal of this phase was to look at the reality of migration in their own countries in relation to globalization. From their own personal experience and from the perspective of migrants, they shared insights regarding the causes of migration, its consequences for migrants, their families, their countries of origin and the countries of welcome. Our insights were enriched by a panel of migrants from Cambodia, the Ivory Coast and Martinique who presented their positive and negative experiences of cultural, religious and social integration into France.
At a second phase of the conference, the Sisters heard presentations on a broad spectrum of topics including socio-cultural, political/legal, religious and inter-religious dimensions affecting migrants. The world became very small as we deepened our understanding of how each of these dimensions affected nations and had international consequences for migrants, immigrants and refugees. Internal migration as well as the increased movement of peoples from nation to nation and continent to continent, showed the interconnectedness of migration as a global phenomenon. There were likewise presentations at this phase that helped us situate our reflection on migration in the context of contemporary theological thinking and our Vincentian charism.
There was great diversity of presentations and topics by qualified presenters that added depth and breadth to our understanding.
These topics included:
““Confronting the global Phenomenon of Migration: the Reality, its Causes and Effects”
a paper by Dra. Gabriela Rodriguez Pizarro, Rapporteur; UN, Costa Rica
“Human Trafficking” by Agueda Marin from the International Organization for Migration (OIM), Costa Rica.
“The Political and Legal Challenges of Migration”, by Mark Von Sternberg, Senior Attorney, Catholic Charities Community Services, Archdiocese of New York, USA
“The Religious and Inter Religious Dimensions of Migration: Reality and Challenges”, by
Fr: Thomas Michel, SJ; Director, Jesuit Office for Inter religious Dialogue, Rome
“The Migrants’ Gift to the Church and Society”, by Fr. Eddy Jadot, SJ, Dir. of Jesuit Refugee Services in Belgium and by Mr. Gabriel Katuvadioko, National Chaplaincy for African Religious Communities.
“Reflections on Migration from the Perspective of Scriptures and the Social Teaching of the Church”, by Cardinal Stephen Hamao, President of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, Vatican City; and Nilda Castro of the Migrant Section of the same Pontifical Council.
“Migration and Vincentian Charism” by Fr. Giuseppe Turati, CM
In looking at the socio-cultural dimensions of migration, the Sisters spoke about cultural sensitivities and the need for awareness of our own and others’ attitudes towards cultural differences.
An area that was new to many of the Sisters was the political/legal dimension. This included laws affecting migrants/refugees, tension between what the laws provide and their implementation, as well as the seeming conflict between laws that try to protect the rights of individuals to live in dignity and the right of states to oversee their borders.
The religious and inter-religious presentations led the Sisters to a better understanding of Islam, inter-religious dialogue with migrants, and the pastoral care of migrants.
All of the above mentioned dimensions were considered in the light of our faith and our Vincentian charism. Sr. Evelyne Franc, Superioress General, challenged the Sisters in her opening talk to look at the global dimensions of migration with a new imagination; to realise the advantage of being an international Community as we approach this global phenomenon; to work to inculturate the richness of our charism; to work collaboratively with others; and to do this while balancing ministry and community. Fr. Gregory Gay, Superior General, joined the Sisters later in the conference to celebrate the Eucharist. Father’s homily was on the Scripture reading of the day, “the sower and the seed”. He challenged us to have an open and generous heart as we listen to the Word in Scripture and experience Christ in the poor and in each other. Following the Eucharist, he held an informal dialogue with the sisters and from his own experience as a missionary in Central America and spoke about our Vincentian response.
Interspersed with the presentations were times for personal and group prayer: The Eucharistic celebrations were central to our time together. The cultural diversity and creative expressions of prayer were reflected in the beautiful hymns, musical instruments, and liturgical dances of the Sisters from the many countries and nationalities represented. Sister Christina Conti’s violin accompanied every language group’s liturgy and her generosity in sharing her talent and gift with all of us demonstrated the potential that is in each of us to be one with the stranger, the foreigner.
Testimonies added another dimension to the conference. Sisters who are themselves refugees told the story of their own journey to a new country and all of the suffering and joys that were part of that experience. Other Sisters gave testimonies about their ministry to migrants through apostolic reflections, power-points and presentations.
There was a palpable exuberance and lively spirit among the participants at this conference. With most Sisters speaking two languages, there was more interaction and exchanges across nationalities and more sharing and listening to each others’ experiences and ministries with migrants.
Questions guided the discussions in the small groups with the intent of helping us integrate all that we were gleaning from the process and the presentations. Summaries of the responses were presented at the plenary sessions and those summaries were further synthesized by a Document Commission. A Draft of the Final Document was presented to the Sisters before final ratification.
No review of the session would be complete without acknowledging the tremendous hospitality of the sisters of the Motherhouse, the secretaries, Sister Esther Cavanagh and the team of translators without whom we could not have had this conference. Those who attended experienced the unparallel graciousness of Sr. Maria Teresa Sanz and her staff; always helpful regardless of the time of day or the request; the dynamic Vincentian Tour by Sr. Marie Genevieve Roux and Sr. Ascencion Larrad, and the depth and exuberance of Sr. Clare and the other sisters in the Archives who made our heritage come alive.
From Sr. Yonide Midy, Haitian Sister from the Quasi Province: “It was a beautiful experience! The sister participants were intensely engaged at this gathering, because of the profound experience they are having in their ministries with migrants”.
Sr. Consuelo Gomez, Mexican Sister from the Province of Puerto Rico, recently finished a ministry with migrants in Miami, Florida, USA: “Me siento enrequisada al saber que estamos trabajando con esta nueva pobreza de los migrantes en 5 continentes y viendo aun la diversidad en las respuestas pastorales y socials de nuestras Hermanas.”
“I found it enriching to learn that we (the Daughters) are working with this new poverty among migrants in 5 continents and also responding in diverse pastoral and social ministries.”
Sr. Michelle Nguyen, Vietnamese Sister from the Province of Albany, New York, USA:
“There was a bonding and connectedness among us that I believe came from the fact that it was “the migrants” who gathered us together and the Holy Spirit who opened us up to learn from each other how to support each other in the very different works that we do.”
Sr. Ecaterina Ciobanu Iuliana, Province of Romania working in Bucharest, Yugoslavia:
“This is my first experience of the “internationality” of the Company. It was beautiful to see how the sisters worked together so well even though we come from different countries and speak different languages.”
Sr. Tsigue Petros, Province of Ethiopia
“I feel I am going away with my faith strengthened and with a hope to go forward when I meet up with hardships. This I got from listening to the Sisters who were refugees themselves and who shared their painful stories of the forced migration they had to endure, and yet they never lost hope.”