Suggestions for Welcoming Immigrants.
January
Respond to immigrants' invitation to celebrate with them. For example, attend a Migration Sunday Mass on the Feast of the Epiphany. You will have the opportunity to let those who have come from afar to gift you with their worship music, their dance, and their food at the international buffet that usually follows the celebration of the Eucharist. Be on the lookout for ethnic festivals. When you attend, you convey your pleasure that immigrants enrich our US culture with their unique traditions
National Migration Week 2011
Invite immigrants to help plan and lead community, school and parish commemorations of National Migration Week. It is a very good way to let our immigrant brothers and sisters know we welcome them and stand with them. Resources are now available for National Migration Week, which is January 2-8, 2011. Echoing Pope Benedict XVI's 2011 World Day of Migrants and Refugees Message, the U.S. bishops focus on migrant families for the 2011 Week. A poster, prayer card, and bulletin insert focusing on the economic crisis, underdevelopment, and the stresses and strains of migration on families, can be found here
February
TET Lunar New Year 2011 - Year of the Cat - Feb 2-7, 2011
Start making plans this month to celebrate Tet—the Lunar New Year—with Vietnamese immigrants and Vietnamese Americans. Vietnamese parishes will be celebrating on Sunday, Feb 6, so try to join your neighbors for their new year's Mass and festivities. Even if you do not understand Vietnamese, your presence will speak of your joy in being united in the Body of Christ and you will understand the smiles and gestures that welcome you.
Importance of Tet to Vietnamese and Vietnamese-AmericaTet Nguyên Ðán is celebrated on ns the first day of the lunar calendar-it always falls between January 19th and February 20th on the western calendar-and officially lasts for the first three days of the New Year. However, preparation for the festival fills the weeks before the actual holiday, and the celebration itself lasts longer than three days. Therefore, Tet is a month-long celebration, a comprehensive holiday which Vietnamese enthusiastically embrace. Vietnamese, living in the United States and elsewhere, remain very emotionally tied to celebrating Tet. It is the central festival in Vietnam and, for even the most acculturated Vietnamese settled in other countries, it remains the major occasion on which to celebrate their Vietnamese heritage. Tet is a moveable holiday (like Easter), which presents some difficulty in celebrating the holiday while living in a country with a different holiday calendar. Be this as it may, Vietnamese communities make a concerted effort to celebrate Tet, and most family members undertake long trips to be with their relatives during this time.
Here in the United States, celebrating Tet is a bit different because the general culture does not mark the holiday. People continue to go to work and school if Tet falls on a weekday, and the grander celebration is held off until the weekend.
Black History Month Suggestion
March
Since March is Women's History Month, you may want to see some films about immigrant women. A Place Called Home—Women and Immigration http://www.wmm.com/filmcatalog/collect18.shtml has a number of videos that tell the stories of immigrant women from various cultures. They are available for purchase for home video viewing. Invite one or some immigrant women to view a film with you. Make it a social event by serving refreshments. If you view one that you would recommend to others, please let me know and I'll get the word out.
During March, Women's History Month, and as we accompany Jesus through Lent and Holy Week, let's remember that Jesus' respect and care for women is Good News for us to share with other women. Gladden the heart of an immigrant woman who struggles under the weight of heavy demands, inadequate resources, and the loss of support from an extended family that she either had to leave behind or lost to violence. Here are some ideas to get your hospitality "juices" going:
- Take a potted, flowering plant to an immigrant neighbor or to an immigrant working in or managing an immigrant family business and tell her you celebrate her ability to grow in a "new garden"--pantomime that message if you have to!
- Host or co-host a tea party for a few immigrant women
- If you are aware of a number of immigrant women who work at an area farm or hotel, etc, join some others and collect hand lotions to distribute among them
During March, Women's History Month, and as we accompany Jesus through Lent and Holy Week, let's remember that Jesus' respect and care for women is Good News for us to share with other women. Gladden the heart of an immigrant woman who struggles under the weight of heavy demands, inadequate resources, and the loss of support from an extended family that she either had to leave behind or lost to violence. Here are some ideas to get your hospitality "juices" going:
- Take a potted, flowering plant to an immigrant neighbor or to an immigrant working in or managing an immigrant family business and tell her you celebrate her ability to grow in a "new garden"--pantomime that message if you have to!
- Host or co-host a tea party for a few immigrant women
- If you are aware of a number of immigrant women who work at an area farm or hotel, etc, join some others and collect hand lotions to distribute among them.
May
Mexicans, Mexican-Americans and many others celebrate May 5—Cinco de Mayo—more widely here in the U.S. than it is celebrated in Mexico. For information about its significance click on http://www.vivacincodemayo.org/history.htm. Make the day an occasion to reach out to people of Mexican heritage by patronizing a family-owned Mexican restaurant in your area. Be sure to compliment the cook!
August
As a new school year begins amidst escalating hostility toward immigrants to the US, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has a number of suggestions for teachers and PSR instructors about things to do to foster a welcoming classroom atmosphere for immigrants and all newcomers. The site also has some suggestions appropriate to parents of school children, i.e. talking to your children about some thoughtful ways they can help a newcomer feel welcome and more at ease. www.nccbuscc.org/mrs/youth.shtml.
November
nvite an immigrant (family) for a taste of American tradition at your Thanksgiving table. Suggest that they bring a dish to share that is typical holiday fare in their homeland.
December
Please click the link for an article about the importance of Our Lady of Guadalupe to the indigenous peoples of the Americas, especially Mexico, Central and South America. Celebrate her feast on Dec 12 with people gathered for a bilingual or Spanish Mass at a Catholic church in your area.
Other
Many immigrant children come to the US from warm climates. They need winter coats, hats, gloves, mittens, scarves, socks. Take advantage of the post-holiday sales and purchase something warm for a child, then donate it to one of the following in your area:
- the local Catholic Charities refugee resettlement program
- a local school with immigrant students (teachers will know who needs warm clothing)
- an English tutoring project (there will be adults there who have children who need warm clothes)
- a relief agency that serves immigrants and refugees
Encourage immigrants who struggle to speak English. Compliment their efforts. If you have trouble understanding their English pronunciation, be good humored and polite about asking them to repeat. Be careful not to be impatient because impatience conveys that the other person is a bother, and we are welcoming Extended Family.
When we take care that our language is not offensive to immigrants, we demonstrate the welcome we want to convey. The National Association of Hispanic Journalists asks persons in the media and all of us to stop using the expressions "Illegals" and "illegal aliens" when referring to undocumented workers. They suggest alternatives such as "undocumented workers" or "undocumented immigrants." The alternatives do not dehumanize immigrants as do terms such as "aliens" and "illegals." In addition, the alternatives more accurately describe the immigration status of persons who do not have the federal documentation to show that they are authorized to work, visit or live here.
Ramadan. Many of our immigrant neighbors from Bosnia, the Middle East, and Africa are Muslim. They are currently in the midst of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Every day during this month, Muslims around the world spend the daylight hours in a complete fast, abstaining from food and drink. As a time to purify the soul, refocus attention on God, and practice self-sacrifice, Ramadan is much more than just not eating and drinking. Muslims are called upon to use this month to re-evaluate their lives in light of Islamic guidance: "We are to make peace with those who have wronged us, strengthen ties with family and friends, do away with bad habits -- essentially to clean up our lives, our thoughts, and our feelings. The Arabic word for "fasting" (sawm) literally means "to refrain" - and it means not only refraining from food and drink, but from evil actions, thoughts, and words.
Muslims mark the end of Ramadan with a three day celebration called Eid al-Fitr ( pronounced "eed al fitter") Eid al-Fitr is an important Islamic holiday that involves many Muslims waking up early and praying either at an outdoor prayer ground or a mosque. Many Muslims dress in their finest clothes and adorn their homes with lights and other decorations. Old wrongs are forgiven and money is given to the poor. Special foods are prepared and friends or relatives are invited to share the feast. Gifts and greeting cards are exchanged and children receive presents. Eid al-Fitr is a joyous occasion but its underlying purpose is to praise and thank God according to Islamic belief.
Host a movie night to raise awareness of immigrant issues. Invite family and friends to a movie and discussion evening at your house or church. There are several movies available that would help prompt conversations on immigration issues and their impact on communities. You can create a casual environment that encourages participation by serving food and drinks. Movie suggestions include: The Visitor, Under the Same Moon, God Grew Tired of Us, The Least of These, and Crossing Arizona. Get more suggestions.
The coordinators of the evening should preview the movie ahead of time and compile a list of relevant questions or scenes to discuss. It is also a good idea to know a little bit about the reality of immigration by reading some of the resources available on our Web site or inviting someone with expertise to be available for questions.