Immigration Crisis Hits Close To Home

~ As a legal immigrant who came to the U.S. at a young age, I grew up balancing cultures—learning a new language, customs, and values while holding onto my roots. I remember the hope and opportunity my family felt. Today, it pains me to witness the hostility many immigrants face. The fear, the dehumanization, and the policies that separate families feel deeply personal. I see children who remind me of myself, but without the safety or welcome I once had. It’s heartbreaking. Being an immigrant is not a crime—it’s a story of resilience, sacrifice, and the pursuit of a better life. When I was given the opportunity to join the Saint Margaret of Scotland Living Justice Ministry’s Immigration Team I did not hesitate. As a team, we seek to rally our community to welcome the stranger and treat all persons with dignity, no matter their immigration status. We have been diligently discerning how to support our immigrant neighbors in the face of the policies of the current administration. Since January, we have:

· Organized an Immigration Updates session on February 25, co-sponsored with the Archdiocese of St. Louis, to inform on the current state of affairs and share opportunities to volunteer and advocate

· Obtained nearly 300 signatures on a letter to Archbishop Rozanski asking him to vocally support immigrants

· Participated in ‘“Walk and Eat Cherokee Street” on March 15 in support of immigrant businesses

· Shared weekly reflections on sacred art images in the bulletin during Lent and early Easter season, centering themes of migration and refugees

· Held Stations of the Cross with immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers as a focus

· Organized Living Justice Ministries demonstrations on Grand in May and June

We organize and hold events to raise awareness and funds 2-3 times annually, historically including Welcome Neighbor STL Supper Club meals, panel discussions, and documentary/movie-watching or book discussions. We contribute letters to the Advocacy Table, described earlier in this bulletin series. We also pull together to cook up a healthy meal monthly for delivery to the residents of Assisi House near St. Pius V, as we have since early 2022. 

The Immigration Team meets on the first Tuesday of the month, sometimes by Zoom and sometimes in person, and we are always looking for others to join us! We will soon be planning our fall schedule. If you want to learn more about immigrants in our community, learn by doing. Get in touch with us by emailing the immigration team at immigration@stmargaretstl.org.

We look forward to seeing every one of you at our events and hopefully at our committee meetings.

During the Summer months, this column will be highlighting the good work and parishioners involved in one of our various Social Justice Ministries.  Each week, we will feature an article from a different ministry, written by one if its members, as a reflection on the calling to Catholic Social Teaching at St. Margaret of Scotland.