During his weekend visit to the Diocese of Cleveland April 27-29, Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez concelebrated the ordination liturgy for nine transitional deacons, participated in a Welcoming the Stranger meeting, celebrated Mass, visited a parish and received an award from the diocesan COAR Peace Mission (Community of Oscar A. Romero) for his many years of support.
The cardinal, who was consecrated last summer by Pope Francis, arrived late on April 26. He and other officials from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops spent some time before that discussing immigration issues with Congressional representatives in Washington, D.C.
He briefed members of the diocesan Welcoming the Stranger committee during a meeting at Sagrada Familia Parish on April 27, sharing his thoughts on the political situation and plight of immigrants.
Sister Rita Mary Harwood, who heads the diocesan Pastoral Ministry Office, briefed Cardinal Rosa Chavez about the status of Welcoming the Stranger and initiatives throughout the eight-county Diocese of Cleveland to help immigrants, migrants and refugees. With the help of several Spanish-speaking attendees at the meeting, the cardinal said he was interested in the new Parish Companions program that kicked off recently. Its goal is to connect those struggling with immigration issues with resources to help them. Nearly 50 people attended a training session at Sagrada Familia.
The cardinal is familiar with the diocesan mission in El Salvador and spoke fondly of his interaction with mission team members over the years. He credited diocesan officials, mission team members, volunteers and those who support the mission?s work with making a difference.
He also addressed the government?s efforts to deport undocumented persons and to require those from countries whose temporary protected status has expired -- or will expire -- to return to their native lands. The cardinal said those countries are not ready to absorb such a large number of people.? They say ?welcome back, but have no structure to help,? he said, adding those returning likely may become targets of gang violence, which is a major problem. It?s creating what he calls ?and internal exodus? in El Salvador.
Throughout the weekend he said the Church?s answer to these situations is that ?we are one single human family and we only have a future if we work together.?
Cardinal Rosa Chavez said the mission in El Salvador ?changed the missionaries and they changed El Salvador.? The work of the missionaries helped people realize they had a dignity and were all children of God, he said, adding ?it was an incredible change.? This also helped people see the importance of lay people in the Church.
The four women missionaries who were killed in El Salvador in 1980
