The 106th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which was celebrated on Sunday, September 27, motivated us to look at the pastoral ministry for the migrants done by the Redemptorists in many places around the world. We asked our confreres directly involved to share their testimonies and experiences. In the second part, we present the contributions sent us by Fr. Mike Molan Keraf C.Ss.R, Fr. Luis Guillermo Lagos C.Ss.R, and Fr. Andrew Dantis C.Ss.R.
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Fr. Mike Molan Keraf C.Ss.R. is director of the Donders Social Foundation, located in the City of Weetebula in Sumba Island (Indonesia). Donders Social Foundation takes its name and spirit from the blessed Peter Donders, especially serving the poor and victim of oppression.
Father Mike is recruiting a lot of staff (lay people) to work with him. He visits poor people in the village, offering them possibilities of education. He also helps those who become victims of human trafficking.
The Redemptorist mission in Indonesia is parish ministry, school ministry, popular missions, and culture and social ministry.
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Fr. Luis Guillermo Lagos C.Ss.R. is the pastor at the Holy Redeemer Church (Parroquia del Santísimo Redentor) in Cúcuta, in Colombia, close to the Venezuelan border. Colombia is the first country to receive refugees from Venezuela. After Syria, Venezuela is the second country with the largest number of refugees-forced out, with 5.1 million people.
Along the more than 2,200 kilometers of the Colombian-Venezuelan border, there are seven border points, three of which are in the department of Norte de Santander and are the ones that mark the highest rate of flow of Venezuelans and Colombians returning.
The Holy See, through the Dicastery for Integral Human Development, migrants and refugees section, brought together the bishops of the Colombian-Venezuelan border to manage common initiatives to help proactively welcome migrants.
In the parish of the Holy Redeemer, Fathers Luis Guillermo Lagos, Uriel Useda, and Leonel Vásquez, in addition to strongly supporting the works of the local Church and the Congregation at the national level, welcome migrants through the different apostolic groups.
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Almost four months ago, we wrote about the PAHUNCH, a joint initiative of the laity, and the Redemptorists of the Vice-Province of Majella to help the Chhotanagpur Adivasi migrants in Mumbai. Through this project, the Redemptorists in India, especially the Vice-Province of Majella, has been actively involved in assisting by giving relief through PAHUNCH. See the video below sent by Fr. Andrew Dantis C.Ss.R.
