The Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS) and the University of Notre Dame will hold the 2020 Catholic Immigrant Integration Initiative Conference on Thursday, October 1 and Friday, October 2, 2020. Out of an abundance of caution for all who would like to participate, this year's conference will take place virtually.
This annual event is part of CMS’s Catholic Immigrant Integration Initiative (CIII) which seeks to understand, expand and strengthen the work of Catholic institutions with immigrant communities. The conference will:
- Present perspectives on the major challenges facing immigrants, refugees, their families and faith communities, at a time of multiple crises;
- Explore promising and successful programs and ministries with immigrants in parishes, legal services programs, elementary schools, universities, the workplace, charities, community organizing entities, hospitals, and other institutions;
- Examine how changing national and international immigration and refugee policies are affecting Catholic institutions, their members and those they serve;
- Explore how Catholic institutions can strengthen their work in promoting the integration, protection, and empowerment of persons with strong roots in sending and receiving communities;
- Feature an annual address – named after CMS’s co-founder, Fr. Lydio Tomasi, c.s. – on the theological vision underlying the work of Catholic institutions with immigrants and refugees; and,
- Feature local migrant programs and ministries in the University of Notre Dame regional area.
University of Notre Dame sponsors include the Ford Program in Human Development Studies and Solidarity, the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, the Nanovic Institute for European Studies, the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies, Notre Dame International, and the Institute for Latino Studies.
OCTOBER 1, 2020
9:00 – 9:45AM
WELCOME AND OPENING PRAYER
9:45 – 10:00AM
BREAK
10:00 – 11:00AM
PLENARY PANEL I: BUILDING COMMUNITIES OF BELONGING: IDENTIFYING AND ENGAGING THE PRESSING CHALLENGES OF IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES
A diverse panel of immigrants and refugees will present their perspectives on the major challenges facing immigrants, refugees and their families, both in the broader society and in their faith communities, including new challenges related to COVID-19 and related policies.
11:00 – 11:30AM
BREAK
11:30AM – 1:00PM
PLENARY PANEL II: HOW TO BUILD A MORE PROPHETIC, FAITHFUL, AND HOPEFUL CHURCH IN A TIME OF MULTIPLE CRISES
Migrants, refugees, their families, and communities face multiple crises – historically high levels of forcible displacement, the inequalities and injustices exacerbated by the pandemic, the loss of life and opportunity, and exclusionary attitudes and policies. This panel will speak to these conditions and challenges and will offer ideas and insights on how the Church can respond to the gifts and needs of migrants in a more prophetic, faithful, and hopeful way. It is hoped that this panel will lead to formal and informal gatherings throughout the conference on how the Church can concretely respond to current challenges and opportunities.
1:00 – 1:30PM
BREAK
1:30 – 2:45 PM
PLENARY PANEL III: FROM EMIGRATION TO IMMIGRATION COUNTRY: IRELAND’s ATTEMPT TO BUILD COMMUNITIES OF BELONGING
2:45 – 3:30PM
BREAK
3:30 – 4:45PM
PLENARY PANEL IV: HOW SHOULD CATHOLIC INSTITUTIONS BE ADAPTING THEIR WORK WITH REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS IN LIGHT OF CURRENT CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES? HOW SHOULD THEY ASSESS THEIR SUCCESS ON IMMIGRANT PROTECTION, EMPOWERMENT AND INTEGRATION?
This panel will discuss ways that Catholic parishes, hospitals, refugee and legal services programs, charities, and other institutions and ministries can rise to the immense challenges now facing immigrants, refugees, their families and communities. How can Catholic institutions adapt their work on immigrant protection, empowerment and integration, and assess its success in light of current challenges and opportunities? What new partnerships, programs and ministries will be needed?
5:00 – 6:00PM
COFFEE CHAT ROOMS
Tune into these sessions to participate in open discussions about specific issues, challenges, strategies and resources.
6:00 – 7:00PM
PLENARY PANEL V: OVERCOMING POLITICAL OBSTACLES TO BUILDING COMMUNITIES OF BELONGING
At a time of harsh and restrictionist federal policies, many states and localities have opted to treat immigrants and their families as full members of their communities, extending to them a range of services, programs and benefits. This panel will feature political leaders from cities and counties from across the United States who will discuss the role of local government in immigrant integration, protection, and defense at a time of multiple challenges and crises.
OCTOBER 2, 2020
8:00 – 9:30AM
WELCOME AND PRAYER & FR. LYDIO F. TOMASI, C.S. ANNUAL LECTURE ON INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION
LECTURE
Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ
Under Secretary for the Section on Migrants and Refugees
Dicastery for Integral Human Development
9:30 – 10:00AM
BREAK
10:00 – 11:30AM
PLENARY PANEL VI: HOW CAN CATHOLIC INSTITUTIONS BETTER PROMOTE THE INTEGRATION, PROTECTION AND DEFENSE FOR MIGRANTS, REFUGEES, AND FAMILIES ROOTED IN MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES
Catholic teaching recognizes the right not to have to migrate, as well as the need to promote the full participation of immigrants, refugees, and their families in their new communities. This panel will explore how Catholic institutions can strengthen their work in promoting the integration, protection, and defense of persons with strong roots in sending and receiving communities. It will consider this challenge at a time of large-scale displacement, returns and removals, and economic hardship.
11:30AM – 12:00PM
BREAK
12:00 – 1:15PM
SIMULTANEOUS SESSIONS: CULTURAL AND LEGAL OBSTACLES TO INTEGRATION
Panel I: Community Sponsorship Models for Immigrant Integration in Europe and North America: Challenges and Opportunities
Panel II: Working Through Cultural Obstacles to Immigrant Integration and Empowerment: Understanding Differences in Attitudes Toward Migrants in North America and Europe
Panel III: Addressing the Legal Obstacles to Immigrant Integration, Protection and Defense
Panel IV: Bringing Research to Bear on the Needs of Catholic Institutions, and the Migrant Populations They Serve
1:15 – 2:00PM
BREAK
2:00 – 3:15PM
PLENARY PANEL VII: MAINSTREAMING CATHOLIC TEACHING ON IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES TO CATHOLICS AND CATHOLIC INSTITUTIONS
This panel will discuss ways to build parish communities of belonging, hope, and sanctuary, and to mainstream Catholic teaching on immigrants and refugees to the broader Catholic Church.
3:15 – 4:00PM
BREAK
4:00 – 4:30PM
STUDENT PANEL DISCUSSION
Discussion with Notre Dame Students Doing Work with Migrants and Refugees
4:30 – 5:45PM
PLENARY PANEL VIII: A REFLECTION ON MIGRATION, PROTECTION, AND RACE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE HOLY FATHER’S CALL TO GO TO THE PERIPHERIES
This last panel of the conference will reflect on the interrelated themes of migration, protection, and race in the context of Pope Francis’ call to Catholics to go to the peripheries. Participants will explore these themes from the perspective of marginalized communities—at the US-Mexico border and in the US interior—that are bearing the brunt of current crises, like the COVID-19 pandemic, racial and ethnic discrimination, and nativist policies. It will reflect on what these realities mean for Catholic institutions, individually and collectively.
5:45 – 6:00PM
CONFERENCE ADJOURNMENT & MODERATED DISCUSSION WITH CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS: IDEAS FOR STRENGTHENING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH’S WORK WITH IMMIGRANTS AND CLOSING REFLECTIONS
Daniela Alulema, Director of Programs, Center for Migration Studies
J. Kevin Appleby, Consultant, Center for Migration Studies
Maruja MB Asis, Director, Scalabrini Migration Center of Manila
Jose Arnulfo Cabrera, Director of Education and Advocacy for Migration, Ignatian Solidarity Network
Bill Canny, Executive Director, Migration and Refugee Services, USCCB
Fr. Sean Carroll, Executive Director, Kino Border Initiative
Dylan Corbett, Executive Director, Hope Border Institute
Adrian Cristea, Executive Officer, Dublin City Interfaith Forum
Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, Under Secretary for the Section on Migrants and Refugees, Vatican Dicastery for Integral Human Development
Rev. Robert Dowd, C.S.C., Assistant Provost for Internationalization and Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Notre Dame
Ashley Feasley, Director of Policy, Migration and Refugee Services, USCCB
Rev. Filippo Ferraro, c.s., Executive Director, Scalabrini Institute for Human Mobility in Africa
Oliviero Forti, Manager of Caritas Italiana Immigration Office and President of Caritas Europa Migration Commission
Brian Fraga, Contributing Editor, Our Sunday Visitor
Luis Fraga, Rev. Donald P. McNeill, C.S.C., Professor of Transformative Latino Leadership, University of Notre Dame
Anna Gallagher, Executive Director, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.
Rev. Daniel Groody, C.S.C., Associate Provost and Associate Professor of Theology, University of Notre Dame
Brett Hoover, Associate Professor and Graduate Director of Theological Studies, Loyola Marymount University
Kiku Huckle, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Pace University
Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., President, University of Notre Dame
Donald Kerwin, Executive Director, Center for Migration Studies
Sharon Granados Mahato, Director of Development & Strategy, Scalabrini International Migration Network
Ricardo Martinez- Schuldt, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Notre Dame University
Tim Matovina, Professor and Chair of the Theology Department, University of Notre Dame
Fr. Pat Murphy, Director, Casa del Migrante, Tijuana
Mike Nicholson, Researcher, Center for Migration Studies
Rudy Ojcak, Director of Office for Refugees, Archdiocese of Toronto
Sr. Joanna Okereke, HHCJ, Assistant Director for the USCCB Subcommittee on Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugees, and Travelers
Michael N. Okinczyc-Cruz, Executive Director, Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership
Hosffman Ospino, Associate Professor of Hispanic Ministry and Religious Education, Boston College School of Theology and Ministry
Sr. Norma Pimentel, Executive Director, Catholic Charities of Rio Grande Valley
Roberta Ricucci, Associate Professor, University of Turin
Michelle Sardone, Deputy Director of Programs, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.
Ilaria Schnyder, Ford Family Research Assistant Professor, University of Notre Dame
Clemens Sedmak, Professor of Social Ethics; Interim Director, Nanovic Institute for European Studies, University of Notre Dame
Elena Segura, Senior Coordinator, Pastoral Migratoria
Fr. Robert Stark, SSS, Regional Coordinator – North America, Mexico, Central America, Caribbean, Migrants and Refugees Section, Dicastery for Human Development
Mar Munoz Visoso, Executive Director, USCCB Secretariat for Cultural Diversity in the Church
Gloria Whitcraft, Chief Executive Officer, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend