By Felicci Fielding Almarines
“All the baptized, wherever they find themselves, are by right, members of both their local ecclesial community and the one Church, dwellers in one family.”- Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the 107th World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2021
On August 31, 2021 Rev. Fr. Jefferson E. Agustin, OFMCAP, Rector and Parish Priest established the Migrants Ministry in NSOLL. Benjamin C Almarines Jr. and Felicci Jessica F. Almarines were appointed as Couple Coordinators.
Instituted on March 27, 2017 and headed by The Most Reverend Honesto F. Ongtioco, D.D. Bishop of Cubao, the Diocese of Cubao Migrants Ministry (DCMM) is actively involved in migrant issues. Parishioners with family members who are overseas workers will be identified and ministered to accordingly. Motivated by the search for greener pastures, the extreme lengthy separation from family members amount to years, and even decades, have unfortunate consequences for the hard-pressed OFWs as well as their families that are left behind. The Migrants Ministry is also responsible for displaced persons, asylum seekers, refugees and victims of human trafficking.
The Catholic Church continuously strives to respond to challenges and concerns of migrant affairs in all 72 dioceses nationwide. Lay people are trained to engage in linkages with government programs on Migration and are called to help promote formation and champion causes leading to strengthening family relationships.
The NSOLL Migrants Ministry has started implementing its plans. On January 18, 2022 all NSOLL PPC members attended the Diocesan Awareness Seminar on Migrants Apostolate ( DASMA )Orientation for a thorough understanding of the functions and reach of Migrants Ministry. Then to build a data base on parishioners with migrant families, a survey has been completed, with the help of different parish ministries, organizations and BECs. Armed with accurate information, specific programs for migrant families within the parish may be formed – livelihood programs, financial stewardship and the like.
For more information, contact Benjamin C. Almarines Jr. and Felicci Jessica F. Almarines at 09157391213 or [email protected]
For more information visit:
https://www.facebook.com/DioceseofCubaoMigrantsMinistry
Migrants and Refugees Section (migrants-refugees.va)
