Coordinator: Margarita Macias 773-925-3725

As disciples of Jesus Christ, rooted in Gospel values and our rich Catholic social tradition, the Immigration Ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago answers the call to welcome all immigrants in Cook and Lake counties. In doing so, we build communion between immigrants and non-immigrants as brothers and sisters in Christ and accompany and empower immigrants toward their formation and integration as members of society and people of faith in the one family of God.

The Immigration Ministry serves as a national model to support undocumented and documented immigrants and promote Christ’s desire for communion between immigrant and non-immigrant communities. We strive to create a society where immigrants and their cultural gifts will be welcomed and celebrated, where their families remain united, and where they can rediscover deepen their faith, and become in engaged and involved in the judicial transformation of society.

Goals:

• Educate in understanding and respecting the dignity of every immigrant as a human being and recognizing the benefits of immigrants and immigration for our nation.
• Educate the undocumented community to safeguard their basic rights and family unity.
• Advocate for Compassionate Comprehensive Immigration Reform using the principles of the USCCB, and for the humane treatment of immigrant detainees and deportees.
• Empower immigrants to participate in their communities through service, leadership formation, and action while promoting justice through the implementation and coordination of Immigrant Social Ministry in parishes through lay leadership teams.

 Objectives:

• Facilitate a dramatic increase in the percentage of immigrants who are now on the path to citizenship and the number who are now naturalized U.S. citizens through our collective efforts with the USCCB and other partners garnering passage of compassionate and just immigration laws.
• Collaborate with network partners, local parishes, and civil, government and other religious groups to foster a culture of compassion and justice in the area of migration.
• Increase in quantity and depth of participation the number of supportive parishes and communities where immigrants are welcomed, their cultural gifts celebrated, where meaningful and mutual relationships are built between immigrants and non-immigrants, and all contribute as full, active, and equal participants in the mission of Jesus Christ as lived within and beyond their respective parish communities.
• Increase to 150 the number of parishes seriously committed to the education and advocacy goals; double the number of parishioners.

To learn more about the Archdiocese Of Chicago Immigration Ministry visit their website