The Valley Catholic October 8, 2019 | Page 13

eptember 26 An evening of encounter with migrant farm workers. Grateful for their work that enables us to enjoy fresh produce (Above, left) The delegation celebrated Mass in the chile fields of Hatch, NM, lifting up the people who work the field, picking the crops that fill our pantries, delight our palates, keep us healthy. The parish community of Our Lord of Mercy welcomed us most generously! ed nesday a f ter noon t he ncounter group visited the Centro n Fronteras, an extension of nnunciation House, which gives temporary shelter nd assistance to migrants who have been processed nd released on their own recognizance by ICE. uben García, executive director, briefs the group. We ere able to meet the families and children housed the center. (No pictures, to preserve their privacy). he center operates solely on private donations. (Right) Parishioners from Santa Ana Parish in Deming, NM, relate to us their experience of offering hospitality to asylum seekers (released on their own recognizance after being processed by ICE). Humbling stories of Christian hospitality and encounter. The pastor of Our Lord of Mercy, Father Alejandro Reyes, spoke to us of his parishioners experience in picking crops, beginning at 3 or 4 a.m. September 28 (Above) Studying the legal and policy landscape for migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers with this panel of experts. Moderator: Don Kerwin, Executive Director, Center for Migration Studies (CMS); Ashley Feasley, Policy Director, Migration and Refugee Services (MRS), USCCB; Rev. Peter Neeley SJ, Associate of Education, Kino Border Initiative; Anna Gallagher, Executive Director, Catholic Legal Immigration Network. – in El Paso, Texas. I sit next to Bishop Jose Guadalupe Torres Campos, bishop of Ciudad Juarez. His diocese has done tremendous work in providing hospitality and humanitarian relief to migrants. Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México. ve) We listened to the personal riences of those who pick our s, provide the food that we enjoy day. Picking crops in the fields be backbreaking. (Right) Discussion group on migration. The closing Mass of the weeklong encounter was celebrated with the St. Pius X Catholic School students. They were our hosts throughout the week. St. Pius X Catholic School.