Cultural Expressions of FaithCatholic attitudes of welcoming the Stranger

Centre for Multicultural Pastoral Care

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Presentation

• Provide hospitality to Migrants and Refugees.

Cultural Expressions of Faith

Catholic attitudes of welcoming the Stranger

Cultural Expressions of Faith

• be inclusive of others in Jesus Christ’s Solidarity and Love.

Catholic attitudes of welcoming the Stranger

For me, what is Cultural Expression of Faith?

• to pray

(language used to communicate)

The ability and capacity:

For me, what is Cultural Expression of Faith?

• to participate

(How do I share my Traditions, Rituals, Special Liturgical Celebrations, etc.?)

The ability and capacity:

For me, what is Cultural Expression of Faith?

• to grow (Am I inter-connected with my faith community in order to increase my faith and understanding?)

The ability and capacity:

CHRIST’S ATTITUDE OF WELCOMING

• to reach out,

not to wait.

CHRIST’S ATTITUDE OF WELCOMING

• to be a good listener, before I tell others what to do.

CHRIST’S ATTITUDE OF WELCOMING

• to respect differences rather than trying to impose uniformity.

CHRIST’S ATTITUDE OF WELCOMING

• to offer compassion (the Christian compassion of respecting the dignity of others).

CHRIST’S ATTITUDE OF WELCOMING

• to demonstrate understanding instead of waiting to be asked

OUR MISSIONOUR MISSION• to ensure that a person can

express and have access to the Eucharist (if he/she is a Catholic).

• or, to assist the human person to have access in his/her own culture and language if he/she requests it.

OUR MISSIONOUR MISSION

• to assist a person to share as much as it is possible in his/her faith tradition, as well as to invite a person to learn our tradition.

TO CHANGE OUR ATTITUDE.

• the willingness to move out of our comfort zone.• to place ourselves in the position of the other person.• to learn a few words of greeting in his/her language of origin….

Welcoming means:

TO CHANGE OUR ATTITUDE

• when the opportunity exists, to learn key gestures or ways of greeting according to his/her tradition or custom.• to provide initial language assistance….

Welcoming means:

TO CHANGE OUR ATTITUDE.

• to demonstrate our genuine respect and interest • effective communication will bring effective participation.

Welcoming means:

OFFERING CHRISTIAN HOSPITALITY

• to share first.

• to listen carefully and respond to his/her immediate needs.

To invite a person

OFFERING CHRISTIAN HOSPITALITY

• to take his/her needs into account and explain how and what our capacity to assist is.

• to be mindful of gender issues, cultural issues and customs.

To invite a person

OFFERING CHRISTIAN HOSPITALITY

• to ask, if you do not know or you are not sure.

• to avoid invasion of privacy. • to offer the opportunity of

bringing him/her to the parish community (or connect him/her with his/her faith community, if he/she wishes).

To invite a person

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE LIFE AND MISSION OF THE

CHURCH

• It is a person’s choice to migrate. If a person wishes he/she can always return.

MIGRANTS:

• Be aware that many migrants may be fluent in English. Many are not. But all must be given equal opportunity of participation within the structures and groups in our parishes and the activities of the Church.

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE LIFE AND MISSION OF THE CHURCH

• If migrants wish, they need to be able to share their cultural expressions of faith and core values with the rest of the community.

MIGRANTS:

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE LIFE AND MISSION OF THE CHURCH

REFUGEES:

• Refugees are forced to abandon their place of origin.

• Most refugees do not have the English language.

WHY DO REFUGEES REQUIRE THE SOLIDARITY THAT JESUS ASKS OF US?

• Often refugees are not ready to be welcomed as we are used to welcoming other persons.Why?

• Because they have been uprooted from their land.

• They have suffered persecution. In many cases, torture, prison, often exploitation, abuse, loss of family members.

WHY REFUGEES REQUIRE THE SOLIDARITY THAT JESUS ASK OF US?

The refugee persons’ priorities are different when it comes to us welcoming them.

• The refugees are more vulnerable - because of limited language skills- resistance to resettlement in their new country- sickness and/or mental health problems- strong sense of guilt and responsibility for those

left behind.

JESUS’S TIME NOT OUR TIME - A CHALLENGE FOR OUR GROWING IN FAITH

• for friendship• for listening to their stories• for understanding their history,

their past• for valuing their skills, talents, the

richness of culture.

Refugees big need is TIME:

JESUS’S TIME NOT OUR TIME- A CHALLENGE FOR OUR GROWING IN FAITH

• They need to test (discover) who they can trust with their life experiences. We need to provide the opportunity to develop a trusting relationship.

JESUS’S TIME NOT OUR TIME- A CHALLENGE FOR OUR GROWING IN FAITH

• They are in a vulnerable position, in need of: respect equality restoration of dignity of acquiring the capacity to

communicate and participate equally

to have the ability to access, as we do, services and activities in the community.

A POSITION OF ACTIVE AND EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATIONIt is when real solidarity in Christ is shared with the Migrant and the Refugee that• he/she becomes an equal member

of our Church Community• in our workforce• in our social events • and contributes to our productive

diversity.

WHAT HAVE WE DONE?

WHAT HAVE WE DONE?

• Have we learnt different cultural values and customs?

• Have we acquired other language skills?

• Have we received any cross-cultural training?

WHAT HAVE WE DONE?

• Have we experienced diverse cultural expressions of our faith?

• Have we immersed ourselves in other faiths in order to understand how we can share our Catholic faith values and learn to appreciate other faith values?

WHAT ARE WE DOING?

WHAT ARE WE DOING?

• Are we aware of the needs of the families:

spiritual, material, health, etc?

• Are we visiting only, or are we welcoming them at our place?

WHAT ARE WE DOING?

• Are we providing opportunities for them to access education, employment, participation in our organisations?

• Are we informing them of their rights and responsibilities as citizens of this country?

WHAT WILL WE DO?

WHAT WILL WE DO?

• Learn about their history, their backgrounds, their origins and their personal successes and struggles.

• Assist them in the achievement of their priorities.

• Open ourselves to their expressions of faith in their own culture and language.

WHAT WILL WE DO?

• Ensure that we all become one in the body of Christ, by sharing our sense of belonging in the Eucharist.

WHAT WILL WE DO?

• To value the learning, understanding and sharing with the people of other faiths and traditions by sharing our Christian love for one another regardless of colour, race, nationality, country of origin, language, ethnicity, political or religious background.

Foreigner

Source:Society MattersVol. 13 No.2 –Winter 2003

If your alphabet is Latinyour numerals are Arabic,

and your language uses words from Greek…

If rice comes from Asia,wheat from Mediterranean,

and corn from the Americas…

If your coffee is Colombian,your wine Chilean,

and your whiskey is Scotch…

If your pizza is Italian,your bread is French,

and your meat is Australian…

If your computer is Korean,your telephone Finnish,

and your camera Japanese…

If your car is German,your tyres Brazilian,

and your oil Nigerian…

If you listen to music fromthe USA,

dance to the rhythms of Africa,and cheer for football at the

World Cup…

If the Nobel Prize is from Norway,

the best known non-violence is from India,

and the Blue Helmets are from the UN…

How can you say to your neighbour, “Foreigner?”

Why not seek dialogue among cultures to build up a world of

justice and peace?

End