by Dionel Rodriguez | Feb 14, 2024
Office for immigrants of the Aone of Curco Diocesis de Talca
The Pastoral of Human Movimiento of the Diocese of Talca has been helping the immigrants in the City of Curico for the last three years. This process has become more complicated in recent years and has been taking up to a year or more to obtain the visa which they need to be able to get decent job. Curico and the area close to Curico has received immigrants from countries such as Haiti, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. In Curico, there is a camp where approximately 150 Haitian families have built temporary houses, and the city of Curico has been trying to move them because there is not authorization to build homes. With your gift, Brother Nitsch hopes to help many immigrants in Curico with their local papers and with the process of obtaining their visas and work permits.
“Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.”
– Hebrews 13:2
by Dionel Rodriguez | Feb 8, 2022
Human Rights and Care of Creation
Along with The Office of “Human Rights and Environment” – DHUMA – a non-governmental organization, this project supports members of indigenous communities and grassroots social organizations (OSB) who empower themselves by learning their rights, strengthening their communities and organizations, being proactive in nonviolent actions for the defense of our common home, Mother Earth, and her natural resources, especially water, and continually creating new paths, such as opening Constitutional legal suits (Casos de Amparo) against the State and mining enterprises, to assure that their rights are respected by the State and extractive industries.
With your gift, you will help leaders who are willing to challenge the “extractivist” model of development and any human activity, negligence or policy which generates disastrous impacts on Mother Earth or violates the fundamental rights of indigenous peoples to life, health, water, territory, land, prior consultation and consent, ethnic identity, organizational autonomy, indigenous justice, etc. succeed.
“In safeguarding and helping to renew God’s creation, we cultivate a peace we can not only enjoy today but also that can continue to sustain generations to come.”
by Dionel Rodriguez | Jun 12, 2020
Relief and Education for Burmese Refugees at Wat Prok Mon Temple
For more than two decades, Wat Prok School, established by Maryknoll two decades ago, has provided education, skill training as well as clothing, food and medical assistance to 34 and 52 Mon Migrant boys, ranging from six to seventeen years old, living at small Mon Buddhist monastery in Bangkok. The number of students varies primarily due to new students.
The boys parents are migrant workers mostly working in the fish process plant outside of Bangkok or on the fishing boats. The Maryknoll Thailand team members work with the Informal Education Department of the Thai Government to provide basic education to the boys, including Mon, Thai and English language training, some basic grammar school classes and sponsors skill training for the older boys.
Initial emphasis is on teaching the boys the Thai language, which makes them eligible for special temporary ID cards until age 17. The younger is then recognized as having a right to be in the country. It also provides protection against the boys being trafficked, given the extent of the problem of trafficking in Southeast Asia.
by Dionel Rodriguez | Jun 12, 2020
Assistance to Refugees and Migrants
Fr. John Barth, M.M.’s project mainly focuses on Asylum Seekers, Refugees, Prisoners and Victims of Human Trafficking. We work as a team and in collaboration with Caritas-Thailand, Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS), Catholic Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees (COERR) and five Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Bangkok, as well as close cooperation with the Thai people in our effort to assist these various groups of people in need.
Many people continue to flee their homes, villages and nations for a variety of reasons, mainly Religious and Political persecution. In the city of Bangkok alone, it is estimated that we have over 6,000 illegal Refugees and Asylums Seekers. The people we reach out to are people running from the violence in their homelands and they come from the various countries of Asia and Africa.
Poor living conditions and violence in their homelands have resulted in an increase in refugees into Thailand from Sri Lanka, Pakistan and other countries in the Middle East. Fr. Barth and others take care of their physical needs by providing food, clothing, shelter, medical care and education to refugee families as well as the poor Hill Tribes people in North of Thailand.
These poor people speak little Thai and need medical care, food at times, transportation for their children to and from school. We do our best to protect, feed and help, as we continue to be inspired by Pope Francis, who asks all of us to continue to reach out to the Stranger, the Refugee and the Poor.
by Dionel Rodriguez | Jun 11, 2020
Migrant Ministry to Foreign Migrant Workers and New Immigrants in Taiwan
Maryknoll Ministry to Foreign Migrant workers and New Immigrants in Taiwan is in the Diocese of Taichung and Archdiocese of Taipei. The two Ugnayan centers and shelters serve and welcome all foreign migrant workers in Taiwan and provide the following services:
- We reach out to the foreign migrant workers, the new immigrants, foreign spouses and their families.
- We rent buildings for church, activities, training centers and shelters for foreign migrant workers.
- We provide free educational training to help improve the job skills of the workers (electronic repairs, carpentry, dressmaking), basic Chinese language, leadership formation, lectures and seminars.
- We partner and network with other church groups and NGO’s in doing advocacy for migrant workers’ rights and government agencies for trainings.
With your help, Father Joyalito Tajonera, M.M., can support these migrant workers.
