Migrants offer rich gifts of faith and hope

By Wendy Shaw

The important role of migrant communities in a synodal church was the theme of the 8th Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office (ACMRO) national conference in Sydney.

About 100 delegates, including Archdiocese of Hobart representatives Launceston Parish assistant priest Fr Jonas Donasco MLCC and Bridgewater Brighton Parish’s Sr Guadalupe Romarate MLCC, attended the two-day event at Mary MacKillop Place in North Sydney.

The conference celebrated the gifts, faith and resilience of migrant communities, and the richness they add to the Catholic Church in Australia and the wider community.

In his welcome statement to delegates, Archbishop Christopher Prowse, Chair, Bishops Commission for Evangelisation, Laity and Ministry, Catholic Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn and Bishop delegate for ACMRO, highlighted the conference’s focus on migrant communities as evangelisers and missionaries of hope.

“Through prayer, dialogue, keynote presentations and ‘Conversations in the Spirit’, may we deepen our commitment to fostering a culture of encounter, recognising the gifts of migrant communities, and strengthening our shared mission of evangelisation,” he said.

“May this conference be a time of meaningful encounter, renewed hope and inspiration for the life and mission of the Church in Australia.”

Keynote speakers included Italian Cardinal Fabio Baggio, CS and Dr Trudy Dantis.

Cardinal Baggio is Under Secretary of the Dicastery for Integral Human Development, with responsibility for the Holy See’s Section for Migrants, Refugees and Special Projects and is director general of the Laudato Si’ Center for Higher Education. His topic was ‘Fostering a Cultural Encounter’.

Dr Dantis is the Director of the National Centre for Pastoral Research at the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and led Archdiocese of Hobart Synod Facilitator Training sessions in Launceston and Hobart in September. Her topic was ‘Migrant Communities as Missionaries of Hope’.

Fr Jonas said the conference on 25-26 August was a “fantastic event” that “enriched us in the way we look at migration”.

“Migrants are not just recipients of what a country gives. The migrants offer gifts too, especially the gift of faith,” Fr Jonas said.

“They are active contributors for the betterment of our country, especially the Church in Australia.”

Fr Jonas emphasised the importance of ‘interculturality’ over multiculturalism.

“The goal is not simply living alongside different cultures, but creating genuine relationships where people listen, learn and grow together,” he said

“There are different cultures, but the differences can enrich us.

“We can have community and diversity and that makes us more beautiful.

“We can always offer something good to the new country we are arriving at, as missionary migrants.”

The process of a synodal church was demonstrated at the conference, where all could speak and share, and all could listen, reflect, move forward and pray during ‘Conversations in the Spirit’ sessions. This was another highlight for Fr Jonas.

Sr Guadalupe said she “felt so blessed” to take part in the conference and was in “total awe” of the keynote speakers’ presentations.

“Their talks have inspired me more to continue my journey in this strange land far from my own native land,” said Sr Guadalupe, who is from the Philippines.

“A ray of hope flickers and I truly believe that every missionary’s endeavour will soon bear fruits for God’s greater glory.”