By Francis Sunil Rosario

Kolkata: The Arch-diocese of Calcutta has inaugurated the commission for migrants in response to Pope Francis’ call address the global issue of migrants seriously.

Archbishop Thomas D’Souza, regional chairman of the Commission for Migrants, and Bishop Shyamal Bose of Baruipur attended the February 26 program at Seva Kendra, Kolkata/

The occasion was also used to conduct a seminar on migrants and their challenges in the post Covid-19 period and to motivate priests, religious, lay leaders of the archdiocese and neighboring dioceses to make some effective plan of action for the migrants and implementation of those plans along with the diocese’s pastoral plans.

As many as 45 priests, religious, lay leaders, and representatives from organizations working for the migrants attended the seminar.

In his opening address Archbishop D’Souza spoke on the urgency to address the issues of the migrants. He stressed the pastoral sensitivity of Pope Francis towards the migrants and the strategy to welcome, to promote, to protect and to integrate them into the mainstream line Church and society.
“I came to learn and not to give speech,” said Bishop Bose. He spoke about migration from the experience of his own village home. He also shared the experience of his family members who migrated to southern India to find jobs.

Bishop Bose presented the local conditions of the migrant workers post Covid-19 in West Bengal, particularly in his diocese.

Sacred Hearts Sister Sujata Jena in her keynote address presented challenges encountered by the migrants. Jena who worked extensively for the rights of the migrants during pandemic in eastern Indian state of Odisha, said, “we priests, religious being a ‘privileged’ ones must redesign our personal and community time to reach out to the poor and needy and accompany them with renewed vigor, compassion and solidarity during this trying time.”

The human rights activist nun further said, “Dalits and Adivasis are the most excluded communities. They are discriminated against access to, resources and relief, when disaster strikes. History has taught us, that when it comes, to distributing aid, Dalits and adivasis, are often those most in need and those most often denied access to relief, and state benefits.”

Jena recommended that the Church, Civil Society Organizations must contribute to whole-of-society approach in building peoples’ alliances as workers beyond narrow identity. It is imperative that open space dialogues and network platforms are created to bring together CSOs to develop collective strategies and plans.

Jesuit Father Irudaya Jothi, another resource person, elaborated the economic policy of the current government and how it systematically discriminates the poor and the marginals.

The seminar proposed the following plan of action to make the ministry of the commission for migrants effective in West Bengal:

– There should be Archdiocesan Pastoral Plans for the pastoral care of the migrants
– Besides, each diocese, religious congregation must have a concrete plan to reach out to the migrants.
– The diocese must re-focus on Families, Youth, Leaderships, Home visits, Small Christian Community, Basic Christian Community and various other pious initiatives.
– Every parish must maintain database and set a Help Desk connecting government schemes made available to the illegible ones.
– Collaborate and network with Government, non-government, civil society groups for the cause of the poor and migrants.