Chotanagpur Church to celebrate World Day of Migrants, Refugees

By Matters India Reporter

Ranchi, Sept 11, 2022: Distress migration from the east-central Indian region has prompted a Jesuit network to join the Latin rite bishops to organize programs to educate Church people about the exploitation of poor tribal people.

A meeting organized by the Central Zone of the Migrants’ Assistance Information Network and the Commission for Migrants of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) has observed that thousands of tribals leave villages in Jharkhand and Chotanagpur areas to work in cities and other states in the country.

Their migration saw an increase year because of agriculture failure because of a drought, said the organizers of the September 10 meeting at Manresa House, the Jesuit provincial house in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand state.

The meeting has decided to celebrate the World Day of Migrants and Refugees on September 25 in all parishes and religious congregations in the region to create awareness about the distressing migration of poor tribal people from the region.

The Vatican section of the Migrants and Refugees have been organizing the World Day of Migrants and Refugees on the last Sunday of September.

The message of Pope Francis for this year’s World Day of Migrants and Refugees is “Building the Future with Migrants and Refugees.” In his message the Pope explains that people cannot think of building a future that is not inclusive. “We are all called to commit ourselves to building a future based on a new global system that better responds to God’s plan, a world where everyone can live in peace and prosperity.”

The network is initiated by the Jesuits in India as a helpline service for the migrants who are in distress and difficulties. They can contact and avail the service through the network of the congregation in 14 states of India.

The CCBI commission that functions through 14 regional bishops’ councils in various parts of India is set to collaborate and strengthen the Jesuit initiatives.

The commission through parishes and diocesan commission for migrants has made arrangements to collect data of the migrants who leave villages and accompany them to ensure safe migration en route as well as at the destinations, says Father Jaison Vadassery, executive secretary of the commission.

‘The bishops of the region of Jharkhand are ready to cooperate with the mission of the Church in the service of migrants. The Church has the responsibility to ensure dignity and rights to each migrant who leaves their family to evade the distress situation due to poverty at home,” he added.

Father Vadassery has met the Ranchi Archbishop and other bishops in the region to discuss the need to create awareness on the opportunities and problems associated with the distress migration. He also stressed the need to create systems and structures in dioceses and religious congregations and enhance their capacity to respond to the pastoral needs of the migrants, refugees, international students, and other uprooted sections of society.

He also called for more cooperation and network with migrants’ programs of the ecclesiastical bodies, Catholic religious orders of priests, brothers and sisters and other faith-based organizations for the effective engagement in the field.

The meeting also planned to facilitate the training of priests, religious and lay persons who can work together as a team to accompany, train, motivate, animate and promote the welfare and development of the migrants and other vulnerable sections.

The meeting was opened by Father Xavier Soreng, the Central Zone Coordinator of Jesuit Social Work Program. Key speakers were Father Vadassery, Jesuit Fathers Yakub, Sebastian Lakra, Ranjit Kindo and Kishore Lakra.