NEW YORK — During the end of the year celebrations, the Bronx will be the epicenter of a Posada from Immigration Reform, an annual event being held for the second year in a row to raise collective awareness of the challenges faced by those leaving their countries in search of a better life.
Father Eric Cruz, parish priest of Holy Spirit Parish in the Bronx and director of Catholic Charities in the same county announced that his parish has mobilized, following the more than 22,000 immigrants who have arrived in the Big Apple seeking refuge in their flight from violence, persecution and inequality in their hometowns. origin.
“One of the main missions of the Church is to accompany with prayer and presence. We have to accompany our displaced people, welcome them and show them that we will always be with them,” said Father Cruz.
Las Posadas is a traditional Catholic celebration that takes place for 9 days before Christmas, i.e. from December 16th to 24th. Each of the nine days represents values such as humility, strength, detachment, charity, trust, justice, purity, joy and generosity. The inns they invite people to walk in prayer accompanying Mary and Joseph as they seek refuge in a manger in Bethlehem.
“In the second edition of the Immigration Reform Posada, we hope to empower and educate all displaced people, help them find that voice, discover the beauty in their lives (…) we know we have reached such a point with when they start to speak openly, honestly about their experiences, about pain, tears, but also about hope,” concluded Father Cruz.
The Inn for the Immigration reform, that will take place this On Friday, December 16, the third week of Advent, he also has the mission of advancing talks with local politicians, “we must speak loudly to them,” said Father Cruz. Furthermore, he assured, it is important to persevere in these talks which will undoubtedly result in benefits for those seeking refuge, “they are only asking for a new life. These are not parties, they are human beings, sons and daughters of God,” he pointed out.
La Posada will have a route of 4 (four) stations, where they will pray in solidarity for all those immigrants who seek refuge in the “nation of opportunities”, and to this end, Father Eric assures that although Las Posadas are a Catholic tradition, they are experiences for everyone : immigrants, tourists and people of other religions, “we have many collaborators, including Jews, Muslims and atheists, all people of good will. There’s room for everyone at this table,” said the priest.
The Migration Ministries of the Archdioceses of Chicago and Baltimore Will Join the New York Activity of simultaneously together with other dioceses and archdioceses from all over the country who wanted to join this noble cause.
The four seasons tour, which will take place this Friday 16 December starting at 11:00, will be accompanied by songs, verses to ask for a posada and the prayer of the Holy Rosary:
- First station: St. Anthony of Padua Church (166 Street & Prospect Avenue, Bronx).
- second station: Office of Senator Luis Sepúlveda (900 Rogers Place).
- Third station: NYPD 41st District (Longwood Ave).
- Fourth station: Corpus Christi Monastery (Garrison Ave).
As part of this process, the Archdiocese of New York, through Holy Spirit Parish, He hopes to document the experiences of all those immigrants who wish to tell their stories and with them publish an annual book as a tribute to the displaced, the dispossessed and the irregulars who live in fear and in the shadows.
It is hoped that at this year’s Posada, immigrants and displaced people will feel welcomed and confident to share their powerful testimonies so that the general population understands what it means to flee in search of a better life.
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