312-534-8105 WWW.CATHOLICSANDIMMIGRANTS.ORG

Archdiocese of Chicago Office of Immigrant Affairs and Immigration

Education 3525 South Lake Park Ave.

OFFICE FOR IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS AND

IMMIGRATION EDUCATION

The Office for Immigrant Affairs and Im-

migration Education launched Pastoral

Migratoria, a new initiative with the Mex-

ican Consulate, which will provide immi-

grants with resources and information

through a ministry of leadership formation

and service. These original works came

from the hearts, minds and souls of the

Archdiocese of Chicago’s immigrant

community during the Pastoral Migratoria

Retreat in August 2009. The retreat

opened up space for the immigrant com-

munity to reflect on the Lord’s presence

in their community, and prepared and

empowered immigrant leaders in parishes

across the Archdiocese to create change

within their communities. These are their

words, their stories and their message.

Pastoral Migratoria

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ACOMPÁÑANOS SEÑOR EN NUESTRO CAMINO

En las calles de nuestro mundo estábamos llorando

recordando nuestro país Por más que caminábamos

No nos daban de comer.

Nos pidieron que trabajáramos Arreglando sus jardines

Coordinando y limpiando Pero no nos pueden entender.

Comenzó nuestra esperanza Al encontrar muchos más Que lloraban y contaban Revelando su fragilidad.

Nuestros jardines han floreado

De cultura y unidad Compartiendo nuestra historia

Mestizaje y solidaridad.

En nuestro tanto caminar

Encontramos a nuestro pastor Quien nos acompaña.

Escrito por: Manuel, Elena, y muchos mas

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Ricardo Lopez– Parroquia de Guadalupe Angelica Hernandez– San Kevin

Bertha Carillo– Nuestra Sra Guadalupe Wendy Garcia– San Viator

Lilia Salazar– Immaculate Conception Rosalinda Ramirez– St. Kevin

Teresa Ramirez– San Kevin Maria Reyna Ferreira– St. Maria

Rosalva Fauste– St. Kevin Oscar Robles– San Viator

Juan Alvarez– Nuestra Sra. Guadalupe Raquel Hernandez– St. Kevin

Jose Cisneros Manuel Elena

You shall treat the alien who resides with you no differently

than the natives born among you;

have the same love for him as for yourself;

for you too were once aliens in the land of Egypt.

Lv 19:33-34

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Writers and Contributors

Emilio Trejo– St. Colette Rosa Jimenez– Nuestra Sra. Guadalupe

Apolinar Campusano– Nuestra Sra. Guadalupe Jose Estrada– Nuestra Sra. Guadalupe

Laura Gallegos– St. Viator Maria Elena Boutzarelos– San Bartolome

Josefina Segura– San Juan Diego Ramon Jimenez- Nuestra Sra. Guadalupe

Gloria Campusano– Nuestra SraGuadalupe Carlos Zambrano– St. Bartolome

Maria Oralia Paterales– Mision San Juan Diego Graciela Contreras-Vicariato 1 Coordinadora

You shall treat the alien who resides with you no differently

than the natives born among you;

have the same love for him as for yourself;

for you too were once aliens in the land of Egypt.

Lv 19:33-34

WALK WITH US LORD ON OUR JOURNEY (TRANSLATION)

On the streets of this world, we were crying And remembering our country.

No matter how much we walked, They didn’t give us anything to eat.

They asked us to work,

Working on their gardens, Organizing and cutting,

But they cannot even understand us.

Our hope was ignited As we found many more like us

Who were crying and retelling their story Revealing their frailty.

Our gardens have flourished

From culture and unity Sharing our story

Of being Mestizo and in solidarity.

On our long journey We meet the Pastor

Who accompanies us.

By: Manuel, Elena, and many others

En la calle 26 de Chicago, estábamos paseando y del clima gozando. Canciones rancheras cantando y de fiestas patronales y el rancho recordando. Ahí mismo un día llegó la Migra con muchos policías armados, pa-trullas y helicópteros formados y a todos nos hacían temblar. Buscaban a los vendedores de seguros y Micas pero hicieron tanto escándalo que humillaron y pisotearon nues-tras razas y raíces haciendo de este evento burla y ri-sas. Se olvidaron que somos iguales,

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LA CALLE 26

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THE IMMIGRANT ON THE TRAIN

I left Zacatecas to go to the border with a lot of illu-

sion of succeeding. I was on a train for almost thirty

hours. There was only one seat which I shared with

three persons. I felt sleepy, tired, and hungry on the

way to the border. There I looked for a shelter to be

able to find a coyote who would take me across the

border.

I took a cargo train to New Mexico. I got lost on the

way and was followed by the Immigration. I was able

to escape them though I did not know which way I

should go. It was cold at night and hot during the

day. I was able to escape la Migra once again. I found

a cargo train: I got in there and fastened myself to

protect myself form falling off. I traveled for 20

hours. Finally, I arrived in Los Angeles were I was

helped by various people of color: they gave me wa-

ter, food, and money.

Another person took me for diner and invited me to

stay at his house for a month. They were so good to

me that they even wanted me to stay with them. But

my journey had to continue.

Today I realize that God was present in those per-sons.

~Emilio Trejo, Rosa Jimenez, Apolinar Campusano, Jose

Estrada, Laura Gallegos

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LA VIVENCIA DE UN MIGRANTE EN EL TREN

Salí de Zacatecas a la Frontera con mucha ilusión de progresar. Tomé un tren casi por 30 horas donde solo había un asiento el cual lo compartía con tres personas. Me caía de sueno, cansancio y hambre has-ta llegara a la Frontera. Allá busqué un hospedaje para poder encontrar un coyote que me cruzara por la Frontera. Tomé un tren carguero hacia Nuevo México. Me per-dí en el transcurso y me siguió la Migración. Me pude escapar, aunque no sabía que rumbo tomar. Hacía mucho frió de noche y calor de día. Por segunda vez logré escapar la Migra. Encontré un tren carguero del cual me monté y me amarré para no caer. Así viajé casi 20 horas. Por fin llegué a Los Angeles, donde varias personas de color me ayudaron: me dieron agua, comida y dinero. Otra persona me llevo a cenar y me ofreció a su casa por un mes. Fueron tan buenos conmigo que querían que me quedara con ellos. Pero mi camino tenía que seguir. Hoy me doy cuenta que Dios estaba presente en esas personas.

~Emilio Trejo, Rosa Jimenez, Apolinar Campusano, Jose

Estrada, Laura Gallegos

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...CONTINUADO

que hemos ayudado como ilegales a construir este país de Inmigrantes y juntos nos hemos esforzado para hacer Chicago una ciudad cambia-da. Somos el Pueblo Hispano que ca-mina, que encuentra rechazo y desprecio por buscar el pan que nos alimenta y la integración a la comunidad que Dios quiere y ordena porque así es su voluntad.

~Maria Elena Boutzarelos, Josefina Se-gura, Ramón Jiménez,

Gloria Campusano, José Cisneros

26TH STREET (TRANSLATION)

On 26th street in Chicago we were walking by and enjoying the weather,

Singing Mexican country and celebration songs, remembering the farm.

When all of a sudden one day the Migra

came with many armed police, patrols and helicopters; they made us all tremble.

They looked for sellers

of social security and green cards. They made such a scene that they humiliated us.

They stepped all over our race and our roots, making fun of us with jokes and

laughing.

They had forgotten that we are equals who have helped, as “illegals,” to construct

this country of immigrants, and that to-gether we have strived to make Chicago a

changed city.

WHEN I ARRIVED (TRANSLATION)

On the benches in the park, I passed the

hours hungry and penniless...hoping that

someone would offer me a job. Tired and

with holes in my shoes, I felt the cold. I

found people who helped me to find

work...and in my journey I felt the pain of

discrimination, racism and exploitation by

others who at one time also were immigrants.

Seated on the benches, I thought about the

love that you give me. I felt alone, missing

my homeland, my family and my friends. But

God was so great that he gave me refuge and

love, when I felt that I was not with much.

My prayer was: My God, give me work, give

me a new beginning. Now I bless you be-

cause you have given me more than I deserve.

Written by: Carlos Zambrano, Maria Oralia Pateralos, Graciela Contreras, Ricardo Lopez, Angelica Hernandez

CUANDO YO LLEGUE

En las bancas del parque yo pasaba las horas con hambre y sin dinero...esperando que al-guien me ofreciera un trabajo. Cansado y con mis zapatos con huecos que cuando ca-minaba sentía frío. Encontré personas que me ayudaron a buscar trabajo...y en mi cami-nar sentía el dolor de la discriminación, rasis-mo y la explotación por otros que, en algún tiempo, también fueron inmigrantes. Sentado en las bancas pensaba en el amor que me has dado. Y sentía la soledad, extra-ñando a mi patria, mi familia y amigos. Pero, Dios fue tan grandioso que me dio refugio y el amor cuando sentía que no tenía mucho. Mi oración era: Dios mío, dame un trabajo, dame un comienzo nuevo. Ahora te bendigo porque me diste mas de lo que yo merezco. Escrito por: Carlos Zambrano, Maria Oralia Pateralos, Graciela Contreras, Ricardo Lopez, Angelica Hernandez

We are the Hispanic People

Who walk and find rejection and insult, Only because we seek the bread that

nourishes And integration into the community

that God wants and orders Because that is his will.

~Maria Elena Boutzarelos, Josefina Segura, Ramón Jiménez,

Gloria Campusano, José Cisneros

...CONTINUED

Oración de los Inmigrantes

Oh Cristo, peregrino antes de nacer,

hiciste de tu vida una marcha al encuentro del hombre,

no sabiendo donde reclinar la cabeza,

quisiste que todo hombre tuviese siempre esperanza

y así fuiste peregrino para no morir nunca.

Te pedimos por el inmigrante: condúcelo a una tierra que lo

alimente, sin quitarle la identidad en el

corazón, haz de él un pueblo que viva la

justicia, en la solidaridad y en la paz.

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CIELITO LINDO (TRANSLATED)

There on the border, Cielito lindo, we are seated

Trying to cross, cielito lindo, illegally.

Ay, ay, ay, ay Struggle and don’t cry Because in struggling,

Beautiful God, Come the blessings.

From Sunday to Sunday, Beautiful God,

I come to you to see When I will be free,

Beautiful God, to return.

Ay, ay, ay, ay, Struggle and don’t cry. Because in struggling,

Beautiful God, Come the blessings.

Everyday they exploit me, Beautiful God without rest,

When will my day be, Holy God, so that I may act

Ay, ay, ay, ay

Struggle and don’t cry Because in struggling we succeed

Beautiful God, come the blessings..

Written by: Maria, Rosalva, Oscar, Juan, Raquel

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CIELITO LINDO

Allá en la frontera, cielito lindo, estamos sentados

tratando de cruzar, cielito lindo, de contraban-do.

Ay, ay, ay, ay

Lucha y no llores Porque luchando se logran,

Diosito lindo, las bendiciones.

De Domingo a Domingo, Diosito lindo, te vengo a ver

Cuando seré yo libre Diosito Santo para volver.

Ay, ay, ay, ay

Lucha y no llores Porque luchando se logran,

Cielito lindo, las bendiciones

Todos los días me explotan, Diosito lindo, sin descansar

Cuando será mi día, Diosito Santo, para yo actuar.

Ay, ay, ay, ay

Lucha y no llores, Porque luchando se logran,

Diosito lindo, las bendiciones.

Escrito por: María, Rosalva, Oscar, Juan, Raquel

Dale la gracia de ser acogido como persona

hecha a tu imagen y destinada a formar comunidad

con sus hermanos en la fe.

Que no camine más de lo necesario;

y cuando se detenga, sienta que no caminó en vano. Que en él sea bendita la tierra

que destinaste a él y a sus descendientes.

Amén

...continuado

IMMIGRANTS PRAYER (TRANSLATION)

Oh Christ, pilgrim before you were born,

you made your life a journey To meet humankind,

Not knowing where to lay down your head;

You wanted all people to always have hope.

For this you were a pilgrim In order to never die.

We pray to you for the migrant: di-rect him to a land that will feed him Without taking his identity from his

heart. Make of him a people that lives justice,

In solidarity and in peace.

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...CONTINUED

But it is important to remember that we are not alone. God is always at our side caring for us through something or someone: in this case, an organization helping immigrants. Sometimes, howev-er, we are the ones who forget Him. But above all, we must not forget to help our brothers and sisters in need, no mat-ter their race, color, religion, etc. We must help.

By: Bertha Carrillo, Wendy Salazar,

Rosalinda Ramirez, Teresa Ramirez

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IMMIGRANT INJUSTICE

Narrator: It was any day in the south of Chicago, in a factory where they make electric appliances. Maria came to this country and married an American citizen. She became a resi-dent and later a citizen. She was pro-moted from employee to supervisor of her department. She was filled with ar-rogance. She discriminated against the workers of her area and she took ad-vantage of her power. Besides that, she changed her name from Maria to Mary. So begins the story: This story, which you see now is repeated day after day with our immigrant countrymen, who even though they are our countrymen, do not lead a hand to their neighbors and forget how they came to this coun-try.

...CONTINUED

Give him the grace to be accepted as a person

Made in your image And destined to form community

With his brothers and sisters in faith.

May he not walk more than neces-

sary, And when he is detained,

May he feel that he has not walked in vain.

May the land that you destined for him and his descendents be

blessed .

Amen.

GOD’S LOVE IS LIKE NATURE, YOU CAN FIND IT ANYWHERE YOU GO

When we are foreigners in a strange land and can’t find our way, God gives us the water, trees, birds, to remind us that our home is wherever he is.

When we feel alone and with no reason to sing, God sends the birds to serenade us.

When we are humiliated, shamed, and disgraced for not knowing the customs or language, God gives us tears to release our pain and the warmth of the sun to dry them away.

When we feel forgotten, abandoned, and alone, God sends a rainbow to remind us of his covenant with us.

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...CONTINUADO

Pero, es muy importante saber que no

estamos solos. Dios está a nuestro lado,

siempre protegiéndonos a través de algo

o alguien— en este caso una organiza-

ción a favor de los inmigrantes. Sin em-

bargo, a veces somos nosotros quienes

nos olvidamos de Él.

Pero sobre todo no se debe olvidar las

necesidades de nuestros hermanos y her-

manas, sin tomar en cuenta la raza, el co-

lor, la religión, etc. Solo ayudar.

Escrito por: Bertha Carrillo, Wendy Salazar,

Rosalinda Ramirez, Teresa Ramirez

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INJUSTICIA INMIGRANTE

Narrador: Era un día cualquiera en el

sur de Chicago, en una fábrica en el cual

se elaboraban aparatos electrónicos.

María llegó y se casó con un ciudadano

americano. Ella se hizo residente y pos-

teriormente ciudadana. Ella pasó de ser

empleada a ser jefa del departamento.

Su cambio de puesto se la llenó de arro-

gancia y prepotencia. Trataba a sus em-

pleados de su área con discriminación y

se aprovechaba de su poder. Además se

cambió su nombre de María a Mary.

Comienza la historia: esta historia, la cual

ven ahora, se repite día tras día con nues-

tros paisanos inmigrantes que, aún sien-

do paisanos, no le tienden la mano al

prójimo y se olvidan de como llegaron a

este país.

...CONTINUED

When we want revenge, or are feeling sorry for ourselves, God sends us a warm breeze to caress our faces to calm us down so that we can see things clear-er.

When we miss our loved ones that are so far away, God gives us the same moon and stars to gaze upon to prove that love unites and shines through the darkness and the distance.

So, no matter where you are, or what you’re feeling, you are never alone…God’s love is always with you, just ask nature!

Written by: Rosalinda Ramirez

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EL AMOR DE DIOS ES COMO EL MEDIOAMBIENTE,SE PUEDE ENCONTRARLO EN CUALQUIER SITIO.

Cuando somos extranjeros en una tierra extranjera y no podamos encontrar nues-tro camino, Dios nos da el agua, los ár-boles, los pájaros para que nos acorde-mos que nuestra casa está dondequiera está Él. Cuando nos sentimos solos y sin razón para cantar, Dios nos manda los pájaros

para darnos serenatas. Cuando somos humillados, despreciados y desgraciados por no conocer las cos-tumbres ni el lenguaje, Dios nos da lágri-mas para quitarnos el dolor y el calor del sol para secar las lágrimas. Cuando nos sentimos olvidados, aban-donados y solos, Dios nos manda el arcoiris para que nos recordemos de sus promesas con nosotros.

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...CONTINUADO

Cuando queremos vengarnos, o tenemos

lástima de nosotros mismos, Dios nos

manda una brisa fresca para acariciar la

cara, para calmarnos para que veamos

más claras las cosas.

Cuando extrañamos a nuestros queridos

tan lejos de nosotros, Dios nos da la mis-

ma luna y las mismas estrellas para mirar

y prueba que el amor une y brilla por la

oscuridad y la distancia.

Así, no importa donde estés o que sien-

tas, nunca estás solo…

El amor de Dios está siempre contigo.

Solo pregunta la naturaleza.

Escrito por: Rosalinda Ramirez