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THE PASTORAL CARE OF MIGRANTS IN THE DIRECTIVES OF THE CHURCH

LA PASTORAL DE LOS MIGRANTES EN LAS DIRECTRICES DE LA IGLESIA

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seAL ABRINI r-..,,,\S

Velasio De Paolis, c.s.

eMSOccasional Papers:

Pastoral Series 9

Velasio De Paolis, c.s.

THE PASTORAL CARE OF MIGRANTS IN THE DIRECTIVES OF THE CHURCH

lA PASTORAL DE LOS MIGRANTES EN lAS DIRECTRICES DE lA IGLESIA

II II 1989

CMS - CEPAM - SIM

II II

Center for Migration Studies of New York, Inc. Centro de Estudios de Pastoral y Asistencia Migratoria, Caracas

Servicio de Informacion Migratoria, Bogota

II II

The Center for Migration Studies is an educational nonprofit institute founded in New York in 1964, com­mitted to encourage and facilitate tfle study ofsociode­mographic, economic, political, historical, legislative and pastoral aspects of human migration and refugee movements. The opinions expressed in this work are those of the author.

This paper, The Pastoral Care of Migrants in the Directives of the Church, was presented at the IX Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Councii for the Pas­toral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People held in Rome on October 24-26, 1988, and it is reproduced with the kind permission of the same Pontifical Council.

Father Velasio De Paolis, c.s., is professor of Canon Law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and is author of several studies dealing with migrants and canonical legislation and Church teching.

THE PASTORAL CARE OF MIGRANTS IN THE DIRECTIVES OF THE CHURCH

LA PASTORAL DE LOS MIGRANTES EN LAS DIRECTRICES DE LA IGLESIA

Pastoral Series: Occasional Paper # 9

The Center for Migration Studies of New York, Inc.

209 Flagg Place Staten Island, New York 10304-1148

ISBN 0-934733-46-5

••••• THE PASTORAL CARE OF MIGRANTS IN THE DIRECTIVES OF THE CHURCH •LA PASTORAL DE LOS MIGRANTES I• EN LAS DIRECTRICES DE LA IGLESIA

CONTENTS - INDICE

•• I. The Church has a specific pastoral care for migrants 5

La Iglesia time una pastoral e~pec{jica para los migrantes • 1. The pastoral concept of "migrant" - Concepto pastoral de "migrante"

• 2. The need for specific pastoral care

Necesidad de una cura pastoral especlfica • 3. What is the specificity of the pastoral care En que consiste el canlcter espedfico de la pastoral

• II. Justification and explanation ofthe specific pastoral care 9 Justificacion y explicacion de la pastoral especifica

• 1. The starting point of the specific pastoral care Punto de partida de la pastoral especlfica

• 2. Valorization of the cultural heritage

Valorizacion del patrimonio cultural 3. Consequences

• Consecuencias

• 4. The respect of the cultural and spiritual heritage in

the mystery of the Church El respeto por el patrimonio cultural y espiritual en el misterio de la Iglesia

• III. The pastoral care ofmigrants, a mission ofthe Church 18 La pastoral de los migrantes, mision de la Iglesia

• 1. Diocesan priests Los sacerdotes diocesanos

• 2. The religious Los religiosos

• W. The structure ofthe pastoral care ofmigrants 24 Estructura de la pastoral de los migrantes

• 1. The universal Church La Iglesia universal

• 2. The particular Church

La Iglesia particular

•3. The personal parish or chaplaincy

La parroquia personal 0 capellania

•

•••••

THE PASTORAL CARE OF MIGRANTS •IN THE DIRECTIVES OF THE CHURCH

• LA PASTORAL DE LOS MIGRANTES EN LAS DIRECTRICES DE LA IGLESIA •

•••••• II II II II II

1

Let us Introduce ourselves to the theme with an observation: the Church

testifies that throughout the centuries she has always taken the pastoral care of

migrants to her heart. Among the many texts available ~ let us consider the

affirmation found in the Constitution Exsul Familia: "Holy Mother Church~ impelled

by her ardent love of souls has striven to fulfill the duties inherent in her

mandate of salvation for all mankind ~ a mandate entrusted to her by Christ. She

has been especially careful to provide all possible spiritual care for pilgrims,

aliens, exiles and migrants of every kind. This work has been carried out chiefly

by priests who ~ in administering the Sacraments and preaching the Word of God,

have labored zealously to strengthen the faith of the Christians in the bond of

charity (DSS 1035). (1)

To support this affirmation ~ the Constitution ~ in a broad historical

excursus~ shows the effort of the Church in favor of the people on the move, from

the early times until the publication of the text, that is ~ up to the pontificate of

Pius XII ~ and concludes with the following reflection: "These timely projects have

seemed altogether worth noting here. Initiated by this Apostolic See, they were

undertaken by the bishops with the eager cooperation of priests, members of

religious communities and laymen. The names of these collaborators ~ although,

for the most part ~ not recorded -in history books ~ are nevertheless written in

heaven. Again, these works have appeared worth recounting here, if only

briefly ~ so that the universal and benevolent activity of the Church on behalf of

migrants and exiles of every kind - to whom she has extended every possible aid:

religious, moral and social, - might thus become better appreciated.

Besides, it seemed that these things badly needed to be publicized~

Vamos a abordar el tema con una constatacion: la Iglesia ha

dado gran importancia - a traves de los siglos - al cuidado espiritual

de los emigrantes. Puede dar testimonio de ello, entre muchos textos,

la afirmacion de la Constitucion "Exsul Familia": "La Santa Madre

Iglesia - impulsada por su inmenso amor hacia las almas y en su afan

de cumplir el mandato de salvacion universal que Ie fue confiado por

Cristo - no tardo en asumir el cuidado, sobre todo espiritual, tambien

de los peregrinos, forasteros y desterrados, y de todos los emigrantes,

sin ahorrar esfuerzos y valiendose principalmente de sacerdotes para

que estos, mediante la administracion de los carismas de la gracia y

la predicacion de la palabra divina, pudieran - con toda solicitud ­

confirmar a esos cristianos en la fe y estrechar los vlnculos de la

caridad" (DSS, 1035). (1)

Para demostrar esta afirmacion, la Constitucion - en un amplio

recorrido historico - examina el compromiso de la Iglesia en favor de

los hombres que se hallan implicados en la movilidad humana desde los

primeros tiempos hasta el momenta de la publicacion del texto, es de­

cir, hasta el Pontificado de Pio XII, y concluye con la siguiente re­

flexion: "Todas estas medidas oportunas, realizadas por parte de la

Sede Apostolica, y las iniciativas de los pastores, con la generosa

colaboracion de sacerdotes, religiosos y fieles cuyos nombres - aunque

por 10 general no figuran en la historia, estan escritos en el cielo

(cf. Lc 10, 20) - mereclan ser recordadas y relatadas, si bien a gran­

des rasgos, para que resplandezca cada vez mas la obra universal y be­

nefica de la Iglesia con los emigrantes y exiliados de toda clase a

quienes ella ha proporcionado siempre, sin ahorrarse, asistencia reli­

giosa, moral y social.

Esto parece aun mas necesario en nuestros d[as, cuando la provi­

da actividad de la Madre Iglesia se ve impugnada, desconocida y discu­

tida, con tanta mendacidad, por sus adversarios, precisamente en ese

campo de la caridad que Ie toco roturar antes que los demas y que a

menudo tuvo que cultivar sola" (DSS, 1128-1129).

•••••••

II La "Carta Magna" de la pastoral de los emigrantes (2) es la Cons­

titucion "Exsul Familia". Publicada en 1952, manifiesta el creciente

II

2

especially in our times, when the provident enterprises of Mother Church are so

unjustly assailed by her enemies and scorned and overlooked, even in the very

field of charity where she was first to break ground and often the only to continue

its cultivation" (DSS 1128-1129).

The Constitution "Exsul Familia" is the "Magna Charta" of the pastoral care

of migrants (2). Its publication, in 1952, marks also an intensification of the

Church's effort with regard to the phenomenon of migrations, at a time when it was

taking on the magnitude it had at the end of the century. With that Constitution,

Pope Pius XII intended to give to Ordinaries adequate norms not in conflict with

the provisions of the Code of Canon Law, but, on the contrary, faithfully

consonant with its spirit and with the tradition, and to provide them with proper

faculties to enable them to give spiritual assistance to aliens, whether residents

or travellers, in a form appropriate to their needs and not inferior to that available

to the other faithful of their dioceses (DSS 1132). The migratory flow intensified

steadily. Meanwhile, the Church was celebrating the Second Vatican Council. Its

reflection could not but have repercussions also on the pastoral care of migrants,

whose renewal was to be influenced, above all, by the ecclesiology of Vatican II.

Successively, numerous interventions of the Magisterium were to enrich the

already vast documentation about the Church's pastoral effort for people on the

move. A testimony of it is the book "The Church and People on the Move ­

Documents of the Holy See from 1883 to 1983", published on the initiative of the

Pontifical Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrations and Tourism, and

prepared by the Study Centre for Emigration in Rome. We have to select among

these documents those that mark the fundamental steps taken by the Magisterium

of the Church. Actually, the selection is not at all difficult (3). We should

recall, first of all, the already mentioned Apostolic Constitution Exsul Familia of

1 August 1952, which sums up the past history and presents the new norms for

the future. These, in turn, take up the previous regulations and bring them up

to date by adapting them to the new circumstances of time and places, and by

arranging them in a unitarian and systematic way (DSS, 1133). As far as the

Council is concerned, special attention has to be given to the Decree Christus

Dominus; but it is the whole of the conciliar renewal that should be kept in mind,

both for the ecc1esiological doctrine and for the missionary dimension (4). Paul

••••••••

••

- 2 ­

compromiso de la Iglesia con relacion al fenomeno de las migraciones

cuya magnitud, en esos anos, era tan imponente que podIa compararse

con la de fines del siglo pasado. Mediante esa Constitucion, el Santo

Padre Pio XII quiso proporcionar a los Ordinarios normas apropiadas,

no solo que no se opusieran a la legislacion del Codigo de Derecho Ca­

nonico, sino aun mas, que fueran fieles a su espIritu y a la tradicion;

y, al mismo tiempo, darles las facultades necesarias para que pudieran

atender al cuidado espiritual de los extranjeros - tanto de los resi­

dentes como de los que se encuentran de paso - en forma adecuada a

sus necesidades y no menos eficaz que la atencion que reciben los de­

mas fieles en sus propias diocesis (DSS, 1132). La ola de emigrantes

comenzo a hacerse mas intensa. Mientras tanto, la Iglesia celebraba

el Concilio Vaticano II cuya reflex ion no podIa dejar de tener reper­

cusiones tambien en el campo de la pastoral de los emigrantes: la ecle­

siologIa del Vaticano II estaba destinada a producir un impacto espe­

cial en la renovacion de la era presente. Mas adelante, las numerosas

intervenciones del Magisterio eclesiastico han ido enriqueciendo la

amplia documentacion sobre el compromiso de la Iglesia en la pastoral

de la movilidad humana. Da prueba de esto el volumen "Chiesa e mobi­

lita umana - Documenti della Santa Sede dal 1883 al 1983", publicado

bajo el patrocinio de la Pontificia Comision para la pastoral de los

migrantes y al cuidado del Centro Studi Emigrazione de Roma. Es nece­

sario efectuar una seleccion de algunos de esos documentos que marcan

las etapas fundamentales del Magisterio de la Iglesia. La eleccion,

desde luego, no es diffcil (3). Ante todo, hay que mencionar la citada

Constitucion Apostolica Exsul Familia del 1Q de agosto de 1952. En

ella se halla resumida la historia, y se presenta la nueva normativa

para el futuro, tomada de las anteriores directrices, adaptandolas a

las nuevas circunstancias de tiempo y lugar y ordenandolas de manera

unitaria y sistematica (DSS, 1133). En cuanto al Concilio se refiere,

habra que prestar especial atencion al nQ 18 del Decreto Christus Do­

minus; pero 10 que hay que tener presente, en realidad, es toda la re­

novacion conciliar, tanto por la doctrina eclesiologica como por la

dimension misionera (4). El Motu Proprio de Pablo VI "Pastoralis Migra­

torum Cura", del 15 de agosto de 1969, constituye un punto de referencia

3

VI's Motu Proprio "Pastoralis Migratorum Cura", of August 15, 1969, constitutes

a clear point of reference for the implementation of the conciliar directives. It was

followed by the Instruction "De pastorali migratorum cura", issued by the

Congregation for the Bishops, August 22, 1969, 011 behalf of the Pope (5).

Another sign of the Church's renewed pastoral effort for migrants has been the

setting up of the Pontifical Commission for the Pastoral Care of Emigration and

Tourism, by Paul VI's Motu Proprio "Apostolicae Caritatis" of March 19, 1970, then

transformed into a Pontifical Council by the Constitution "Bonus Pastor" of June

28, 1988. Among the documents of the Commission, "Church and People on the

Move", of May 26, 1978, has a special importance. Finally, we should mention the

new Code of Canon Law (6), of which Pope John Paul II said that it was llthe last

document of the Council" (7). These are the documents in which the directives

for the pastoral care of the people on the move are presented in a unitarian and,

in a sense, an organic way. Further occasional, and therefore fragmentary

interventions, are rather explicative or implemental of the said documents.

However, the annual messages of the Holy See for the Migrants Day, and the Holy

Father's addresses to migrants during his apostolic trips, especially in the early

years of his pontificate, deserve a particular attention (8).

There are several possible readings of these documents. For our purpose,

we opt for a reading that indicates clearly the basic lines of the Church's pastoral

work for people on the move in the present situation. Our perspective is

eminently pastoral and normative (9); as such, it limits the scope of our study,

first of all with regard to the phenomenon of people on the move, which embraces

a rather vast field: among others, it includes two sectors - migrations and tourism

- that are not easily reducible to a common denominator. Significantly, the

Dicastery concerned (Pontificium Consilium de spirituali migrantium atque

itinerantum cura) uses two distinct terms (migrants and itinerants) to indicate the

beneficiaries of its activity, precisely because it is impossible to put all people on

the move on the same plane. Migrations also have a rather broad range of social

phenomena, so much so that it was felt necessary to specify the concept of migrant

from a pastoral point of view. Our reflections will necessarily be limited to the

pastoral care of migrants.

,

••••••••

•••••••

- 3 ­

muy claro para la realizacion de las directrices del Cancilia. A ~ste

siguio la Instruccion "De pastorall migratorum cura", publicada el 22

de agosto de 1969 pOl' recomendaci6n del Papa a la Congregacion de los

Obispos (5). Otro signa del compromiso de la Iglesia en 1a pastoral

de los emigrantes fue 1a cre~ci6n de la Pontiflcia Comislon para la

pastoral de los emigrantes. pOl' deseo de Pablo VI, can el Motu Proprio

"Apostolicae Caritatis" del 19 de marlO de 1970. La Comision ha sido

transformada en Pontificio Consejo mediante la Constitucion "Pastor

Bonus" del 28 de junio de 1988. Entre los documentos de la Comision,

tiene especial importancia la Carta "Iglesia y Movilidad Humana" del

26 de mayo de 1978. En fin, hay que recordar el nuevo Codigo de Dere­

cho Canonico (6), definido par el Papa Juan Pablo II como "el ultimo

documento del Concilio" (7). Son estos los textos que presentan de ma­

nera unitaria - y en clerta forma organica - las directrices para la

pastoral de la movilidad humana. Otros escritos, mas bien ocasionales

y por tanto fragmentarios, son mas que todo aclaraciones 0 aplicacio­

nes de los documentos arriba mencionados. Ademas, merecen particular

atencion los mensajes anuales de la Santa Sede con motivo del Dia del

Migrante, como tambien los discursos que el Papa ha dirigido a los

emigrantes, especialmente en los primeros anos de su Pontificado, con

motive de sus viajes apostolicos (8).

Es posible realizar diferentes lecturas de tales documentos. Lo

que nos interesa, sin embargo, es efectuar una lectura que ponga de

relieve las l!neas principales de una pastoral de la Iglesia en la mo­

vilidad humana, en la situacion actual. La perspectiva es eminentemente

pastoral y normativa (9) y, en cuanto tal, limita nuestro campo de

estudio, ante todo con relacion al fenomeno de la movilidad humana.

Esta ultima abarca un horizonte bastante amplio; en especial, encierra

dos sectores que no se pueden reducir facilmente a un comun denomina­

dor: las migraciones y el turismo. Es significativo el hecho de que

en el nombre del Dicasterio que se ocupa de estes campos (Pontificium

Consilium de spirituale migrantium atque itinerantium cura) se utili­

zan dos terminos diferentes (migrantes e itinerantes) para indicar los

destinatarios de su actividad, precisamente porque no es posible

4

A second remark concerns the migrants for whom the Church, in her

documents, contemplates a specific pastoral assistance. This clarification has to

be made from a twofold point of view. Firstly, we are speaking of migrants

already baptized, and who belong to the Catholic church (10). Then, our

considerations are generally limited to migrants of Latin rite, since the pastoral

work with Eastern rite Catholics is to be seen more in the perspective of that rite

(11) .

Finally, a third remark concerns the merit of the documents, especially in

relation to the Code of Canon Law. The Constitution Exsul Familia appears as a

document which, while not in conflict with the Code, intended to give an urderly

and complete set of norms for the pastoral care of migrants by correcting,

developing, and adapting the previous norms, and adding new ones if necessary:

so, the whole matter is ordered in a new and thorough manner. The previous set

of norms is therefore abrogated and replaced by a new one. The same operation

has been done by the legislator with the Motu Proprio Pastoralis Migratorum cura,

and the Instruction De Pastoralis Migratorum cura. The latter, in fact, in

accordance with the Decree Christus Dominum, 18, gives new directiv 2S for the

pastoral care of migrants. Yet, the Constitution Exsul Familia cannot be

considered as being totally obsolete. Even though its normative section has been

replaced by the Instruction lIDe Pastorali Migratorum cura ll , Exsul Familia still

remains as a clear point of reference both for the historical section and for the

basic principles that have guided the formulation of its norms. This is the sense

of what is said in the letter lIChurch and People on the Move ll , 28: "That document

(Exsul Familia), which embraces all the aspects of being on the move, retains its

value even today. It is from the three's old trunk that the new shoots springll

(DSS, 2448). The principal directives of these documents have now been included

into the Code of Canon Law. It does not seem to us that the Code intended to

radically order the matter and to invalidate the previous directives. un the

contrary, by taking in the principal norms it intended to keep the normative value

of the sources at which it drew, and to confer greater authority to them. Keeping

in mind, however, that the particular legislation in the area of pastoral care of

migrants has never been meant to oppose, or to depart from the general and

universal legislation of the Code; should a conflict arise between the universal

••- 4 .

••considerar por igual a todos los cnmponentes de Ja movilidad humana.

Tambi~n las migraciorles tienen una gama m~5 bien amplia de fenomenos

sociales hasta el punto que se ha estimado necesario orecisar el con­

cepto de migrante desde un punta de vjsta pastoral. Tendremos, pues,

• necesariamente, que limitar nuestras refle~iones sabre la pastoral de

los emigrantes.

••Una segunda observdcicin se refiere a aquellos migrantes para los

cuales la Iglesia contempld. en sus documento5, un cuidado pastoral

•espec{fico. Esta aclaraci6ri se deber~ hacer teniendo en cuenta dos as­

pectos: ante todo, se trata de mlgrantes que ya est~n bautizados y per­

tenecen a la Iglesia cat61ica (10). Adem~s, nos limitaremos principal­

mente a los migrantes de rIta latino. ya que el cuidado pastoral de

• los cat61icos de rita oriental se contempla m~s bien desde la perspec­

tiva de ese mismo rito (11).

••En fin, la tercera abservacion se refiere al valor de los docu­

mentes mencionados con relac16n, en especial, al Codiqo de Derecho Ca­

•n6nico. La Constitucion Exsul Familia se presenta como un documento

que, sin estar en contradicci6n con el Codigo, se propane dar una nor­

mativa ordenada y completa sobre la pastoral de los emigrantes, reco­

giendo, elaborando y adaptando las normas anteriores y agregando - en

• caso de necesidad - otras nuevas. Por 10 tanto, ordena nuevamente y

en forma completa, la materia; abroga las normativas anteriores y las

• substituye. El legislador ha efectuado una operacian analoga mediante

el Motu Proprio Pastoral is Migratorum Cura y la Instruccian De pasto­

•rali migratorum cura. Esta, en efecto, de acuerdo con el Decreto

•Christus Dominus, nQ 18, da nuevas directrices para el cuidado pasto­

ral de los emigrantes. Sin embargo, la Constitucian Exsul Familia no

puede considerarse del todo obsoleta: aunque haya side reemplazada,

en la parte normativa, por la Instruccian "De pastorali migratorum

• cura", sigue siendo un punta de referencia muy claro para la parte his­

tarica y para los principios fundamentales que inspiraron las distin­

• tas disposiciones. En ese mismo sentido se deben interpretar las s1­

guientes palabras de la Carta "Iglesia y Movilidad Humana", nQ 28:

•

legislation and the particular legislation for pastoral care of migrants, it is the

universal legislation that must prevail as a matter of principle. The whole of these

documents constitutes a particular legislation through which, as we have seen

elsewhere, the Church has issued "a quasi parallel legislation with regard to' the

legislation of the Code which... is interpreted according to the needs of the

pastoral care of migrants. If it is true that, generally speaking, the Church's

directives concerning the pastoral care of migrants do not depart from the Code,

it is equally true that they lead the Code towards the pastoral needs: not

seldom... the canonical norms have been adapted, with admirable flexibility, to the

pastoral care of migrant people" (12).

In our exposition, we have to proceed in a rather synthetic way, presenting

the directives that are still valid for the pastoral care of migrants. According to

what has been said, we can refer either to the Code or to the documents that are

the source of the Code legislation.

A last preliminary remark is necessary: the documents touch the broad and

vast range of problems linked to the phenomenon of people on the move. We have

to limit our reflection to those aspects which concern directly and specifically the

pastoral care of migrants, that is the action through which the Church builds

herself in the context of migrations. We shall discuss the following points:

1. The Church has a specific pastoral care for migrants.

2. This pastoral work has its justification and explanation.

3. The whole People of God, priests, religious and laity, with their specific

and different roles, is entrusted with it.

4. It requires appropriate structures according to the various situations of time

and places.

I

The Church has a specific pasto:ra.l care for migrants

We must first of all clarify the pastoral concept of migrant, and then examine

the concept of specific pastoral care itself.

•••••••••••••••••••

- 5 ­

"Dicho documento (E~sul familia) abarca todos los aspectos de la iti­

nerancia, conser va su validez tambien hoy. De un tronco antiguo nacen

brotes nuevos" (DSS, 2448). Las normas principales de todos esos docu­

mentos han entrado a hacer parte del nuevo Codigo de Derecho Canonico.

No nos parece que en este se haya querido ordenar, en forma radical,

la materia, dejando sin valor las anteriores disposiciones. Por el con­

trario, al mantener las principales normas, se ha pretendido conservar

el valor normativo de las fuentes que las han inspirado, dandoles mayor

autoridad. Sin embargo, si se tiene en cuenta que la legislacion pecu­

liar referente a la pastoral de los emigrantes nunca ha intentado opo­

nerse 0 derogar la ley universal y general del Codigo, en caso de que

surgiera un conflicto entre la legislacion universal y la legislacion

particular de la pastoral migratoria, debera prevalecer - en principio ­

la legislacion universal. Todos estos documentos constituyen una legisla­

cion especial mediante la cual, como 10 hemos podido observar en otra

parte, la Iglesia ha publicado "casi una legislacion paralela respecto

a la del Codigo que se interpreta segun las exigencias de la movili­

dad humana. Si es verdad que, por 10 general, las directrices de la

Iglesia en el campo de la movilidad humana no derogan el Codigo, tam­

bien es cierto que 10 orientan hacia las necesidades pastorales. A me­

nudo los preceptos canonicos han sido adaptados con admirable flexibi­

lidad al cuidado pastoral de los emigrantes" (12).

En nuestra exposicion, debemos proceder de manera mas bien sin­

tetica al presentar las directrices que todavfa son validas en la pas­

toral de los emigrantes. Podemos remitirnos, como 10 hemos dicho, tan­

to al Codigo como a los documentos que han sido su fuente.

Habrfa que hacer una ultima observacion preliminar: los documen­

tos se refieren a la amplia y vasta problematica de la movilidad hu­

mana. Nosotros tendremos que limitarnos a los aspectos que - en forma

directa y especffica - conciernen el cuidado pastoral de los emigran­

tes; a saber: la accion mediante la cual se va construyendo la Iglesia

en el campo de las migraciones.

6

.. _._--------- ­

1. The pastoral concept of "migrant"

The Church's pastoral care is directed to the people in their concrete

situation, while keeping in mind, however, the pastoral needs deriving from each

situation. Sociologically different situations may present the same or similar

needs. The phenomenon of people on the move is very varied and may have

diversified causes and effects (13). From a pastoral point of view, a certain kind

of unification is possible. Thus, the documents of the Church divide the

phenomenon of people on the move between emigrants, sailors, travellers by air,

nomadic people, and tourists (DSS 2371-2375), although the list is not exhaustive.

Special directives have been issued for each category (14). But the sector for

which the Church has emphasized the need for a specific pastoral care is that of

the migrants. Not seldom exiles, refugees, sailors, airmen, and itinerants are

included in that category, but migrants are undoubtedly the analogatum princeps.

It is especially for them that the Church has elaborated on the pastoral notion.

The Instruction De Pastorali Migratorum Cura, 15, points out that the migratory

phenomena consist of various elements, and that migrants "differ greatly from one

another. Nevertheless, they are all in particular circumstances of life which are

greatly different from those to which they were accustomed in their homeland, with

the result that they cannot avail themselves of the assistance of the pastors of the

place. The Church, with maternal concern, strives to give these people proper

pastoral care". From this derives the following pastoral notion: "thus under the

pastoral arrangements ... we include as 'people who migrate' all those who live

outside their homeland or their own ethnic community and need special attention

because of real necessity" (DSS, 2004) (15).

2. The need for specific pastoral care

Before anything else, it must be said that when we speak of pastoral care,

we presuppose the existence of groups or communities of people who have common

needs. Because of their situation as persons living outside their homeland or

ethnic community, migrants usually cannot avail themselves of the pastoral

assistance provided by the Church to the faithful through the ministry of the

parish priest who presides over a community on territorial basis (Can. 515 and

518). The Church cannot leave to themselves the faithful she is unable to serve

- 6 ­

••• Vamos a examinar los siguientes puntos:

1. La Iglesia tiene una pastoral especlfica para los emigrantes.

•2. Hay una justificacion y una explicacion para esa pastoral.•

•3. Esa misma pastoral ha sido confiada a todo el Pueblo de Dios

con funciones especlficas distintas, segun se trate de sacer­

dotes, religiosos 0 laicos.

4. Tal pastoral requiere estructuras apropiadas, segun las dis­

• tintas situaciones de tiempo y lugar.

•I.• La Iglesia tien~ una pastoral especffica para los emigrantes

• Habrla que precisar, ante todo, el concepto pastoral de mi­

grante, y luego examinar 10 que es la pastoral especlfica.

••1. Concepto pastoral de "migrante"

La pastoral de la Iglesia se dirige a las personas en su situa­

•cion concreta, teniendo presentes, sin embargo, las exigencias que se

desprenden de tal estado para el cuidado pastoral. Situaciones distin­

tas desde un punta de vista sociologico pueden presentar exigencias

pastorales iguales 0 semejantes. El fenomeno de la movilidad humana

• esta lleno de matices y puede tener causas y objetivos muy diversifi ­

cados (13). Desde un punto de vista pastoral, es posible una cierta

••unificacion. As!, pues, los documentos de la Iglesia dividen el feno­

meno de la movilidad humana en: emigrantes, gentes del mar, aeronave­

gantes, nomadas y turistas (DSS, 2371-2375), si bien la clasificacion

•no queda agotada. La Iglesia ha dado directrices para cada grupo (14).

Pero el campo para el cual ha insistido en la necesidad de una pasto­

ral espec!fica es el de los emigrantes; con frecuencia, en el estan

inclu!dos los desterrados, profugos, marinos, aeronavegantes y nomadas.

• Es indudable, desde luego, que los emigrantes siguen siendo el analo­

gatum princeps. Para ellos, de manera especial, la Iglesia ha elaborado

•

7

,",,<jth her ordinary means. The Decree Chris tus DonD.nus, }8. recommends;

"Special concern should be shown for those members of the faithful who, on

account of their way of life are not adequately catered for by the ordinary pastoral

ministry of the parochial clergy or are entirely deprived of it. These include the

many migrants, exiles and refugees, sailors and airmen, itinerants and others of

this kindn (DSS, 1606). The Code (16), acknowledging these concerns,

recommends to the bishops (Can. 383, #1; DSS, 2811) to give special attention to

those nwho are not sufficiently able to benefit from ordinary pastoral caren ; and

to the parish priest (Can. 529, #1; DSS, 2819) to be especially diligent in seeking

out those who are exiled from their homeland. It then prescribes that, as far as

possible, chaplains be appointed llfor those who, because of their condition of life,

are not able to avail themselves of the ordinary care of parish priests" (Can. 568;

DSS 2821). Pastors, in particular are to be solicitous that the word of God is

preached to those of the faithful "who, because of the circumstances of their lives,

cannot sufficiently avail themselves of the ordinary pastoral care or are even

totally deprived of it ll (Can. 7'll, #1). The pastoral care which migrants need

will therefore be extraordinary (as against ordinary), and special or specific (as

against common).

3. What is the specificity of the pastoral care

The general guiding principle of the specific pastoral care of migrants is the

one we find more explicitly stated in Exsul Familia: "To offer aliens the religious

assistance appropriate to their needs, and not inferior to that available to other

Catholics in the dioceses" (DSS 1132). The ordinary pastoral care through which

the Church caters for the faithful is that of the parochial community ministered by

the parish priest. Therefore, where such pastoral care is not sufficient or totally

lacking, provision must be made, in adequate forms, for a specific and

extraordinary assistance. Since it is a question of pastoral ministry, it is clearly

and necessarily referred to a priest who should be able to meet the needs of the

migrants (DSS 324). He should be of the same language as the migrants (DSS

1042-1044). Since it is the language used to communicate with the recipient of the

Christian message, the Church recommends that, as far as possible, the priest be

of the same ethnic group as the migrants (DSS 1999). The solution of a priest

acquainted with the language only by learning is an expedient in the absence of

- 7 ­

la nocion pastoral. En el nQ 15 de la Instruccion "De pastorali migra­

torum cura", despues de haber subrayado que los fenomenos migratorios

estan compuestos de varios elementos y que los emigrantes, "aunque

constituyan categor1as humanas muy diversas entre sl, tienen en comun

condiciones de vida totalmente particulares que difieren mucho de aque­

lIas a las que estaban acostumbrados en la patria, hasta el punta de

no poder recurrir, para la asistencia espiritual, a los parrocos del

lugar. Por esto la Iglesia se preocupa, con materna solicitud, de pres­

tarles una oportuna asistencia pastoral" .•. resulta la siguiente no­

cion pastoral del emigrante: "Precisamente, desde el punto de vista

pastoral ... estan comprendidos en el concepto de emigrantes todos aque­

llos que, por cualquier motivo, viven fuera de su patria 0 de su comu­

nidad etnica y necesitan verdaderamente de asistencia particular" (DSS,

2004) (15).

2. Necesidad de una cura pastoral espec1fica

Ante todo, hay que decir que cuando hablamos de pastoral supone­

mos la existencia de grupos, 0 de comunidades de personas que tienen

en comun las mismas exigencias. El emigrante, por su situacion como

persona que vive fuera de su patria 0 de su comunidad etnica, no pue­

de - por 10 general - aprovechar la pastoral ordinaria que la Iglesia

proporciona a los fieles a traves del ministerio del parroco que pre­

side una comunidad en un territorio determinado (can. 515 y 518). La

Iglesia no puede abandonar a sf mismos a los fieles a quienes no pue­

de llegar con metodos ordinarios. El Decreto Christus Dominus habfa

recomendado: "Tengase una preocupacion especial por los fieles que,

por su condicion de vida, no pueden disfrutar convenientemente del cui­

•••••••

= •••••

dado pastoral ordinario de los parrocos, 0 carecen totalmente de el,

como son muchfsimos emigrantes, desterrados y profugos, navegantes y

aviadores, nomadas , etc." (DSS, 1606). El Codigo (16), acogiendo tales

instancias, recomienda al Obispo (can. 383, §1; DSS, 2811) que preste

especial atencion a aquellos que "no pueden obtener suficientemente

los frutos de la cura pastoral ordinaria"; y al parroco (can. 259, §1;

DSS, 2819), que ayude con prodiga caridad a los emigrantes. Establece,

8

other priests (DSS 2(59). But. the priest in charge of the pastoral cal'e of

migrants should also be able to effectively carry out his ministry and build the

Christian community - the Church - among migrants. The parish structures may

vary according to the different situations, but preference must be given to

structures suited to the purpose (DSS 2070-2072): to give migrants appropriate

pastoral care not inferior to that available to the other faithful. It should be kept

in mind that this pastoral work takes place within the Church itself, in communion

with and in obedience to the Bishop, who is also responsible for the diocesan

pastoral ministry, and in communion with the whole people of God (DSS 2075-2097).

By its very nature, the pastoral care of migrants is extraordinary and

temporary, precisely because it is specific and due to the fact that ordinary

pastoral care is either not sufficient or totally lacking. It is not alternative or

autonomous or opposed to the ordinary pastoral ministry carried out by the

parochial clergy. The parish priest remains responsible for the community of the

faithful, for all those who live in the territory of his parish (DSS 2058), except

that he is not in a position to adequately fulfill his pastoral ministry for the

portion of the community made up of migrants. This ministry is exercised, as long

as it is necessary, by another priest of the same language, and if possible of the

same ethnic group as the migrants, with his own personal authority cumulative

with that of the parish priest (DSS 2082-2089). The situation of a community or

group of faithful being catered for by both a territorial priest and another priest

of the same language and ethnic group is rather anomalous. But it is an anomaly

imposed by the objective reality and required by the good of the souls, which is

the supreme rule of any pastoral ministry. To belong to both the ethnic and the

territorial communities, as the Church provides for the migrants, means that the

Church has to adapt her structures to the service of the souls; in particular, it

means respecting the migrant and his spiritual heritage as well as the unity of his

family, and at the same time, it is an invitation to start a process of introduction,

albeit gradual, into the territorial parish community; it means to guarantee the

migrant's freedom to belong to his ethnic community as well as to become part of

the territorial community (17).

- 8 ­

••ademas, que se constituyan, en la medida de 10 posible, capel lanes

"para aquellos que por su g~nero de vida no pueden gozar de la aten­• cion parroquial ordinaria" (can. 568; DSS, 2821). Recomienda, en par­

ticular, a los pastores, que anuncien la palabra de Dios a los fieles

"que por sus condiciones de vida no gocen suficientemente de 1a cura

pastoral comun y ordinaria, 0 carezcan totalmente de ella" (can. 771,

§1). La pastoral que necesitan los emigrantes sera, pues, extraordina­

ria (en oposician a la ordinaria) y especial 0 especifica (en oposi­

cion a la comun).

3. En qu~ consiste e1 caracter especifico de la pastoral

El principio general que orienta la pastoral espec{fica para los

emigrantes esta expresado, en su totalidad, en 1a Exsul familia: "Se

debe proporcionar a los emigrantes una asistencia espiritual que no

sea diferente, ni menor, que aquella de que gozan los otros fieles en

las diocesis" (DSS, 1132). La pastoral ordinaria con que la Iglesia

asiste a sus fieles es aquella de la comunidad parroquial, realizada

a traves del parroco. AlII donde esa pastoral es insuficiente, 0 falta

del todo, habra que proveer, de manera adecuada, con una pastoral es­

peclfica y extraordinaria. Tratandose de una pastoral, ~sta se remite

clara y necesariamente a un sacerdote que este en capacidad de satis­

facer las necesidades de los emigrantes (DSS, 324). Debera ser un sa­

cerdote que hable el mismo idioma de los emigrantes (DSS, 1042-1044).

Al tratarse de una lengua en la que se comunica al destinatario el

mensaje cristiano, la Iglesia recomienda - en cuanto sea posible - que

el sacerdote pertenezca al mismo grupo etnico del emigrante (DSS, 1999).

La solucian a traves de un sacerdote que conoce el idioma, solo por

haberlo aprendido, es un repliegue por falta de otros sacerdotes (DSS,

2059). El sacerdote encargado de la pastoral de los emigrantes debera

poder llevar a cabo eficazmente su ministerio, y edificar la comunidad

cristiana - la Iglesia - entre los emigrantes. Las estructuras pasto­

rales podran variar, segun las situaciones, pero habra que elegir las

mas adecuadas para lograr el objetivo (DSS, 2070-2072); a saber: pro­

porcionar a los emigrantes una pastoral apropiada, que no sea inferior

a la que reciben los demas fieles. Hay que tener presente que dicha

9

II

Justification and explanation of the specific pastoral care

1. The starting point of the specific pastoral care

It is an obvious and elementary observation. An individual who is outside

his homeland or ethnic community feels cut off from communication: he is uprooted,

disconcerted. The repercussions are felt at the level of faith and religious

practice too (DSS 1984 ff). In general, migrants are not acquainted with the

language of their host country, or, if they have any knowledge of it, it is usually

not sufficient to master it. In any case, they are outside the cultural context of

the new people among whom they now find themselves. The relationship with the

local priest and, through him, with the Christian community in which they live,

is difficult or even impossible. In the event of a large migrant community, they

are unable to avail themselves of the priest's ministry to practice their faith,

especially if, as is often the case, they are threatened also from the outside. For

such community, a specific pastoral care must be set up, with extraordinary and,

in any case, adequate means to cope with the situation (18).

This was the prevailing orientation of the Church's interventions before the

Council. We find an echo of it especially in the Constitution Exsul Familia. The

lack of ordained ministers causes serious harm to the faith, whereas their presence

gives it nourishment and strength (DSS 1033-34). On that line, among others, is

the norm of the 1215 4th Lateran Council, which enjoined the Bishops to provide

"the proper men, who will celebrate the Liturgical Functions according to their

rites and languages. They will administer the Sacraments of the Church and

instruct their people both by word and by deed" (DSS 1047).

However, the assistance through a specific pastoral care is considered as

something extraordinary which should cease as soon as possible. Thus, in the

Constitution Exsul Familia, the subjects of a special pastoral care are only the

migrants of the first and second generation (DSS 1222-1224).

••••••••I

- 9 ­

pastoral se rea1iza en el interior de la Iglesia, en comunion y obe­

diencia a1 Obispo, quien es el responsable de la pastoral diocesana,

y tambien en comunion con todo el pueblo de Dios (DSS, 2075-2097).

La pastoral de los emigrantes es, por su misma naturaleza, extra­

ordinaria y provisional, precisamente por 10 que es especffica y se

debe al hecho que la pastoral ordinaria es insuficiente 0 falta del

todo. No es una alternativa, ni es autonoma; ni tampoco se opone a la

pastoral ordinaria que lleva a cabo el parroco en la comunidad parro­

quial. El parroco es siempre el responsable de la comunidad de sus

fieles, de todos los que viven en el territorio de la parroquia (DSS,

2058), pero no esta en capacidad de realizar un ministerio pastoral

con los emigrantes. Este es encomendado - mientras sea necesario - a

un sacerdote que hable el mismo idioma que los emigrantes y - posible­

mente, que pertenezca al mismo grupo etnico, con autoridad personal

y cumulativa con la del parroco (DSS, 2082-2088). La situacion de una

comunidad 0 grupo de fieles que ha sido confiado - contemporaneamente ­

al cuidado pastoral de un parroco territorial y a un sacerdote que

habla el mismo idioma y pertenece al mismo grupo etnico es mas bien

anomala. Pero se trata de una anomalfa impuesta por la realidad obje­

tiva y que se hace necesaria por el bien de las almas, suprema regIa

de toda pastoral. La doble pertenencia a la comunidad etnica y a la

territorial, que la Iglesia contempla en 10 que se refiere a los emi­

grantes, significa que Ella debe adaptar las estructuras al servicio

de las almas; en particular, quiere decir respeto por el emigrante y

su patrimonio espiritual, como tambien por la unidad de su familia y

- al mismo tiempo - una invitacion a que este comience un camino de

integracion, aunque sea gradual, en la comunidad parroquial territorial;

significa afianzar al emigrante en su libertad de pertenecer a la co­

munidad etnica y, al mismo tiempo, de integrarse en aquella territo­

rial (17).

III'

10

2. Valorization of the cultural heritage

The reflection about the pastoral care of migrants was to give it a more solid

foundation. Even knowing that in more sensitive and sagacious souls this

reflection had already begun long ago, it undeniably flourished especially with the

Ecumenical Council Vatican II and its suggestions about missionary activity in the

Decree Ad Gentes, its ecclesiological meditations in the Constitution Lumen

Gentium, and the deeper examination of the relation between faith and culture in

the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes.

Thus, we arrive at the formulation found among others in the Instruction De

Pastorali Migratorum Cura, 11, concerning the cultural heritage of the migrants.

"Migrating people bring with them their own mentality, their own language, their

own culture, their own religion. All these things are parts of a certain spiritual

heritage of opinions, traditions and culture which will perdure outside the

homeland. Let it be prized highly everywhere.

Not least in its right to consideration is the mother tongue of emigrant

people, by which they express their mentality, thoughts, culture and spiritual

life.

Since these last are the natural media for knowing and opening the inner

man, the care of migrating people will indeed bear fruit if it is carried out by

persons who know them well, i. e., the mentality, thoughts, culture, and spiritual

life, and who are fully proficient in the people's language: "Therefore, it appears

obvious and valid to maintain the practice of providing pastoral care to migrants

through priests of their own language, and this as long as usefulness indicates"

(DSS 1997-1999). If the cultural heritage is really an inalienable value of the

individual, the Church cannot ask for the renunciation of that heritage as the

prize for expressing and practicing one's faith. In particular, the language has

a great and even primary importance as expression of the heritage itself: it is not

so much and principally a question of knowing the phonetics or the grammatical

structure, but rather of possessing it as spiritual and cultural inheritance: it is

the native or mother tongue which, even if not known in syntactic perfection, is

nonetheless part of one's life and being: faith was acquired, grew, and took form

through it. In the Motu Proprio Pastoralis Migratorum Cura, Pope Paul VI, after

- 10 ­I I

I I

I I

I

I

II. Justificacion y explicaclon de la pastoral espec{flca

1. Punto de partida de la pastoral espec!fica

Se trata de una constatacion obvia y elemental: la persona que

se encuentra lejos de su patria y de la propia comunidad etnica se

halla como ajena a toda comunicacion, desarraigada y desorientada. Las

repercusiones de esto se sienten tambien en la fe y en la practica re­

ligiosa (D5S, 1984 Y sigs.). El emigrante, por 10 general, no conoce

el idioma del pals que 10 acoge, y si 10 sabe, no 10 domina 10 sufi­

ciente. De todas maneras, se encuentra por fuera del contexto cultural

del nuevo pueblo con el que va a compartir su vida. Las relaciones con

el parroco del lugar y - a traves de este - con la comunidad cristiana

adonde llega a vivir, son diflciles e incluso imposibles. 5i se trata

de una comunidad numerosa,ella no esta en las condiciones de aprove­

char el ministerio del parroco para vivir su propia fe, especialmente

si - como suele suceder - se ve amenazada tambien desde fuera. Habra

que proporcionar a tal comunidad una pastoral especlfica, con medios

extraordinarios y, de todas maneras, adecuados a la situacion (18).

Esta es, sobre todo, la perspectiva desde la cual actua la Igle­

sia antes del Concilio. En la Constitucion Exsul familia se notan los

ecos de esto. La escasez de ministros sagrados causa graves perjulcios

a la fe, mientras su presencia la alimenta y la forti fica (DSS, 1033­

1034). En esta misma lInea se situa, en especial, la prescripcion del

Concilio Lateranense IV de 1215 por la cual se imponIa a los obispos

que pusieran a disposicion "personas idoneas para los fieles de dis­

tinta lengua y rito, que celebraran los oficios divinos segun los dl­

versos idiomas y ritos, administraran los sacramentos y los instruye­

ran, tanto con la palabra como con el ejemplo" (DSS, 1047).

La asistencia mediante una cura pastoral espec!fica es conside­

rada, sin embargo, como algo extraordinario que debe cesar cuanto an­

tes. ASI pues, el objeto de la cura pastoral especlfica, para la Cons­

titucion Exsul familia, son solo los emigrantes de la primera y la se­

gunda generacion (055, 1222-1224).

11

mentioning the Decree Christus Dominus, 18, goes.on saying: nNow, it is easy to

understand that it is not possible to fulfill effectively this pastoral care if the

spiritual patrimony and the special culture of the migrants is not taken into due

account. In this respect, the national language in which they express their

thoughts, their mentality and their very religious life is of great importance" (DSS

1975). In that perspective, we understand why the theme of the respect for the

migrants' cultural heritage is sometimes linked to the great theme of the relation

between culture and faith on the one hand, and evangelization, which the Church

is called to carry out, on the other hand (DSS 2390) .

From that broader perspective, a number of consequences can easily be

identified.

3. Consequences

1) A first consequence is that the specific pastoral care can not be seen in

the perspective of an anomaly that has to be tolerated for the shortest possible

time, for example until the second generation, as prescribesd by the Constitution

Exsul Familia. The Instruction "De Pastorali Migratorum Cura", draws from the

valorization of the spiritual heritage, and from the right to express and sustain

the faith in one's mother tongue, the conclusion that such a pastoral care must

be continued as long as usefulness indicates, without limitation of time or

generations.

2) A second consequence is that any attempt of compulsory assimilation or

integration of migrants into the ecclesial structures has to be rejected; the correct

attitude on the part of the Church should be one of welcome, hospitality, and

freedom: all this will help to overcome even the remotest suspicion of nationalism.

a) We would like to make clear what we mean by assimilation and integration.

The adjective "compulsory" used to specify the two terms, helps to illustrate the

thinking emeging from the documents of the Church. Both words may well express

the positive meaning of a process which, sooner or later, has to have its point of

arrival in the full insertion of the migrants into their new community, both from

a civil and from an ecclesial point of view. But such a conclusion must be the

••••••••

•••••••

- 11 ­

2. Valorizacion del patrimonio cultural

La reflexion sobre la cura pastoral de los emigrantes iba a lle­

var a construir cimientos mas profundos. Aunque se sabia que habia co­

menzado, desde hacia largo tiempo, por parte de personas especialmente

sensibles y perspicaces, no se puede negar que el momento mas ilumina­

do de esta reflex ion fue el Concilio Ecumenico Vaticano II, con sus

indicaciones sobre la actividad misionera en el Decreto Ad gentes, sus

meditaciones eclesiologicas en la Constitucion Lumen gentium y la pro­

fundizacion sobre 10 que son la fe y la cultura en la Constitucion

pastoral sobre la Iglesia en el mundo actual, Gaudium et spes. Llega­

mos, entonces, a la formulacion que encontramos - en particular - en

la Instruccion "De pastorali migratorum cura", nQ 11, con relacion al

patrimonio cultural de los emigrantes: "Los emigrantes llevan consigo

su mentalidad, su lengua, su cultura y su religion. Todo esto consti­

tuye un patrimonio, por decirlo asi, espiritual de pensamiento, de

tradiciones y de cultura, que perdurara tambien fuera de la patria.

Por 10 mismo, debe ser estimado grandemente en todas partes".

En este campo, la lengua materna reclama elementos de reflexion

que no dejan de ser importantes. A traves de ella, los emigrantes ex­

presan sus disposiciones mentales y sus formas de pensamiento y de

cultura, como tambien su vida espiritual.

Al ser todo 10 anterior el medio natural y el camino para cono­

cer 10 mas Intimo del hombre y poder penetrar en el, la cura pastoral

de los emigrantes dara, sin lugar a dudas, frutos abundantes, si es

proporcionada por aquellos que saben bien todo esto y dominan correc­

tamente, en todo sentido, el idioma de los emigrantes: "es evidente,

por 10 tanto, y queda confirmada la praxis de que la cura pastoral de

los emigrantes debe ser realizada por sacerdotes cuyo ipioma sea el

mismo de los emigrantes y durante todo el tiempo que esto sea ~til"

(D55, 1997-1999). 5i el patrimonio espiritual es un valor inalienable

de la persona, la Iglesia no puede pedir que se renuncie a tal patri­

monio como precio para poder expresar y practicar la propia fe. En

particular, el idioma ocupa un lugar importante, e incluso primario,

12

point of arrival of a free exercise on the part of the migrant in the course of the

generations.

In that perspective, we may understand assimilation and integration in the

same positive sense: after a longer or shorter process, the migrant may - and he

will have to - be fully inserted into the host community; but without any undue

pressure to accelerate that process, forcing him to repudiate his cultural and

spiritual heritage. No pressure can be accepted neither on the part of the civil

society, nor and even less so, on the part of the ecclesial community. Therefore,

assimilation or integration understood as a coercive process directed towards the

insertion of migrants into the indigenous society so as to make them lose as soon

as possible their own cultural identity and absorb that of the host country or

nation, have to be rejected. They should be even more strongly rejected if they

are expressed through pressure to induce migrants to abandon their faith or the

moral behavior derived from it.

In his address to Italian diocesan delegates for migrants, Pope Pius XII said

that the missionary will have to watch with acute spirit of observation to prevent

false doctrines and perverse customs to be taken up by the emigrants under the

pretext of adapting to local circumstances. Where the host country has the

intention of promoting the so-called assimilation of aliens, the missionary will

endeavor to prevent this to be done at the expense of the natural rights or by

damaging the religious and moral values which are often closely linked to the

native traditions (DSS 1392). The insertion of migrants into the local community

has to occur gradually and freely, by a natural process in which the values and

the culture of the host country are not seen as a contradiction or in contrast with

one's cultural and spiritual heritage. John Paul II, in an address to the migrants

of Curitiba, on July 6, 1980, mentions this assimilation or integration. Concerning

the emigration in Brazil he wondered whether there were another country where

assimilation or integration occurred more naturally. He thought that it was

impossible, for he had not seen, in other parts, emigrants, their children and

grand-children so closely tied to their new land without, at the same time,

repudiating their country of origin (DSS 2633).

•••••••••••••••••••

- 12 ­

como expresion de ese mismo patrimonio; no se trata tanto, y principal­

mente, de conocer la fonetica 0 la estructura gramatical, sino de po­

seerla como patrimonio espiritual y cultural: el idioma de la patria,

o lengua materna, - aunque no se conozca en la perfeccion de la sin­

taxis - hace parte de la propia vida y del propio serj a traves de la

lengua ha nacido, ha crecido y se ha formado tambien la fee En el Motu

Proprio "Pastoralis Migratorum Cura", el Papa Pablo VI - despues de

haber recordado el Decreto Christus Dominus, nQ 18, dice: "Ahora se

comprende facilmente que no es posible llevar a cabo de manera eficaz

esta cura pastoral, si no se tienen en su deb ida cuenta el patrimonio

espiritual y la cultura propia de los emigrantes. Al respecto, tiene

gran importancia la lengua nacional a traves de la cual ellos expresan

sus pensamientos , su mentalidad y su misma vida religiosa" (DSS, 1975).

Desde esta perspectiva, se entiende por que, a veces, el tema del res­

peto por el patrimonio cultural del emigrante se relaciona con el te­

rna de los nexos entre la cultura y la fe, por una parte, y la evange­

lizacion que la Iglesia esta llamada a realizar, por otra (DSS, 2390).

Desde esta optica, par 10 tanto, se pueden deducir facilmente algunas

consecuencias.

3. Consecuencias

1) La primera consecuencia, es que la pastoral espec1fica no

puede considerarse como si fuera una anomal[a que se ha de tolerar

por el menor tiempo posible, por ejemplo, hasta la segunda generacion,

como 10 indicaba la Exsul familia. La Instruccion "De Pastorali Migra­

torum Cura" - precisamente debido a la valorizacion del patrimonio

cultural y del derecho a expresar y a alimentar la propia fe en la

lengua materna - concluye que esa pastoral debe seguirse hasta que

sea util, sin l[mites de tiempo ni de generaciones.

2) Una segunda consecuencia es que se debe rechazar cualquier

tentativa de asimilacion 0 de integracion forzada de los emigrantes

en las estructuras eclesiales; la actitud correcta que debera asumir

la Iglesia sera de acoglda, hospitalidad y Ilbertad; todo esto debera

ayudar a superar Incluso la mera sospecha de nacionalismo.

13

Pope Paul VI is opposed to compulsory assimilation, and denounces the

purely directive and demagogic methods applied for this purpose, recommending

that they be definitively proscribed (DSS 2227).

Pressure for compulsory assimilation or integration on the part of the

ecclesial community does in fact occur when it fails to provide a specific pastoral

care for migrants according to the instructions of the Church, or when it is

reduced to a minimum for fear that the migrant community might acquire an

identity of its own and delay its assimilation or integration.

But if the process of assimilation or integration has not to be forced, neither

should it be speciously delayed or repressed for nationalistic reasons. If the host

country has to show openness, respect and welcome, no prior rejection and self­

ghettoization could be justified on the part of the migrant community. The "De

Pastorali Migratorum cura" reminds of the migrants' duties to have esteem for the

"patrimony, language, and customs" of the host country (DSS 1995); therefore,

they should accommodate themselves to their host communities, hasten to learn

their languages so that if their residence there turns out to be long or even

definitive, they may be able to be integrated more easily into the new society:

however, this integration will occur positively and effectively if it is done

gradually and spontaneously, without any compulsion or hindrance (DSS 1995).

Special understanding will have to be shown for those people who have been forced

to leave their homeland because of ideological or political reasons, or were

deported (DSS 1996).

Therefore, insertion, assimilation or integration should be a process

developed in cooperation between the host and the arriving communities through

a gradual progress and mutual respect. The responsibility for this mutual

understanding and cooperation, says Paul VI, falls above all on the pastors of the

respective communities (DSS 2227).

While on the one hand the Church recognizes and promotes a specific

pastoral care of migrants that respects their spiritual and cultural heritage, on the

other hand, she does not fail to point out the dangers that might threaten the

•••••••••••••••••••

- 13 ­

a) Quisieramos precisar 10 que entendemos por asimilacion e integra­

cion. El adjetivo "forzada", con que hemos calificado los dos terminos,

ayuda a aclarar el pensamiento que se destaca en los documentos de la

Iglesia. Las dos palabras que se han utilizado pueden, en efecto, ex­

presar el sentido positivo de un camino que - antes 0 despues - debera

culminar en la insercion, con todo derecho, de los emigrantes, en la

nueva comunidad, tanto desde un punto de vista civil como eclesial.

Pero esa conclusion debera ser el punto de llegada del ejercicio de

la libertad por parte del emigrante, a traves de las generaciones.

Desde este punta de vista, podemos entender la asimilacion y la

integracion en el mismo sentido positivo; el emigrante, a traves de

un camino mas 0 menos largo, podra y debera llegar a su plena integra­

cion en la comunidad que Ie recibe; pero no sera posible, ni habra que

ejercer presiones indebidas sobre el para acelerar ese proceso, obli­

gandolo a renegar de su propio patrimonio cultural y espiritual. Estas

presiones no pueden ser aceptadas por la sociedad civil, ni tampoco,

y mucho menos, por la comunidad eclesial. 5e deberan rechazar, por

consiguiente, la asimilacion 0 la integracion como proceso de coaccion

cuyo objeto es integrar a los emigrantes en la sociedad indfgena para

que pierdan, 10 mas pronto posible, su identidad cultural y absorban,

cuanto antes, aquella del pafs 0 nacion que les recibe. Aun mas, ha­

brfa que rechazar tal asimilacion 51 se manlflesta como una presIon J

hacia los emigrantes para que abandonen su propla fe 0 el comporta­

mlento moral que de ella se desprende.

Plo XII, en su alocuclon a los delegados dlocesanos Itallanos

para los emlgrantes, dec!a: [1 mlslonero "velara con agudo esp!rltu

de observaclon para Impedlr que las falsas doctrlnas y las malas cos­

tumbres penetren en los emlgrados so pretexto de que ellos se adaptan

a las clrcunstanclas locales. Cuando el pais de acoglda se proponga

promover la llamada aslmllaclon de los extranjeros, el mlslonero hara

todo 10 poslble para que esto no se haga en menoscabo de los derechos

naturales 0 con perjulclo de los valores rellglosos y morales, con

frecuencla estrechamente vlnculados a las tradlclones patrlas" (055,1392).

14

unity and the communion, should the specific pastoral care, although neeessary,

be organized in contrast to the local Christian community, against or outside the

obedience to the Bishop, and in a spirit of division. Paul VI is aware of it in the

Motu Proprio "pastoralis Migratorum Cura": "It must be avoided that these

diversities and adaptations in accordance with the various ethnical groups, even

though legitimate, result in harm to that unity to which all are called in the

Church ... " (DSS 1975).

b) In this perspective, respect of the migrants' cultural and spiritual patrimony

has nothing to do with certain degenerated forms of nationalism. It must be

admitted that in some cases the pastoral care of migrants did not escape that

danger. The terminology may have contributed to it; not seldom do we find in the

documents the expression, language of the !I nation" . But whenever that

expression could have taken doubtful connotations, the Church was prompt in

avoiding it, and has always put more emphasis on the rights of the persons and

respect of their cultural and spiritual heritage. However, it should be made clear

that this heritage deserves respect not because it is more important, richer, or

more developed than others, but simply because it is the heritage of an individual

or a community. In itself, it is not a patrimony to be defended at any cost; but

it is the way in which a person presents himself and should be welcome and

accepted. But all this requires further deep reflection in a more properly

theological dimension, the subject of which is the very nature of the Church and

her mission.

4. The respect of the cultural and spiritual heritage in the mystery of the Church

A true and well-founded pastoral care cannot but have a sound

ecclesiological basis (19). Let us therefore dwell on it for a while, even if briefly,

in order to do better justice to the specificity of the pastoral care of migrants

indicated in the directives of the ecclesial authorities. After a few general

reflections about the Church, we shall examine the particular Churches, Le. the

dioceses.

1) The Church, mystery of communion that builds herself in the Eucharist.

Although she exists in this world and is organized in a visible manner

according to the needs expressed by the historical situation, the Church has a

•••••••••••••••••••

- 14 ­

La integracion de los emigrantes en la comunidad local debera llevarse

a cabo en forma gradual y libre, a traves de un proceso natural en el

cual los valores y la cultura del pals que recibe no se consideren

contradictorios y opuestos al propio patrimonio cultural y espiritual.

Juan Pablo II habla de esa asimilacion 0 integracion en un discurso

a los emigrantes de Curitiba, el 6 de julio de 1980. Con relacion a

la inmigracion en el Brasil, el dice: ""Habra otro pals donde la asi­

milacion 0 la integracion del emigrado se realice con igual naturali­

dad? Es imposible que se lleve a cabo con mayor naturalidad que en

este pals. No creo haber visto, en otras partes, a los emigrantes y

a sus hijos y nietos tan apegados a la tierra que los ha acogido ...

y al mismo tiempo no desconocen el pals de origen" (DSS, 2633).

Se opone a la asimilacion forzada el Papa Pablo VI que denuncia

los metodos "meramente directivos 0 demagogicos" que llevan a ella,

y recomienda su proscripcion definitiva (DSS, 2227).

Por parte de la comunidad eclesial, se nota una verdadera pre­

sion a la asimilacion 0 a la integracion forzadas, cuando no se brin­

da a los emigrantes una pastoral especlfica segun las directrices de

la Iglesia, 0 se reduce esta al mlnimo, precisamente por el temor de

que la comunidad de los emigrantes adquiera su propia identidad y re­

trase su insercion y, por consiguiente, su asimilacion 0 integracion.

El proceso de asimilacion 0 integracion no se debe forzar inde­

bidamente, pero tampoco se puede retardar 0 frenar aparentemente por

motivos nacionalistas. La comunidad que recibe debera dar prueba de

respeto y acogida a la comunidad de emigrantes; perc a estos ultimos

no se les deberan justificar rechazos apriorfsticos ni el encierre en

sf mismos. La "De pastorali migratorum cura" recuerda a los emigrantes

la obligacion que tienen de apreciar tIel patrimonio, la lengua y las

costumbres" de los pafses que les reciben (DSS, 1995); por consiguien­

te, deberan adaptarse a las comunidades que los acogen y aprender

pronto el idioma, de manera que si su estadfa se prolonga 0 llega a

ser definitiva, ellos puedan insertarse mas facilmente en la nueva

15

purpose that transcends history. Her mission is not "in the political, economic or

social order" (GS 42). She is not linked to any culture, or particular interest,

or people, but, being born from the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, she is

"sacrament of salvation", that is to say, "a sign and instrument of communion with

God and of unity among all men" (LG 1). She is called to realize more and more

her catholicity, her identity as people of the New Alliance, who "speaks every

language, understands and embraces all tongues in charity, and thus overcomes

the dispersion of Babel" (AG 4). She is the Church of the Trinity. She presents

herself as "a people brought into unity from the unity of the Father, the Son and

the Holy Spirit" (LG 4). "All men are called to belong to the new People of God"

which, "whilst remaining one and only one, is to be spread throughout the whole

world and to all ages" (LG 13). It is "present in all the nations of the earth"

(ib.), and all faithful "scattered throughout the world are in communion with each

other in the Holy Spirit" so that "he who dwells in Rome knows those in most

distant parts to be his members" (ib.). Since the Kingdom of Christ is not of this

world "the Church or People of God which establishes this Kingdom does not take

away anything from the temporal welfare of any people. Rather, she fosters and

takes to herself, in so far as they are good, the abilities, the resources and

customs of peoples. In so taking them to herself she purifies, strengthens and

elevates them. .. This character of universality which adorns the People of God is

a gift from the Lord Himself whereby the Catholic Church ceaselessly and

efficaciously seeks for the return of all humanity and all its goods under Christ

the Head in the unity of his Spirit. In virtue of this catholicity each part

contributes its own gifts to other parts and to the whole Church, so that the whole

and each of the parts are strengthened by the common sharing of all things and

by the common effort to attain to fullness in unity" (LG 13). Fullness of unity

guaranteed by the dead and risen Christ who came to gather in unity, through the

redeeming sacrifice, the dispersed children of God (John 11, 51-52); a unity

constantly built by the Eucharist and in the Eucharist, in which "is contained the

whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself our Pasch and the living

bread which gives life to men through his flesh - that flesh which is given life and

gives life through the Holy Spirit. Thus men are invited and led to offer

themselves, their works and all creation with Christ. For this reason the

Eucharist appears as the source and the summit of all preaching of the Gospel",

•••••••

- 15 ­

sociedad. Tal insercion, sin embargo, se podra realizar de manera po­

sitiva y eficaz, si se lleva a cabo en forma gradual y espontanea,

excluyendo toda forma de coaccion y de obstaculos (DSS, 1995). En es­

pecial se debera observar ese respeto por aquellos que han tenido que

emigrar por motivos ideologicos 0 pollticos, porque han sido desterra­

dos (DSS, 1996).

La insercion, pues, la asimilacion 0 la integracion, debera ser

un proceso que habra de realizarse con la colaboracion de ambas comu­

nidades: la que recibe y la que llega, en un camino gradual y de mutuo

respeto. La responsabilidad de esa reclproca comprension y colabora­

cion incumbe - segun Pablo VI - sobre todo a los pastores de las res­

pectivas comunidades (DSS, 2227).

Si, por una parte, la Iglesia reconoce y promueve una pastoral

especlfica para los emigrantes, respetando su patrimonio espiritual

y cultural, por otro lado no deja de subrayar los peligros que pueden

constituir una amenaza para la unidad y la comunion cuando la pastoral

especlfica, aun siendo necesaria, se organiza en contraposicion a la

comunidad cristiana local, desobedeciendo al Obispo 0 en medio de la

division. Lo advierte Pablo VI en el Motu Proprio "Pastoral is Migra­

torum Cura": liSe debe evitar que estas diversidades, y las adaptacio­

nes segun los distintos grupos etnicos, aunque sean legltimas, perju­

diquen la unidad a la que todos estan llamados en la Iglesia ••• " (DSS,

1975).

b) Desde esta perspectiva, el respeto por el patrimonio cultural y es­

piritual de los emigrantes no tiene nada que ver con ciertas formas

decadentes de nacionalismo. Se debe admitir que, a veces, la pastoral

de los emigrantes no ha podido evitar ese peligro. Puede que a esto

haya ayudado la terminologla. Con frecuencia, en los documentos se en­

cuentra la expresion "lengua de la nacion". Pero todas las veces que

esa palabra ha podido asumir connotaciones equfvocas, la Iglesia se

ha apresurado a evitarla, dando cada vez mas importancia a los dere­

chos de las personas y al respeto por el patrimonio cultural y espiritual.

16

and of all apostolate (PO 5).

From the awareness of the innate universality of her nature and function,

the Church knows well that within her organism "no one can be considered a

stranger or just a guest, or in any way on the fringe of things" (DSS 2452). The

Catholic Church, of which Rome is the center, is supernatural by its very essence

(DSS 946; cf. also DSS 851). To no member of the mystic Body of Christ does she

ask for his passport before resolving to take him into the life of the community

and share with him her spiritual goods and her affection, said Pope Pius XII to the

diocesan delegates for emigration in 1957 (DSS 1395). And again Pius XII, in his

speech on Christmas Eve 1945 said that the Church is a mother, Sancta Mater

Ecclesia, a true mother, the mother of all nations and of all peoples, not less than

of all single individuals, and precisely because she is a mother, she does not and

cannot belong exclusively to this or that people, nor more to one people and less

to another, but to all in equal measure. She is mother, and therefore she is not

and cannot be stranger in any place. (DSS 946).

In particular, the Church identifies herself with a people on the move, like

the one involved in the phenomenon of mobility. "The Church, sign and

instrument of communion with God and unity among men, feels herself to be closely

involved in the evolution of civilization, of which mobility is a striking feature,

and questions herself about the demands made on her presence in this new world,

a world which, in a certain sense, reflects her own personality as a pilgrim on the

face of the earth" (DSS 2394).

2) The particular Church in which the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church

presents herself and operates.

The one and only Catholic Church exists in and from the particular churches

(Can. 368). Pope Paul VI, in the Apostolic Exhortation "Evangelii Nuntiandi", 42,

reminds us that the universal Church should not be conceived as the sum or the

more or less anomalous federation of essentially different individual churches. By

Divine Will, the Church, which is universal by vocation and mission, takes on the

external aspects and appearances when she puts down her roots in a variety of

cultural, social and human terrains. Any particular church that would voluntarily

cut itself off from the universal Church would lose its relationship to God's plan

- 16 ­•••

Hay que precisar, sin embargo, que ese patrimonio merece respeto, no

por ser mas importante, mas rico 0 mas desarrollado que otros, sino•porque pertenece a una persona 0 a una comunidad. En sf mismo no se

ha de defender 0 preservar a toda costa; pero es la forma en que se

• presenta la persona y, por tanto, debe ser acogida y aceptada. Todo

esto exige una ulterior profundizacion en una dimension mas teologica

• cuyo objeto de reflex ion es la naturaleza misma de la Iglesia y su

mision.

• 4. El respeto por el patrimonio cultural y espiritual en el misterio

de la Iglesia

Una pastoral autentica y que este solidamente fundada, no puede

menos de tener una base eclesiologica segura (19). Por 10 tanto, ten­

dremos que detenernos - aunque brevemente - en elld para reconocer,

de manera mas fundamental, el caracter especlfico de la pastoral para

los emigrantes que propone la autoridad eclesiastica en sus directri ­

ces. Despues de algunas reflexiones de orden general sobre la Iglesia,

pasaremos a las Iglesias particulares que son las diocesis.

1) La Iglesia, misterio y comunion que se edifica en la Eucaristla.

La Iglesia, aunque subsista en este mundo y este organizada de

• manera visible segun las exigencias de la situacion historica, tiene

un fin que trasciende la historia. La mision de la Iglesia "no es de

•I

••I orden pol!tico, economico 0 social" (GS, 42). Ella no esta vinculada

a ninguna cultura, a ningun interes particular, ni a ningun pueblo.

Nacida del EspIritu en el dIa de Pentecostes, es "sacramento de Salva­

cion", 0 sea "sei'lal e instrumento de la Intima union con Dios y de

la unidad de todo el genero humano" (LG, 1). Esta llamada a realizar,

cada vez mas, su catolicidad, su identidad de pueblo de la nueva alian­

za "que habla en todas las lenguas, entiende y abarca todas las lenguas

• en la caridad y supera de esta forma la dispersion de Babel" (AG, 4).

Es la Iglesia de la Trinidad. Ella se manifiesta como "una muchedumbre

•reunida por la unidad del Padre y del Hijo y del EspIritu Santo" (LG, 4).

"Todos los hombres son llamados a formar parte del Pueblo de Oios.

•

~.., I1.(

and would be impoverished in its ecclesial dimension" (DSS 2266, 2273). Thus, we Iunderstand the definition of a diocese given by the Council in th8 Decree

1l Christus Dominus", 11, as "section of the People of God entrusted to a bishop to

be guided by him with the assistance of his clergy so that, loyal to its pastor and J formed by him into the community in the Holy Spirit through the Gospel and the

Eucharist, it constitutes one particular church in which the one, holy, catholic and J apostolic Church is truly present and active" (DSS 1603). This definition is

literally taken up by the new Code and constitutes Canon 369. Therefore, the I particular Church is simply the localization and concretization of the one Church

of Christ, the universal Church. Again Paul VI, in the same Apostolic Exhortation J

"Evangelli Nuntiandi", comments: "But, at the same time, a Church toto orbe

diffusa would become an abstraction if she did not take body and life precisely

through the individual Churches" (DSS 2267). Through these the one, holy, J catholic and apostolic Church is present and functions. Properly speaking,

therefore, there are not many churches but only one, the only Church of Christ

which actualizes, manifests and realizes herself through the particular churches.

Consequently, the particularity of these churches is not that one part is in

contrast with the whole, or constitutes the whole together with the other parts,

but that the whole, the Church of Christ, realizes itself in the part which is a

portion of the People of God when that portion, through the powerful action of the

Holy Spirit, makes Christ really present in' his Church in the Eucharistic

celebration and in the announcement of the Word, under the presidency of the

Bishop in communion with the Pope, guarantor of the apostolic succession, and jwith his presbytery. Therefore, the characteristics of universality and catholicity

are an essential part of each particular Church, in communion with the Church jspread throughout the world. Consequently, the individual Church should be

open to all and relive within herself simply the mystery of the Church and of her I

Founder: "In this way she relives once more the mystery of her Divine FOunder, J

the mystery of life and death. There was a time when, in order to come to grips

with the pagan world she had to try and shed her Jewish traits; to meet the

barbarians halfway, she abandoned the imprint made on her by the Roman

mentality; in order to be at the service of the whole of mankind she has tried to

be open to all cultures" (Church and People on the Move, 8; DSS 2395). This is

the perspective in which we have to place ourselves in order to grasp the deeper

I

•••••••••••••••••

- 17 ­

•

Por 10 cual este Pueblo siendo uno y unico, ha de abarcar el mundo

entero y todos los tiempos" (LG, 13). Este pueblo se compone "de todas

las gentes de la tierra" (ibid.) y "todos los fieles esparcidos por

el haz de la tierra comunican en el EspIritu Santo con los demas y

aSI 'eI que habita en Roma sabe que los indios son tambien sus miem­

bros'. Pero como el reino de Cristo no es de este mundo, la Iglesia,

o Pueblo de Oios, introduciendo este Reino, no arrebata a ningun pue­

blo ningun bien temporal, sino al contrario, todas las facultades, ri­

quezas y costumbres que revelan la idiosincrasia de cada pueblo, en

10 que tienen de bueno, las favorece y asumej pero al recibirlas las

purifica, las fortalece y las eleva ... Este caracter de universalidad,

que distingue al Pueblo de Oios, es un don del mismo Senor por el que

la Iglesia catolica tiende eficaz y constantemente a recapitular la

humanidad entera con todos sus bienes, bajo Cristo como Cabeza, en la

unidad de su EspIritu. En virtud de esta catolicidad, cada una de las

partes presenta sus dones a las otras partes y a toda la Iglesia, de

suerte que el todo y cada uno de sus elementos se comunican y tienden

a la plenitud en la unidad" (LG, 13). Esta es garantizada por la pre­

sencia de Cristo muerto y resucitado que vino a recoger por medio del

sacrificio redentor, en la unidad, a los hijos de Oios dispersos (In 11,

51-52) ; unidad que es construida continuamente por la Eucaristfa y

en la Eucaristla, donde "se contiene todo el bien espiritual de la

Iglesia, es decir, Cristo en persona, nuestra Pascua y pan vivo, que,

por su carne vivificada y que vivifica por el EspIritu Santo, da vida

a los hombres, que de esta forma son invitados y estimulados a ofre­

cerse a sf mismos, sus trabajos y todas las cosas creadas juntamente

con El. Por 10 cual la Eucarist!a aparece como fuente y cima de toda

evangelizacion" y de todo apostolado (PO, 5).

Consciente de la universalidad innata de su naturaleza y de su

funcion, la Iglesia sabe muy bien que en su organismo "nadie puede

considerarse como extranjero, 0 simplemente huesped; ni - de ninguna

manera - marginal" (OSS, 2452). "La Iglesia catollca, cuyo centro es

la Urbe, es sobrenatural por su misma esencia" (DSS, 946; cf. tambien

DSS, 851). "A ningun miembro del Cuerpo MIstico de Cristo ella pide

I

18

I

I meaning of the pastoral care of migrants, as of any other pastoral ministry. I

III I The pastoral care of migrants, a mission of the Church I

The letter "Church and People on the Move", 29, on the basis of the I fundamental common dignity, the variety of ministries, functions and

responsibilities (DSS 2451), draws some determinations of fundamental importance

for the pastoral care of people on the move (DSS 243). Among others: I "a) first of all, the need for the whole people of God to be aware of this

phenomenon and its religious, pastoral, apostolic, missionary and social I implications ... " (DSS 2453);

"b) mobility, in the form it takes at the present time, often creates in society I areas of discrimination and of relegating to the fringe ... Where mobility is

particularly intense, it sometimes happens that sections of the Church are I not immune to insidious influences of a nationalistic kind" (DSS 2456).

The documents of the Church emphasize the importance of the role of the

people of God. By baptism, every faithful is called to carry on the mission of the

Church: the Council reminded us of this (Lumen Gentium 31; AA), and it is

codified in the new Code of Canon Law (Can. 204 #1; Can. 208). Regarding the

sector of people on the move, the letter "Church and People on the Move", 29,

recalls: "It can never be overstressed that the modern phenomena of travel offer

opportunities to exercise to the full the privileges, even before the duties,

connected with the Christian vocation. They constitute in other words, a push in

the direction of generosity, altruism, and creativity, all of whose possibilities for

expansion it would be difficult to reduce to a formula" (DSS 2454). It would take

us too far to go into the documents for further description of the tasks incumbent

on the various categories of faithful in the apostolic effort for people on the move.

The Letter specifies especially the tasks of the laity at No. 30 (DSS 2457-2460),

of the clergy at Nos. 31-35 (DSS 2461-2470), of the deacon at No. 36 (DSS 2471),

and of women religious at No. 37 (DSS 2472, 2474). But we should at least

19

I

I mention the priests, both diocesan and religious, and the women religious.

I 1. Diocesan priests

The pivot of the specific pastoral care of migrants, as of any pastoral work, I is without any doubt the priest (20). It is through the priestly ministry that

Christ continues to give men the gift of His redemption, through His Word and the I Sacraments. The pastoral care of migrants, even if directed to the whole man, has

its full meaning in relation to his sanctification: the Eucharist is the summit of the Iwhole life of a Christian and of any apostolate. The priest who carries on his

ministry among migrants must know their language. Still better if he belongs to

the same ethnic group: he then knows the language in its full sense. I The easiest way to find such priests is to have them come from the same I

Church of origin: from the country of origin of the migrants. Especially at the

early stage of the migratory phenomenon, it would not be easy to find other I solutions. So, the Church recommends to the churches where migrants come from,

to make priests available who speak the migrants' language to stay with them Iespecially in the critical time of their first contact with the new culture and society

(DSS 2053).

I The history of the pastoral care of migrants will never be grateful enough

to these priests: migrants kept their faith and established flourishing Catholic I communities thanks to their work, although there have been difficulties and abuses

which the Church authorities tried to remedy through special norms concerning the I trips of missionaries to foreign lands (DSS 332, 339, 680-682).

IThe presence of these missionaries is still needed and remains irreplaceable.

It should be easier to provide for it with the new canonical legislation. The

Council has told us that priests are collaborators of the episcopal order rather I than the bishop, and therefore they are at the service of the whole Church (PO

7), even if they were ordained to serve in the diocese to which they are I incardinated. The new Code, while retaining the institution of incardination, has

regulated it according to the new Concilar perspective. Therefore, ex-cardination J can be granted for a just reason (Can. 270) and also incardination in another

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confia a un obispo para que la apaciente con la cooperacicin del pres­

biterio de forma que, unida a su pastor y reunida por ~l en el Espi­

ritu Santo por el Evangelio y la Eucaristia, constituye una Iglesia

particular en que verdaderamente esta y obra la Iglesia de Cristo,

que es una, santa, catolica y apostcilica" (DSS, 1603). Esta definicicin

ha side tomada literalmente por el nuevo Ccidigo y constituye el can.

369. En la Iglesia particular diocesana se ubica, pues, y se concreta,

simplemente, la unica Iglesia de Cristo, la Iglesia universal. Nueva­

mente Pablo VI, en la misma Exhortacicin Apostcilica "Evangelii nuntiandi"

comenta (n Q 62): "La Iglesia, difundida en todo el orbe, se converti­

ria en una abstraccion si no tomase cuerpo y vida precisamente a tra­

ves de las Iglesias particulares" (DSS, 2267). Por medio de elIas esta

presente y actua la unica Iglesia de Cristo, santa, catcilica y apostci­

lica. No existen, pues, propiamente, muchas Iglesias, sino una sola,

la unica Iglesia de Cristo que se actualiza, se manifiesta y se reali­

za a traves de cada Iglesia particular. El caracter particular de es­

tas Iglesias, por consiguiente, no reside en el hecho de que una parte

se contrapone al todo, 0 constituye un todo con las demas partes, sino

en que el todo, la Iglesia de Cristo, se realiza en la parte, porcicin

del Pueblo de Oios, cuando esta porcicin - en la celebracicin de la Eu­

caristia y en el anuncio de la Palabra, bajo la presidencia del Obispo

en comunion con el Papa, garantia de la sucesicin apostcilica, y con su

presbiterio, mediante la accicin poderosa del Espiritu Santo - hace ver­

daderamente presente a Cristo en su Iglesia. Por tanto, la caracter!s­

tica de universalidad y catolicidad es parte esencial de toda Iglesia

particular, en comunicin con la Iglesia difundida en todo el mundo.

La Iglesia particular, por consiguiente, debera quedar abierta a todos

y revivir en si el misterio de la Iglesia y de su Fundador: "De este

modo ella revive una vez mas el misterio de su Divino Fundador, miste­

rio de vida y de muerte. Ayer, para alcanzar al mundo pagano, busco

desnudarse de su aspecto judaico; para ir al alcance de los barbaros,

abandono la huella marcada por la mentalidad romana; para quedar dis­

ponible a la humanidad entera se ha esforzado en abrirse a todas las

culturas" ("Iglesia y movilidad humana", 8; DSS, 2395). Es esta la

perspectiva en que debemos colocarnos para captar el sentido profundo

de la pastoral de los emigrantes y, desde luego, de cualquier otra

pastoral.

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individual Church; moreover, Can. 271, #1 recommends that a bishop is not to

refuse, except for a grave need of his own Church, permission to clerics to move

to another diocese upon special agreement.

We think, however, that diocesan priests are the most suitable persons for

a specific pastoral care especially at the early stage, namely for first generation

migrants who are still almost completely shut out from the new world and unable

to introduce themselves into it. At that stage, the diocesan priest of the country

of origin can give help in their own language. This specific pastoral care of

migrants requires continuity and at the same time an always broader openness to

the new world, with an effort to insert oneself into it until migrants can fully

participate in the life of the diocese. During this process, the missionary has to

be the bridge that links the migrant community with the receiving community. But

this task cannot always be adequately carried out by the diocesan missionary: in

fact he is usually alone with his goodwill and his own capacities; in addition, he

is attached to a diocese to which he may want to return sooner or later, and which

is not in a position, generally speaking, to ensure the continuity by pro\-iding new

forces and energies.

While giving preference to priests of the same language as the migrants, the

Instruction "De Pastorali Migratorum cura" considers also the possibility, if

needed, that priests from the receiving country who are familiar with the language

and the culture of the migrants, be trained to offer them pastoral assistance in

their own language (DSS 2060). There is no question about the validity of this

directive. A diocese that prepares its own priests for the work with migrants

shows its catholicity and its missionary awareness: this can only positively impress

the migrants and assure them of the Church's maternal welcome. Furthermore,

these priests can probably more easily count on the solidarity and help of their

diocesan fellow priests and of the whole Christian community sensitized by them

and encouraged to get involved in the work. All this can better help to avoid the

risk hidden sometimes in the pastoral care of migrants entrusted to a missionary

from the migrants' country or nation of origin: a certain kind of nationalism that

may lead to isolation up to the ghettoization, and as a consequence to delay the

process of full integration, freely accepted, into the local Church.

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III. La pastoral de los emigrantes, mision de la Iglesia.

La Carta "Iglesia y Movilidad Humana", nQ 29, partiendo de la

comun dignidad fundamental, de la variedad de los ministerios, de las

funciones y de las responsabilidades (DSS, 2451), proporciona determinacio­

nes"de importancia basica para la pastoral de la movilidad" (DSS, 243).

En especial:

"a) ante todo, la necesidad de una sensibilidad de todo el Pueblo de

Dios ante estos fenomenos y sus implicaciones religiosas, pastora­

les, apostolicas, misioneras, sociales, etc .•• " (DSS, 2453);

b) la movilidad, tal como se desarrolla en la hora presente, crea a

menudo en la sociedad zonas de discriminacion, de marginacion hu­

mana ... AlII don de se ve particularmente acentuada la movilidad

y crea problemas, ocurre a veces que algunas fracciones de la Igle­

sia no quedan inmunes a infiltraciones de tipo nacionalista" (DSS,

2456) .

Los documentos de la Iglesia senalan la importancia del papel

que desempena el Pueblo de Dios. En virtud del bautismo, todo bauti ­

zado esta llamado a realizar la mision de la Iglesia: nos 10 ha re­

cordado el Concilio (LG, 31; AA); y 10 encontramos codificado en el

nuevo Codigo de Derecho Canonico (can. 204, §1; can. 208). En 10 que

se refiere al sector de la movilidad humana, la Carta "Iglesia y Movi­

lidad Humana", nQ 29, nos recuerda: "Nunca quedara suficientemente

subrayado que los modernos fenomenos de la movilidad presentan ocasio­

nes de ejercitar plenamente, antes que los deberes, los privilegios

conexos con la vocacion cristiana. Son, en otras palabras, un impulso

a la generosidad, al altrv£smo, a la creatividad de la que ser£a arduo

encerrrar en una sola formula todas las posibilidades de expansion"

(DSS, 2454). Ir£amos demasiado lejos si quisieramos seguir los docu­

mentos en la ulterior descripcion de los deberes que incumben a las

distintas categor£as de fieles en el compromiso apostolico de la movi­

lidad humana. En especial, la carta se detiene en las tareas de los

laicos, en el nQ 30 (DSS, 2457-2460); de los presb£teros, en los numeros

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However, this ideal is hard to attain. There is above all the fact of a

shortage of priests: in this situation, it is rather problematic to find enough

priests ready and qualified to take up a specific pastoral ministry. In any case, I at least during the first years, it does not seem that a language and a culture

learned and studied in books are sufficient to really get to the souls of the I migrants and to open their hearts to confidence and communication so that the

message of the faith can be brought to them in appropriate form, and make them

feel the Church's maternal welcome. Any contrast between priests of the two -communities must be avoided. The initiatives on both sides should rather be

integrated: on the one hand because the field of activity is so vast that there is

space for all, and on the other hand because the simultaneous presence of the two

sides may be mutually beneficial.

2. The religious

But the history of the pastoral care of migrants has seen and still sees, an

important presence of religious. It has been observed that there is no religious

institute which, in addition to its specific activities, had not given its contribution

to the pastoral care of migrants, side by side with many lay organizations that

came into being almost everywhere at the turn of the century (21). Much more,

the phenomenon of migratory mobility itself has given birth to new religious

institutes that have especially taken at heart, as their specific purpose, the

pastoral care of migrants (22). Throughout the events of people on the move, we

have seen once again how the Holy Spirit accompanies his Church on her way, and

provides her incessantly with adequate instruments to carry out her mission. For

the specific religious care, the Spirit has inspired men and women who have given

their life to God for the good of the migrants. We remember especially St. Frances

Xavier Cabrini and the Servant of God Msgr. John Baptist Scalabrini (DSS 1051­

1055) .

The importance of the presence of religious in the pastoral care of migrants

is especially emphasized in the documents of the Church today also, precisely on

account of their very nature. In fact, the field of pastoral care of people on the

move is as vast and diversified as that of the Church itself: it is nothing but the

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31 y 35 (DSS, 2461-2470); del diacono, en el nQ 36 (DSS, 2471) y de

las religiosas en el nQ 37 (DSS, 2472. 2474). No podemos aquI, desde

luego, dejar de mencionar a los sacerdotes, tanto diocesanos como re­

ligiosos, y a las religiosas.

1. Los sacerdotes diocesanos.

El eje de la pastoral especlfica para los migrantes es, sin lu­

gar a dudas, el sacerdote - como, por 10 demas, de toda pastoral (20).

A traves del ministerio sacerdotal, Cristo sigue donando a los hombres

su Redencion a traves de su Palabra y de los Sacramentos. La pastoral

de los emigrantes, si bien debe llegar a todo el hombre, adquiere todo

su significado cuando se trata de su santificacion: la Eucaristla es

la cumbre y la fuente de toda la vida del cristiano y de todo aposto­

lado. El sacerdote que ejerce su ministerio entre los emigrantes debe

conocer su lengua. Mejor aun, deberla ser del mismo grupo etnico para

que conOlca el idioma en todos sus matices. , Para hallar sacerdotes con todos esos requisitos, es mas facil

hacerles llegar de la misma Iglesia de origen, del pals de provenien­, cia de los emigrantes. Sobre todo, al principio del fenomeno migrato­

rio no serla factible encontrar otra solucion. La Iglesia, por tanto,

recomienda a las Iglesias de origen de los emigrantes, que pongan a

II , I , ­I

disposicion sacerdotes que hablen el mismo idioma de los emigrantes

para que permanelcan junto a ellos, en especial en el momenta mas di­

ftcil del primer impacto con la nueva cultura y la nueva sociedad (DSS,

2053).

La historia de la pastoral de los emigrantes nunca agradecera

10 suficiente a esos sacerdotes su obra, por medio de la cual los emi­

grantes han conservado su fe y han creado comunidades catolicas flore­

cientes, pese a las dificultades y abusos que no han faltado, para los

cuales las autoridades eclesiasticas han procurado buscar remedio me­

diante normas especiales sobre los viajes de los misioneros al extran­

jero (DSS, 332. 339. 680-682).

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pastoral work of the Church carried out in a special manner, through the medium Iof the migrants I own language. Therefore, the institutes of religious life, while

respecting their own charism, can easily find the way to get involved in one or the

other of the many branches of activity of the pastoral care of migrants, to which I they bring, in addition, the riches, variety and peculiarity of their own charism

and of their institutes. The Instruction "De Pastorali Migratorum Cura" 52, I reminds of the advantages that the pastoral ministry of migrants may receive from

institutes of common life whose members are from different nationalities, and have I a diversity of apostolic experiences in their communities, with a variety of

backgrounds and specializations, and who can more easily be made available and Itransferred here and there (DSS 2111). And in that same Instruction, No. 53, #2,

we read that other religious institutes "even if an apostolate among emigrants is

not their proper purpose, will nevertheless be doing a valuable and praiseworthy I work in caring spiritually for this class of faithful, with particular concentration

on those works which are close to each institute's nature and aim (DSS 2113). I In his addresses to European men and women Superiors on November 17, I

1983, Pope John Paul II observed that the authentic evangelical testimony of

religious includes also an ever increasing number of non-Christian migrant workers Icoming from other continents in search of better living conditions in Europe, and

he warned that it was important that these poor people could find in the religious

a reflection of Christ's love. It is a new way to prolong what has been achieved I by the missionaries of previous generations (DSS 2832). He added that actually

the educational and social action of the institutes, according to their own charism I recognized by the Church and in organic cooperation with the laity, still remains

actual, above all if the religious maintain their concern for the poor, the I emarginated, the immigrants, the refugees, etc. Their action, in that sense, is

more than ever necessary for the evangelization, as it is a visible manifestation of

God's love for man (DSS 2836). In the Letter "Church and People on the Move",

37, a special role is assigned to women religious: "The contribution of women

religious to the world on the move, which presupposes a specific vocation and

competence, finds its real meaning in a total consecration to God, and is

demonstrated in the exercise of those gifts which are characteristically feminine"

(DSS 2473). It is sufficient to recall the shining figure of the already remembered

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La urgencia de esos misioneros sigue siendo, hoy, unica. Ademas,

deberla poder realizarse mas facilmente gracias a la nueva legislacion

canonica. El Concilio nos dijo que los sacerdotes, mas que cooperado­

res del Obispo, 10 son tambien del orden episcopal y, por consiguiente,

estan al servicio de toda la Iglesia (PO, 7), si bien hayan side orde­

nados para el servicio de la diocesis a la que estan incardinados. El

nuevo Codigo, aunque haya conservado la institucion de la incardina­

cion, la ha organizado segun la nueva perspectiva conciliar. Por tan­

to, se puede conceder la excardinacion por causa justa (can. 270),

incardinando al sacerdote en otra Iglesia particular. Aun mas, el

can. 271, §1 recomienda al Obispo que no niegue a los sacerdotes que

10 solicitan - sino en caso de verdadera necesidad - el permiso de

prestar su servicio ministerial en otra diocesis, mediante acuerdos

especiales.

Nos parece, sin embargo, que los sacerdotes diocesanos son las

personas mas indicadas para desarrollar una pastoral especlfica, sobre

todo al principio; a saber: para los emigrantes de la primera genera­

cion que todavla se encuentran casi aislados del nuevo mundo y son in­

capaces de entrar en el. El sacerdote diocesano de su pals de origen es

quien les puede asistir en ese momento, en su propio lenguaje. Esta

pastoral especlfica para los emigrantes exige una continuidad y, al

mismo tiempo, una apertura cada vez mayor hacia el mundo nuevo, y un

esfuerzo de integracion hasta que los emigrantes participen plenamente

en la vida diocesana. El misionero para los migrantes debe ser - en

este camino - el "hombre-puente" que pone en contacto a la comunidad

de migrantes con aquella que les recibe. No obstante, el misionero

diocesano no siempre puede proporcionar una respuesta adecuada a esta

tarea; en efecto, por 10 general, solo dispone de s! mismo, de su bue­

na voluntad y de sus propias cualidades, y ademas se halla vinculado

a una diocesis a la que - tarde 0 temprano - quiere regresar y que por

10 general no Ie puede asegurar la continuidad con nuevas fuerzas y

energ!as.

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I St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, whom the decree authorizing her beatification Idescribes as a woman who was a true Christ-bearer (DSS 821) (23).

But the religious whose own charism is to cater for the migrants have a I special place. No. 53, #1, of the Instruction on the pastoral care of migrants

points it out in the following affirmation: "Of special importance is the work I carried on by those institutes, bound to the evangelical counsels, who have the

apostolate for emigrant people as their proper and peculiar purpose" (DSS 2112). I The relevance of these institutes become exceptionally important when it comes to

clerical institutes. Institutes officially known as such are all clerical. This I observation calls for reflection. The Church approaches migrants first of all for

a pastoral religious reason. The point of reference of pastoral care is the Isacerdotal activity. The Church has seen how migrants risk to lose their faith

when not given pastoral assistance. Such assistance has been provided through

all the Church's lay, religious, and sacerdotal energies. But the pastoral care of I migrants is a long-term action requiring continuity; it should lead to the insertion

into the diocesan community, but at the same time it must respect the ways and the I culture of every people and of every community. It requires a pastoral work

which, even if it starts from the culture, tends to overcome it in order to attain I unity and communion beyond the ethnic and cultural aspects. This is the sense

of a clerical religious institute whose specific purpose is the pastoral care of

migrants: the Church demands from it a deep and effective missionary attitude so

as to achieve, in the fullest form, the aim of the pastoral care of migrants.

The missionary activity of the Church has as its aim the building of the

Body of Christ. A missionary is sent to approach every man, embodying himself

into his life and culture, to announce to him the message of the Good News, of the

presence of the love of God who calls him to conversion. Thus, if on the one hand

the Church, in God's name, asks the missionary to respect the culture of the

people to whom he is sent, on the other hand she asks that he personally abandons

all his own things, also those of his culture, and even of himself to affirm the

supreme, absolute and unique value, our reality as God's children in which we are

all brothers in the one community of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit: the

Church. The clerical religious institute whose own and specific purpose is to

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La Instruccion tiDe pastorali migratorum cura tl , si bien da la

preferencia a los sacerdotes que hablan el mismo idioma del migrante,

contempla la posibilidad - en caso de necesidad - de que se ensene a

los sacerdotes del lugar de acogida la lengua y la cultura de los mi­

grantes que llegan, para aSl poderles proporcionar una cura espiritual

en su propio idioma (DSS, 2060). Nadie puede poner en discusion la va­

lidez de esa norma. Una diocesis que prepara a sus sacerdotes a reci­

bir a los emigrantes demuestra su sentido catolico y misionero; pro­

duce un impacto positivo en los mismos emigrantes y les da la seguri­

dad de que la Iglesia les recibe como una madre. Ademas, estos sacer­

dotes pueden con tar mas facilmente con la solidaridad y la ayuda de

sus colegas diocesanos, como tambien de toda la comunidad cristiana

que se ve sensibilizada e implicada en la cuestion. Todo esto puede

evitar un peligro, que a veces puede surgir, cuando se confla la pas­

toral a un misionero del mismo pals 0 nacion del emigrante, es decir,

un cierto nacionalismo que puede terminar en aislamiento llevado has­

ta el extremo, con el consiguiente retraso para un proceso de plena

integracion - aunque libre - en la Iglesia local.

Pero este ideal no se realiza facilmente. Ante todo, esta la es­

casez del clero: es diflcil encontrar suficientes sacerdotes, adecua­

dos, y dispuestos a asumir ese ministerio pastoral especlfico. De to­

dos modos, para los primeros anos, no parece que el hecho de haber

aprendido un idioma, ni tampoco el haber estudiado una cultura en los

libros, sean suficientes para penetrar verdaderamente en los corazones

de los emigrantes y abrirlos a la confianza y a la comunicacion, y

asI poder transmitirles, de manera apropiada, el mensaje de la fe,

haciendoles sentir la acogida materna de la Iglesia. Habra que evitar

la contraposicion entre sacerdotes del paIs de origen y sacerdotes del

paIs de llegada. Las dos iniciativas deberan mas bien integrarse, ya

sea porque el campo de trabajo es tan amplio que hay lugar para todos,

como tambien porque la presencia contemporanea de unos y otros puede

dar como resultado una valida ayuda mutua.

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of these people. It is its proper charism to carryon the pastoral care of I migrants, by mandate and on behalf of the Church. In this way, all

misunderstandings, too often arising in the concrete situation of the pastoral work I with migrants, are dispelled.

I IV I

The structure of the pastoral care of migrants I What we have said shows that the pastoral care of migrants, like the

ordinary pastor'ell ministry, has its own institutions and structures. In a very I general sense, this can be deduced from the statement of principle itself that

guides this work: migrants should have serious spiritual assistance, at least equal I to that which the faithful receive in the life of the Church (DSS 2435-2436). But

statements of principle have to be confronted with the reality and verified by the Ipractice. We can distinguish three levels of structures in the pastoral care of

migrants: 1) the universal Church; 2) the part.icular Church; 3) the parish

community. I 1. The universal Church I

The Apostolic Constitution "Exsul Familia", reviewing the way followed by

the Church in accompanying the pastoral care of migrants, mentions the various I institutions and structures devised and set up throughout the centuries.

IWe shall recall the most important ones which represent as many stages in

the realization of an organic and comprehensive project. The first might be the Isetting up, by St. Pius X, of a special office in the Consistorial Congregation.

With the Constitution "Exsul Familia", Pius XII established the Supreme I Council on Migration (No.7, #1; DSS 1162), and the Office of Delegate for

Migration Affairs (No.9; DSS 1170) in the same Consistorial Congregation. This I was included in the reform of the Roman Curia by Paul VI's Constitution "Regimini

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2. Los religiosos.

La historia misma de la pastoral de los emigrantes ha visto siem­

pre una importante presencia de los religiosos, y todavla cuenta con

ella. Se ha comprobado que no ha habido ningun instituto religioso que

no haya dado - fuera de sus objetivos especIficos - una aportacion a

la pastoral de los emigrantes, junto a numerosas instituciones laica­

les que han surgido, en todas partes, en particular a fines del siglo

pasado y a principios del presente (21). E1 fenomeno de la movilidad

migratoria ha servido, incluso, para hacer surgir nuevos institutos

religiosos que han prestado una atencion muy especial a la cura pasto­I ral de los emigrantes (22). En el campo de la movilidad humana, hemos

tenido la oportunidad de constatar una vez mas como el EspIritu Santo

I acompana el camino de la Iglesia y Ie proporciona los instrumentos

adecuados para que cumpla su mision. En cuanto a la asistencia reli­

I giosa propiamente dicha, el EspIritu ha suscitado hombres y mujeres

I que han consagrado su vida a Dios para el bien de los emigrantes. Re­

cordamos en especial a Santa Francisca J. Cabrini y al Siervo de Dios

Mons. Juan Bautista Scalabrini (DSS, 1051-1055).

I La importancia de la presencia de los religiosos en el campo de

la pastoral de los emigrantes se halla subrayada, en especial, tambien

I hoy, en los documentos de la Iglesia, precisamente en razon de su mis­

ma naturaleza. De hecho, el ambito de la pastoral de la movilidad hu­

I mana es tan amplio y diversificado como el de la Iglesia: no es mas

I que la pastoral de la Iglesia aplicada a campos espec£ficos, con la

ayuda de la lengua de los emigrantes. Por consiguiente, los institutos

I de vida consagrada - respetando su propio carisma - pueden facilmente

encontrar un terreno de apostolado en cualquiera de las muchas activi­

dades en que se rami fica la pastoral de los emigrantes, aportandole

ademas, la riqueza, variedad y peculiaridad de sus carismas y de sus

I instituciones. La Instruccion 'IDe pastorali migratorum cura" recuerda

en el nQ 52 10 ventajosa que puede resultar, para la pastoral de los

I emigrantes, la presencia de los religiosos; estos, al tener una vida

I comunitaria, pueden disponer de miembros provenientes de distintas

naciones, con diversas experiencias apostolicas y gran variedad en la

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Ecclesiae Universae", and is also found in the Instruction "De Pastorali Migratorum

Cura" (Nos. 16-20; DSS 2006-2022) which, however, mentions also a special study

commission, still within the Consistorial Congregation (No. 21; DSS 2023-2025).

A decisive step was made with Paul VI's Motu Proprio "Apostolicae Caritatis" of

March 19, 1970, which sets up the Pontifical Commission for the Pastoral Care of

Emigration and Tourism (DSS 2137. 2148), under which were placed all activities

of the Church for people on the move, previously divided among several

dicasteries of the Roman Curia (DSS 2143). The Letter "Church and People on the I Move", 39, after defining the Commission as "fruit of the Second Vatican Council"

(DSS 2478), observes: "Gathering together the five institutions, each with its I own specific purpose and scope, and conferring on them a definite character in a

single organism of the Apostolic See, the Motu Proprio "Apostolicae Caritatis" gave

full weight to the common pastoral denominator linking the various kinds of travel, I as it strikes the Church in her concern to spread the gospel. It has also

guaranteed the existence of a qualified centralized service with the task of I encouraging, promoting and coordinating local energies within the overall vision

of that universal reality which is the Catholic Church. With particular I consideration for the effects of continual dialogue, the Pontifical Commission's

activity acquires a special added value for its promotion of meetings and Iconventions of an international character" (DSS 2478). The Commission depends

on the Congregation for the Bishops, but it enjoys "a certain autonomy" in

carrying out its functions (DSS 2146). Provision is made in the Motu Proprio for I special powers to be given to the Commission (DSS 2147). The reform announced

long before by the Roman Curia, and happily completed in these days with the I Constitution "Pastor Bonus", led the competent authorities to postpone any

decision until the publication of the said reform, in order to overcome a number I of difficulties that had arisen in the meantime: for example, the relation of

autonomy and dependence with the Congregation for the Bishops, and the area of Icompetence which, by putting together migrations and all other sectors of mobility,

so different on account of the pastoral problems raised by these phenomena, made

it extremely difficult to achieve the homogeneity in the activity of the Commission. I The new Constitution "Pastor Bonus" has transformed the Commission into I

the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrations and Tourism, whose aims

I I

l

- 25 ­

formacion y en la especializacion; por consiguiente, con mayor dispo­

nibilidad y movilidad (DSS, 2111). Y en el nQ 53, §2 de esa misma Ins­

truccion se lee: "En cuanto a los otros institutos, aunque no se pro­

pongan como fin especlfico el apostolado en favor de los emigrantes,

sera siempre oportuno y laudable que se dediquen a la cura espiritual

de esta categorla de fieles, atendiendo especialmente a las obras que

responden mejor a su particular Indole y finalidad" (DSS, 2113).

En sus alocuciones a los superiores y superioras de Europa, el

17 de noviembre de 1983, el Papa Juan Pablo II constataba como el au­

t~ntico testimonio evang~lico de los religiosos debe tener en cuenta

un numero cada vez mayor de trabajadores emigrados no cristianos, pro­

venientes de otros continentes, que han llegado a Europa a buscar me­

jores condiciones de vida. Y los exhortaba: "Es importantisimo que

estos pobres encuentren en los religiosos un reflejo de la caridad de

Cristo. Es una nueva manera de prolongar 10 que han hecho los misione­

ros de las generaciones anteriores" (DSS, 2832). Y continuaba: "En rea­

lidad, el trabajo educativo y social de los institutos, de acuerdo

con el carisma que les es propio - reconocido por la Iglesia - y en

colaboracion organica con el laicado, sigue siendo siempre actual,

sobre todo si los religiosos continuan a preocuparse por los pobres,

marginados, inmigrados, refugiados, etc ••• Su accion, en este sentido,

es mas que nunca necesaria para la evangelizaclon, al ser una manifes­

tacion visible del amor de Oios por el hombre" (OSS, 2836). En la Car­

ta "Iglesia y Movilidad Humana", n2 37, se reconoce un papel especial

a las religiosas: "La contribucion de la religiosa en el mundo de la

movilidad, que supone una vocacion y competencia especlfica, encuentra

su verdadero sentido en la total consagracion aDios y queda tambien

puesto de manifiesto el ejercicio de las dotes caracterlsticas de la

feminidad" (OSS, 2473). Es suficiente recordar la figura luminosa de

la ya mencionada Santa Francisca J. Cabrini, de quien se dijo, en el

decreto que autorizaba su beatificacion, que llevaba a los demas hacia

Cristo (OSS, 821) (23).

I

I and structures are described in articles 149-151. While a nCommission" connotes

a service depending on a higher body, and whose task is one of study, a I "Council", instead, implies full autonomy as well as directive and governing

functions. These are the characteristics acquired by the Council as compared with I the Commission. As far as competence is concerned, an expected clarification has

been given: although the words "Pastoral Care of Migrations and Tourism" were I kept in the title, the text gives priority to the pastoral care of migrants. In fact,

the first article determines the area of competence by saying that the Council Idirects the pastoral solicitude of the Church to the special needs of those who

were compelled to abandon their homeland or are without a country; likewise, it

shall follow with due attention the questions relating to this matter. Those I compelled to abandon their homeland, or are without one, belong to various

categories as specified in #1, article 150; they are: refugees, exiles, migrants, I nomads, and travelling entertainers. Added to this list, in a special position, are

sailors and airmen. For the other phenomenons of people on the move, article 151 I says only that efforts will be made to ensure that journeys undertaken for pious

motives, or study, or leisure, may further the moral and religious formation of the I faithful; also, local Churches will be assisted to provide adequate pastoral care to

all those who are outside their place of residence. There is, then, a gradualness Iof needs among these people involved in mobility, which should be matched by a

priority of attention and commitment on the part of the Pontifical Council for the

Pastoral Care of Migrations and Tourism. Some of these needs are specific, others I are generic. To determine the discriminating point between them is not easy. It

is clear, anyhow, that the Pontifical Council will have to respond to the categories I listed in article 150 with specific actions as indicated in article 149.

I Whereas, for the groups mentioned in article 151, a generic effort will be

sufficient. The Pontifical Council continues to specify itself in its title through Ithe term "Migrations", for all norms and directives of the Church in the field of

mobility are oriented towards the pastoral care of "migrants", a term of which it

recognizes the polyvalence (Cf. Instruction "De Pastorali Migratorum Cura", 15). I 2. The particular Church I

I I

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....

Ocupan un lugar particular los religiosos cuyo carisma es, pre­

cisamente, la cura pastoral de los emigrantes. En el nQ 53, §1 de la

Instruccion para la pastoral de los emigrantes, esto se pone de relie­

ve con la siguiente afirmacion: " ... Es de gran importancia considerar

la obra desarrollada por los Institutos que, con el vInculo de sus

votos religiosos, tienen como fin propio y especifico el apostolado

con los emigrantes" (DSS, 2112). La significacion de estos institutos

adquiere un caracter excepcional cuando se trata de institutos cleri­

cales. Los institutos conocidos oficialmente como tales son todos cle­

ricales. Esta constatacion nos invita a la reflexion. La Iglesia se

acerca al emigrante, ante todo por un motivo religioso-pastoral. La

cura pastoral encuentra su punto de referencia en la actividad sacer­

dotal. La Iglesia ha notado el peligro del naufragio de la fe en los

emigrantes que no han recibido asistencia pastoral, y ha proporcionado

tal asistencia mediante todas sus energfas laicales, religiosas y sa­

cerdotales. Pero la pastoral de los emigrantes se hace a largo plazo

y requiere continuidad; debe conducir a una insercion en la comunidad

diocesana y, al mismo tiempo, ha de respetar el camino y la cultura

de todos los pueblos y comunidades. Ademas, si bien parta de la cul­

tura, debera tender a superarla para hallar la unidad y la comunion,

mas alIa de los elementos etnicos y culturales. Este es el significado

de todo instituto religioso clerical cuya finalidad propia y peculiar

es el cuidado pastoral de los emigrantes; la Iglesia pide a esos ins­

titutos una actitud efectiva y profundamente misionera para poder rea­

lizar, de la manera mas completa posible, la pastoral de los emigran­

tes en todo sentido.

La actividad misionera de la Iglesia tiene como objetivo la edi­

ficacion del Cuerpo de Cristo. El misionero es enviado para que se

acerque a todo hombre, encarnandose en su vida y en su cultura para

anunciarle el mensaje de la buena nueva y de la presencia del amor de

Oios que 10 llama a la conversion. As! pues, por una parte, la Iglesia

pide, en nombre de Oios, al misionero, que respete la cultura del pue­

blo al que ha sido enviado; y, por otra, Ie solicita - precisamente

I

I27

The pastoral care of migrants involves the ordinaries of both the Church of Iorigin and the Church of arrival, although in different ways.

The Church of origin has the task to give adequate formation to those who I leave their country in order to make them aware of the difficulties and prepare

themselves to face them without danger for their faith (DSS 2052). Moreover, I ordinaries of the place of departure should make priests available to go with the

migrants to the new countries and serve them in their own language (DSS 2053). I But the major responsibility rests with the Church of the place to which I

immigrants come, for it is called to welcome them in a spirit of Christian

hospitality, to show the maternal aspect of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic

Church, to provide priests of the same language as the migrants by inviting them I from their country of origin, or by preparing its own priests for the task (DSS

2059-2060), and setting up adequate structures for the pastoral care of migrants I (DSS 2064-2072). The bishops are the true and only persons responsible for the

pastoral care of migrants in their dioceses. I To that effect, diocesan ordinaries may set up diocesan offices for the I

pastoral work of migrants in their dioceses (DSS 2051, 2055). An episcopal vicar

could be appointed at the head of such office to take care of this particular sector

of the diocesan pastoral life, on behalf and in communion with the bishop (Cf. I Can. 476).

I But since the pastoral care of people on the move has necessarily an

ultradiocesan dimension and is connected with other dioceses, it requires an I organization at ultradiocesan level (DS 2426-2428), which should not, however,

encroach upon or interfere with the one pastoral responsibility of the bishop in his Idiocese. It is a question of instruments of study, concentration and consultation

at the service of the individual bishops. Therefore, in both the nations of Ideparture and of arrival with a sizeable migratory movement, a special commission

should be appointed at the level of episcopal competence, whose area of concern

and study will be precisely the pastoral care of migrants at national level. The I Commission's office will have a director or a permanent secretary with the task of

I

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- 27 ­

a el - que abandone todo, incluso su propia cultura y su misma persona

para afirmar el valor supremo, absoluto y unico: nuestra realidad de

hijos de Dios, por 10 que nos hallamos todos como hermanos en la uni­

ca comunidad del Padre, el Hijo y el EspIritu Santo: la Iglesia. La

institucion religiosa clerical cuyo objetivo propio y especIfico es

la asistencia a los emigrantes, tiene este significado emblematico en

la cura pastoral especffica de estos ultimos. Es el carisma con el

cual se realiza la pastoral de los emigrantes, segun el mandato de la

Iglesia y en nombre de ella. ASI se pueden aclarar los equIvocos que

se encuentran, muchas veces, en situaciones concretas de la pastoral

de los emigrantes.

IV. Estructura de la pastoral de los emigrantes

Segun 10 que hemos venido diciendo, la pastoral de los emigran­

tes, 10 mismo que la pastoral ordinaria, tiene sus instituciones y es­

tructuras propias. En un sentido muy general, esto se puede deducir

de la misma afirmacion de principio que ordena la pastoral de 105 emi­

grantes: ellos deberan recibir un cuidado pastoral suficiente y, de

todos modos, no inferior al que se da a los demas fieles en la Iglesia

(DSS, 2435-2436). Pero las afirmaciones de principio deben compararse

con la realidad y verificarse en la practica. Podemos distinguir tres

niveles de estructuras en la pastoral de los emigrantes: 1. la Iglesia

universal; 2. la Iglesia particular; 3. la comunidad parroquial.

1. La Iglesia universal

La Constitucion Apostolica "Exsul familia", recorriendo el ca­

mino por el cual la Iglesia ha acompanado la pastoral de los emigran­

tes, se refiere a las distintas instituciones y estructuras que Ella

ha inventado y creado a 10 largo de los siglos.

28

following the phenomenon and the problems of people on the move at national level

(DSS 2031 ff).

A particularly serious and important problem will be that of the pastoral and

spiritual assistance of the priests themselves who accompany the migrants. Their

situation is very delicate as they are working in a diocese foreign to them under

many aspects, and they do not have a presbytery and a community where they

could lead a normal life. According to the Church's legislation these priests,

while remaining incardinated in their diocese of origin, are subject to the

jurisdiction of the bishop under whom they carryon their pastoral ministry, both

for their activity and for their personal life (DSS 2075-2078). Actually, they run

the risk of remaining alone and without any help. To meet their needs, the

Constitution "Exsul Familian provides for the appointment, directly by the Holy

See, of a Director of Missionaries of the same ethnic group. His functions

excluded any governing or pastoral authority and concerned the life of the

missionary priests (DSS 1138 ff).

The figure has remained, although under another name, in the Instruction

"De Pastorali Migratorum Curan : he is called Delegate for Missionaries in charge

of the pastoral care of a given ethnic group. He is the delegate of the bishops in

whose dioceses the missionaries operate. He is delegate for the missionaries, and

not for the migrants: his functions do not include any pastoral responsibility

towards the migrants, but is one of direction of the missionaries. "The delegate

for missionaries receives no power of jurisdiction, either territorial or personal,

by virtue of his function ll (DSS 2100). The task of the Delegate is one of spiritual

guidance and moral support of missionaries, and of vigilance that they live a life

according to the sacred canons. But since these priests come from the churches

of origin of the migrants, these churches are somewhat concerned with the

Delegate's function and responsibilities, and therefore also with his appointment

(DSS 2089-2109). In fact, lIhe is chosen - in consultation with the episcopal

conference who are concerned - by the national conference of bishops of the nation

in which the delegate is to perform his ministry" (DSS 2029).

•••••••••••••••••• I

- 28 -

Recordamos las principales, que constituyen otras tantas etapas

en la realizacion del proyecto organico y general. La primera puede

ser la creacion de una oficina especial con sede en la Congregacion

Concistorial, por obra de S. Pio X.

Luego PIa XII, con la Constitucion "Exsul familia", establecio

en la Congregacion Concistorial el Supremo Consejo para la Emigracion

(n Q 7, §1; DSS, 1162) Y la Oficina del Delegado para las obras de la

emigracion (n Q 9; DSS, 1170). Esa estructura queda incluida en la re­

forma de la Curia Romana mediante la Constitucion "Regimini Ecclesiae

Universae" de Pablo \1, y se encuentra en la Instruccion "De pastorali

migratorum cura" (nn. 16-20; DSS, 2006-2022) que menciona, sin embargo,

tambien una comision especial de estudio, siempre con sede en la Con­

gregacion Concistorial (n Q 21; DSS, 2023-2025). El Motu Proprio de

Pablo \I ">\postolicae Caritatis" del 19 de marzo de 1970 marca una

etapa decisi\a: se establece la Pontificia Comision para la pastoral

de los migrantes y los itinerantes (DSS, 2137. 2148), donde confluyen

todas las acti\idades de la Iglesia relacionadas con la movilidad hu­

mana que, hasta entonces, se hallaban repartidas en distintos dicaste­

rios de la Curia Romana (DSS, 2143). La Carta "Iglesia y Movilidad Hu­

mana", en el nQ 39, despues de haber definido la Comision como "fruto

del Concilio \aticano II" (DSS, 2478), subraya: "Haciendo confluir

las cinco instituciones, cada una con sus finalidades y dimensiones

especlficas y confiriendole aspecto definido en un organismo unico de

la Sede Apostolica, el Motu Proprio 'Apostolicae Caritatis' vino a

valorizar el comun denominador pastoral de varias formas de movilidad,

como muestra del ansia evangelizadora de la Iglesia; y ha garantizado

un servicio central calificado que tiene por tarea estimular, promover

y coordinar las energ[as 'locales, en la vision t[pica de una realidad

universal cual es la Iglesia catolica. De notable incidencia en el

constante dialogo, la accion de la Comision Pontificia adquiere ademas

un valor particular en la promocion de encuentros y asambleas de ca­

racter internacional" (DSS, 2478). Ella se halla bajo la jurisdiccion

de la Congregacion para los Obispos, perc goza "de una cierta autono­

mIa" en el desarrollo de sus tareas (DSS, 2146). En el Motu Proprio

I

I 29

Another sector that deserves special attention on the part of the Ordinary I is that of the pastoral structures for the migrants themselves. In particular, the

Code of Canon Law, after recommending to the pastors, as we have seen, to give I attention to those faithful who need a special and extraordinary pastoral care,

gives two rather clear indications: 1) the appointment of chaplains; 2) the Iestablishment of personal parishes. Let us examine briefly what the Code of Canon

Law means by personal parish and by chaplain, also in the light of the documents

and practice of the pastoral ministry. Thus, we come to the third level of I structure.

I 3. The personal parish or chaplaincy

The Code of 1917 provided for the establishment of personal parishes only I with the indult of the Apostolic See (Can. 216, #4). Territoriality was the guiding

principle for the organization of the Church. But in fact, the practice had Iintroduced and encouraged the establishment of personal or national parishes

according to the rite and the language of the various ethnic groups.

I In facing the new situation of the contemporary world, and especially the

spreading of the phenomenon of mass mobility, the legislator, in view of the new I reality, has mitigated the principle of territoriality with that, among others, of the

personality in the organization of the life of the Church. The directive principle I 8th of the revision of the Code says that the principle of territoriality, although

remaining valid, must be revised to answer the needs of modern apostolate until Ithe recognition of personal juridical units; thus the new Code considers the

possibility of establishing particular dioceses and parishes on the basis of the rite

or other similar reasons (Can. 372, #2), personal prelatures (Can. 295), and I parishes (Can. 518).

I With regard to parishes, Can. 518, after confirming the principle by which,

as a general rule, the parish should be "territorial", goes on saying: "Where it I is useful, however, personal parishes are to be established, determined by reason

of the rite, language or nationality of the faithful of a certain territory, or on Isome other basis" .

I I

-- 29 ­

se preven facultades especiales que se daran a la Comision, 10 mismo

que un "ordo servandus" que establece las relaciones entre la Congre­

gacion para los Obispos y la Comision (DSS, 2147). De hecho, no se han

recibido nunca facultades especiales, ni tampoco ha sido dado nunca

ese "ordo servandus" especial. La reforma de la Curia no;:-ana, tan

anunciada desde hacla tiempo, y que felizmente ha visto la luz en es­

tos dlas con la publicacion de la Constitucion "Pastor Bonus", habla

determinado a las autoridades competentes a aplazar cualquier decision

con miras a solucionar algunas dificultades que se hablan presentado;

por ejemplo, la relacion de autonomla y dependencia con la Congrega­

cion para los Obispos y el campo de las competencias que hacla muy

diflcil una actividad homogenea de la Comision, pues se consideraban,

junto a las migraciones, todos los demas sectores de la movilidad, tan

diversos en cuanto a los problemas pastorales que presentan los dis­

tintos fenomenos.

La nueva Constitucion "Pastor Bonus" ha transformado la Comision

en Pontificio Consejo de la pastoral para los migrantes y los itine­

rantes cuyas finalidades y estructuras se encuentran en los artlculos

149-151. Mientras la Comision supone un servicio realizado bajo la de­

pendencia de otra entidad superior, y tiene tareas de estudio, el Con­

sejo posee plena autonomla y funciones tambien de direccion y de go­

bierno. Estas son las caracter!sticas del Consejo, con relacion a la

Comision. En 10 que se refiere a sus incumbencias, se establece una

aclaracion: aunque se denomine "pastoral para los migrantes y los iti­

nerantes", en el texto se da prioridad a la pastoral de los emigrantes.

E! primer artIculo define as! el marco de las competencias: "E! Conse­

jo muestra la solicitud especial de la Iglesia hacia las necesidades

particulares de aquellos que se han visto obligados a abandonar su

propia patria, 0 no la tienen; igualmente, procura seguir con la de­

bida atencion las cuestiones referentes a esta materia". Aquellos que

"se han visto obllgados a abandonar su propia patria, 0 no la tlenen"

pertenecen a categor!as sociales distintas, especificadas en el §1

del art. 150, y son: los profugos, desterrados, emigrantes, nomadas

y la gente del circo. A esta lista se agregan, en una posicion parti­

I

I 30

It should be noted that according to the present Code, a personal parish has I to be established where it simply appears to be convenient and useful. It is up

to the competent authority to judge about such usefulness, but once this has been I ascertained, the personal parish must be established. The name also is indicative

and clearer from a technical point of view. In fact, the term llpersonalll describes Ibetter than other adjectives, such as national, ethnic, ritual, etc., the juridical

reality in question, and it avoids any possible misunderstanding. The personal

aspect becomes the criterion or principle of belonging to a parish community, while I in general it is the domicile or quasi-domicile (Can. 102). However, the fact that

someone may belong to a personal parish does not, in general, - unless, that is, I a different situation resulting from other possible dispositions of the competent

authorities - invalidate the principle of territoriality; consequently, he who I belongs to a personal parish belong at the same time also to the territorial parish

in virtue of his domicile or quasi -domicile. Therefore, the territorial parish priest Ihas cumulative authority over the members of the personal parish with the priest

of that same parish. Whereas the npersonaln parish priest has authority only

over those member who, because they belong to it, are part of his community. If I an act is being performed with the participation of two persons, as in the case of

marriages, for example, it is necessary but sufficient that at least one party is a I member of his parish community (Cf. Can. 1110). Finally, it should be noted that

the personal parish has also a complementary territorial criterion, in so far that I while the belonging is of course based on personal considerations, it nevertheless

must always concern faithful who live within a given territory. I The following lines of reflection can be drawn from the Code legislation: the

personal parish should not be seen as a structure that disturbs the unity and I homogeneity of diocesan life. It is one of the pastoral instruments certainly

useful, if not indispensable, to welcome other ethnic, national or ritual groups into I the life of the Church. On the contrary, for these groups, the personal parish

should be seen as the normal instrument that answers at the same time several I needs of the pastoral care of migrants:

I1) provide migrants with the same pastoral assistance that is given to local

faithful; I J

- 30 .,

cular, los mari~os y los aeronavegantes. Mlentrds pdra los dem6s fen6­

menos de la movihdali hum<'l/1d el art. 1:>1 dice sil1lplemente: "se compro­

mete a que los vl~Jes pmprendidos par razones de piedad, de estudio

o de reereo favorelc~n la formaci6n moral y religiosa de los fleles

y asiste a las Iglesias locales para que todos aquellos que se encuen­

tran par fuera dp<;u pr'op to Gomici 1io puedan gozar de una asistencia

pastoral adecuada'. Existe, pues, en media de estas personas involu­

cradas en el fencimenn Je la movilidad humand, una serie de exigencias

de distintos qraJ05! a las que deber~ corresponder la prioridad en

la atenciOil y 1a solicitud par parte del Pontjficio Consejo para la

pastoral de L05 mlgrdntes y los itinerantes. Entre estas exigencias,

algunas sop especftica5 ~ otras gen~ricas. No es f~cil establecer un

punta de discrimlndcl6n entre unas y otras. De todas maneras, el Pon­

tificio Consejo debera responder con un empe~o especial - al que se

refiere el art. 149 - a las categor1as mencionadas en el siguiente

art. 150, mientras es suficiente un com~ro~iso gen~rico para con los

grupos mencionddos en el art. 151.

En el tftulo del Pontificio Consejo se sigue empleando el t~r­

mino "Migrante"! fJue5 todas las normas y directrices de la Iglesia en

el campo de la movilidad humana est~n orientadas hacia la pastoral de

los "Migrantes". termino del que, desde luego, ella reconoce la poli ­

valencia sociologica (cf. nQ 1S de la Instruccion "De pastorali migra­

torum cura").

2. La 19le~ia particular

La pastoral de los emigrantes concierne a los Ordinarios, tanto

de la Iglesia de orlgen como de la Iglesia que recibe, aunque por dis­

tintos conceptos.

La Iglesia de origen tiene la tarea de formar adecuadamente a

aquellos Que dejan su proplo pafs; de ensenarles las dificultades y

prepararles para afrontarlas sin que corra peligro la fe (055, 2052).

Ademas, los Ordinarias de la Iglesia de origen estan comprometldos a

proporcionar sdcerdotes que hablen el mismo idioma de los emigrantes

(DSS, 2053) y los acompa"en en los nuevos parses.

I I I

I

I I

I I

I I

31

2) assist them through a priest of the same language;

3) recognize their spiritual heritage, without forcing their integration into the

host society;

4) the specific pastoral assistance should be continued as long as there is a real

need for it.

However, the pastoral care set up on the basis of a personal parish is and

always remains as a temporary, transitory and supplementary structure: until and

as long as the migrants are not fully inserted into the ordinary territorial

community. In fact, we should make a distinction between the stability of a

juridical entity, like the parish, and a community of people who use it, the ones

followed by the others, for the period of time limited by the duration of their

needs. This is the meaning of their double belonging - to the territorial and to

the personal parishes - and of the cumulative authority of both parish priests.

It is a free choice that the Church leaves with the faithful, but she invites them,

discretely, to become part of the normal diocesan pastoral life as soon as they are

in a position to do so (23). The same objective, but with the discretion that is

proper of the Church's directives, should be kept in mind by those in charge of

both the territorial and the personal parishes.

In addition to the parish, the Code also provides for a chaplaincy for

migrants. Canon 568 prescribes the appointment "as far as possible (of)

chaplains ... for those who, because of their condition of life, are not able to avail

themselves of the ordinary care of parish priests, as for example, migrants,

exiles, fUgitives, nomads and seafarers".

The figure of the chaplain is described in a fairly clear way by the new

Code (Canons 564-571). He is given some of the faculties of the law itself (Canon

566, #1). By virtue of the universal and of the particular law, or by mandate, he

could even be given all faculties of a parish priest for the community to which he

has been assigned.

But the difference between a parish and a chaplaincy remains even there

where the chaplain is given all the faculties of a parish priest. The latter has his

- 31 ­

!!!!!

Pero la mayor responsabilidad corresponde a la Iglesia que reci­

be. Esta esta llamada a acoger a los emigrantes con hospitalidad cris­

tiana; a mostrar el rostro materno de la Iglesia, una, santa, catolica

y apostolica; a proporcionar sacerdotes que hablen la misma lengua

del emigrante, haciendolos venir de sus palses de origen 0 formando

para esa tarea a los propios sacerdotes (DSS, 2059-2060), Y preparando

las estructuras adecuadas para la pastoral de los emigrantes (DSS,

2064-2072). Los Obispos son los verdaderos y unicos responsables, en

su diocesis, de la pastoral de los emigrantes.

Con este objeto, los Ordinarios diocesanos pod ran establecer en

su diocesis oficinas diocesanas para la pastoral de los emigrantes

(DSS, 2051. 2055) cuya direccion podrla estar a cargo de un vicario

episcopal que sigue este sector de la vida pastoral diocesana en nom­

bre del obispo y en comunion con el (cf. can. 476).

Como la pastoral de la movilidad humana tiene necesariamente

una dimension ultraterritorial, y esta vinculada a otras diocesis,

necesita una organizacion a nivel ultradiocesano (DSS, 2426-2428) que

no usurpe la responsabilidad pastoral unica del obispo en su diocesis

ni interfiera en ella. Se trata de instrumentos de estudio, de concer­

tacion y de consulta al servicio de los obispos. En cada pals que pre­

sente un notable movimiento migratorio, por consiguiente - tanto en

el de origen como en el que recibe - se debera establecer,bajo la au­

toridad del obispo, una comision especial para la pastoral de los emi­

grantes a nivel nacional con un director 0 un secretario permanente

cuya tarea consistira en seguir el fenomeno y los problemas de la mo­

vilidad a escala nacional (DSS, 2031 Y sigs.).

Un asunto de especial gravedad e importancia sera la asistencia

pastoral y espiritual a los sacerdotes que siguen a los emigrantes.

Su situacion es particularmente delicada, pues ellos trabajan en una

diocesis que, bajo muchos aspectos, les es extrana y no tienen una co­

munidad 0 un presbiterio en que se puedan encontrar en condiciones de

normalidad. La legislacion de la Iglesia coloca a esos sacerdotes,que

I

I 32

authority by virtue of the law; it cannot be limited or taken away; whereas, the I faculties of the chaplain, since they are mostly given by mandate, are revocable

at any time. I Moreover, a chaplain always operates within a parish and in subordination Ito the parish priest: the range of autonomy of his pastoral activity is necessarily

limited.

I Finally - and this reflection seems to us to be the most important one - a

chaplain may personally have all the faculties of a parish priest, but his community I does not have all the structures provided by the law to permit the building of a

true Christian community: parish church, catechetical rooms, meeting and I gathering places, etc. It is within such a vast and complex reality that the

pastoral care of a community is being adequately organized. A chaplaincy, besides Iusually lacking these structures, has no guaranty of stability.

What is the best solution to the problem of the pastoral care of migrants: I the parish or the chaplaincy? The answer, in our view, should be found in the

practice and in the directives of the Church, which are the sources of the Code. I But it must immediately be said that the answer cannot be the same for all

situations. The Instruction De Pastorali Migratorum Cura, 12, says it clearly: I "The manner, juridical forms, and useful duration of the care of immigrant people

should be carefully considered in each and every case and adapted to the Icircumstances" (DSS 2000). Among the concrete circumstances to be taken into

consideration, the Instruction mentions the following: the duration of immigration,

the process of becoming integrated (first or following generations), differences of I civil cultures (speech and rite), the manner of migration, that is, whether it is

periodic, stable or temporary, whether it occurs in small groups or large, and I whether it is geographically confined or spread out (DSS 2001). In this situation,

the guiding principle to be kept in mind is that a form must be found which, even I taking into account the inevitable adaptations, would constantly respond to the

real needs of the migrants (DSS 2001). The same Instruction, 13, indicates more Iclearly the operating criteria: "In the pastoral care of immigrants, certain

structures and methods are proven by experience and use, though needing I I

- 32 ­

permanecen incardinados en su diocesis de origen,bajo la jurisdiccion

del obispo en cuyo territorio ellos ejercer su ministerio pastoral,

tanto en cuanto a sus funciones pastorales, como a su vida personal

(DSS, 2075-2078). En realidad, esos sacerdotes corren el peligro de

encontrarse solos y sin ayuda. Para subvenir a sus necesidades, la

Constitucion Apostolica "Exsul familia" contemplaba la posibilidad

del nombramiento, hecho directamente por la Santa Sede, de un Director

de los misioneros de un mismo grupo etnico con incumbencias ajenas a

cualquier poder de gobierno 0 de pastoral, pero en cambio relacionadas

con la vida de los sacerdotes misioneros (DSS, 1138 y sigs.).

Esa figura ha permanecido, aunque bajo otro nombre, en la

"De pastorali migratorum cura". Se Ie llama Delegado para los misione­

ros encargados de la pastoral de un determinado grupo etnico. Es, pues,

el delegado de los obispos diocesanos en cuyas diocesis los misioneros

llevan a cabo una pastoral. Es el delegado para los misioneros y no

para los emigrantes: desarrolla sus funciones, no como una responsabi­

lidad pastoral hacia los emigrantes, sino como director de los misio­

neros. "El Delegado para los misioneros, en razon de su cargo, no goza

de ninguna potestad de jurisdiccion, ni territorial, ni personal 'XDSS,

2100). La tarea del Delegado es de gUla espiritual y apoyo moral de

los misioneros, como tambien de vigilancia respecto a su conducta y

conformidad con las normas disciplinarias que les conciernen. Ya que

esos sacerdotes provienen de las Iglesias de origen de los emigrantes,

estas se hallan interesadas, de alguna manera en las funciones y res­

ponsabilidades del Director y, por consiguiente, en su nombramiento

(DSS, 2098-2109). En efecto, "se elige previa consulta con las Confe­

rencias episcopales interesadas y con la Conferencia de la Nacion en

la que el Delegado ejerce su ministeriol' (DSS, 2029).

Otro sector que merece especial atencion, por parte del Ordina­

rio, son las estructuras parroquiales para los emigrantes. En particu­

lar, el Codigo de Derecho Canonico, despues de que recomienda a los

pastores, tal como 10 hemos examinado, aquellos que tienen necesidad

de una pastoral especial extraordinaria, da dos indicaciones bastante

I

33 I accommodation to the circumstances of place, customs, and needs of the faithful"

(DSS 2064). I Indicated are then the personal parish, the mission with the care of souls, I

either autonomous or attached to a parish through a cooperating vicar.

I The criteria for the establishment of a personal parish are:

1) a great number of migrants of the same language, I 2) who live stably in one place or, even if continuously moving, still constitute

a large group. I These two criteria give helpful elements for the establishment of a personal

parish: in effect, there is a stable community with permanent needs for a specific I pastoral care. This situation arises principally in the large modern cities or

industrial centers where, for reasons of study or work, there is always a I concentration of ethnic groups which, even with the turnover inherent in the

migratory phenomenon, always represent a permanent community in need of the I pastoral care of the parish.

IBesides the parish, the Instruction recognizes a structure which is not

contemplated in the Code: the Mission with the Care of Souls. Such a mission

should be established especially in places where migrants do not expect to take up I a stable residence. Without the stability in the sense mentioned earlier, the

establishment of a parish is not even thinkable. Yet, considering the duration and I the numbers, these migrants need a pastoral care similar to that provided by a

parish, even with structures of a limited duration. The head of the Mission with I the care of souls has the same faculties and is equivalent to a parish priest by

virtue of the law itself (lnstr., 39; DSS 2083). I A Mission with the care of souls is a juridical structure which, as we have

said, goes beyond the Code and is soundly based on the tradition and juridical I practice of the Church. Reference to it is repeatedly made in the Apostolic

Constitution Exsul Familia, in the Instruction De Pastorali Migratorum Cura, and I in other documents. The Mission with the care of souls cannot be identified with

I

- 33 ­

precisas: 1. la constitucion del capellan; 2. la ereccion de la parro­

quia personal. Examinemos brevemente que son la parroquia personal y

el capellan en el Codigo de Derecho Canonico y a la luz de los docu­

mentos y de la praxis de la pastoral de los emigrantes. As! pasamos

al tercer nivel de la estructura.

3. La parroquia personal 0 capellan!a

El Codigo de 1917 autorizaba la creacion de parroquias persona­

les solo en virtud del indulto de la Sede Apostolica (can. 216, §4).

El principio que orientaba la organizacion de la Iglesia era el de la

territorialidad. De hecho, sin embargo, la praxis hab!a introducido

y favorecido las parroquias personales 0 nacionales, en razon del rito

y de la lengua de los diversos grupos etnicos.

Ante la nueva situacion del mundo, hoy, y en especial con la di­

fusion del fenomeno de la movilidad masiva, el legislador ha tomado

nota de esta realidad y ha mitigado el principio de la territorialidad

con el de la personalidad en la organizacion de la vida de la Iglesia.

El principio 8Q de la revision del Codigo de Derecho Canonico dice:

"Debe revisarse de algun modo el principio de conservar la naturaleza

territorial del ejercicio del gobierno eclesiastico, pues hay razones

del apostolado moderno que parecen favorecer las unidades de regimen

personales". Es as! que el nuevo Codigo contempla la posibilidad de

diocesis e Iglesias particulares por razon del rito u otros motivos

semejantes (can. 372, §2), de prelaturas personales (can. 295) y de

parroquias (can. 518).

En cuanto a la parroquia, el can. 518, despues de haber reafir­

mado el principio por el cual la parroquia, como regIa general, ha de

ser "territorial", sigue as!: "donde convenga, se ·constituiran parro­

quias personales en razon del rito, de la lengua 0 de la nacionalidad

de los fieles de un territorio, 0 incluso por otra determinada razon".

Hay que senalar que - de acuerdo con el Codigo actual - la parro­

quia personal se constituye all! donde esta sea, simplemente, conve­

niente y util. Toca a la autoridad competente decidir acerca de esa

34

the quasi-parish, as indicated by Canon 516, #1, nor simply with a chaplaincy, as

in Canon 564 ff. It does not identify itself with a quasi-parish because Canon 516,

#1, describes the latter as "a certain community of Christ's faithful within a

particular Church, entrusted to a priest as its proper pastor, but because of

special circumstances not yet established as a parish". The quasi-parish tends to

become ultimately established as a parish. Furthermore it is not a personal but

a territorial entity. It cannot be identified with a chaplaincy either, for the

Director of the Mission with the care of souls is equivalent to a parish priest, with

the same rights and duties, albeit cumulatively with the territorial pastor. In

general, a chaplain is not given all the rights and duties of a parish priest; but

even where he has them, it would not be by virtue of law, but on the basis of a

mandate. Some distant link with the Mission with the care of souls could be seen

in #2 of Canon 516, which has a very broad reach: "Where some communities

cannot be established as parishes or quasi-parishes the diocesan Bishop is to

provide for their spiritual care in some other way". Anyway, it is not difficult

to discern the orientation of the ecclesiastic legislation: the normal basic structure

for the pastoral care in the parish.

Whereas the appointment of a chaplain is contemplated "when neither a

personal parish nor a Mission with the care of souls seems opportune" (DSS 2067).

Thus, even in the awareness of the variety of situations, the Instruction indicates

the personal parish or, if this is not possible, the Mission with the care of souls

as the normal structures for the specific pastoral care of migrants. Beyond the

diversity of juridical forms, the basic principle is always the same: the ordinary

pastoral care of the faithful is carried out by the parish, where they are given

adequate assistance.

Concerning the personal parish, we may mention the positive comment,

proven by history, reported in the Constitution Exsul Familia. After listing the

different structures used by the Church for the pastoral care of migrants, the

Constitution goes on by saying: "Such parishes, most frequently requested by the

emigrants themselves, were a source of great benefit both to dioceses and to souls.

Everyone recognizes this and respects it with due esteem" (Dss 1044).

* * *

•I

••••••••••••••• • II

- 34 ­

utilidad, pero una vez que se haya acertado, se debera erlglr la pa­

rroquia personal. Tambien el nombre 10 indica con mayor precision,

desde un punto de vista tecnico. En efecto, el adjetivo "personal"

califica la realidad jur{dica de que hablamos, mas que otros adjetivos

como nacional, etnico, ritual, etc., y tambien evita posibles equ{vo­

cos. El aspecto personal viene a ser el criterio 0 principio de perte­

nencia a una comunidad parroquial y, generalmente, es el domicilio 0

cuasidomicilio (can. 102). Sin embargo, el hecho de que uno pertenezca

a una parroquia personal no elimina, por 10 general, - a no ser que

las disposiciones de la autoridad competente sean distintas - el prin­

cipio territorial general; por consiguiente, quien pertenece a una

parroquia personal, pertenece contemporaneamente tambien a la parro­

quia territorial en razon del domicilio 0 cuasidomicilio. Por 10 tan­

to, el parroco territorial goza sobre los miembros de la parroquia

personal de una potestad cumulativa con el parroco de la parroquia

personal. El parroco "personal", en cambio, tiene potestad solo sobre

aquellos miembros que, en razon del titulo de pertenencia, hacen parte

de su comunidad. Si se presenta un acto que es el resultado de la par­

ticipacion de dos personas, por ejemplo en el caso del matrimonio, es

suficiente y necesario que por 10 menos una de las dos haga parte de

su comunidad parroquial (cf. can. 1110). Hay que subrayar, en fin, que

tambien la parroquia personal posee un criterio territorial complemen­

tario, en cuanto la pertenencia a ella se da por un criterio personal,

pero siempre debe tratarse de fieles que viven en un determinado terri­

torio.

De la legislacion del Codigo se pueden tomar las siguientes 11­

neas de reflexion: la parroquia personal no debe considerarse como

una estructura que perturba la unidad y la homogeneidad de la organi­

zacion en la vida de la diocesis; es uno de los instrumentos pastora­

les, cuando no necesarios, ciertamente utiles para recibir a otros

grupos etnicos, nacionales 0 de los demas ritos, en la vida de la Igle­

sia diocesana. Aun mas, la parroquia personal deber1a ser considerada,

con relacion a tales grupos, como el instrumento normal que respeta

contemporaneamente las diversas exigenc~as de la pastoral de los emi­

I

I35

I would like to conclude by mentioning a problem which, at first sight, does

not seem directly and immediately of a pastoral nature: the study of the problems I raised by people on the move. The Church is concerned with these problems,

above all from a pastoral point of view. People on the move have always had an I enormous weight in our society; today more than yesterday. The religious

repercussions are hardly calculable. And yet, the Church has to know them if she I wants to find suitable remedies. The Instruction De Pastorali Migratorum Cura,

21 (DSS 2023, 2025) provided for a commission to study the problems of I emigration. The need for such a study has likewise been discussed at the First

World Congress for the Pastoral Care of Migrants, held in Rome in 1978 (24); and Iit is also mentioned in the Letter "Church and People on the Move", 40: "The

complexity and continuing evolution which are to be observed in the phenomenon

of people on the move make necessary, in order to give direction and purpose to I the pastoral activity, the work of complementary institutions, designed to keep

track of this phenomenon and arrive at an objective valuation of it. THis means I pastoral centers for ethnic groups, but above all interdisciplinary study centers,

that is, ones that would collate the material necessary for working out and putting I into practice a pastoral strategy. Here sociologists, psychologists,

anthropologists, economists, jurists and canonists, moralists and theologians would Igather together and, comparing their knowledge and experience along with those

who have the care of souls, would contribute to the further understanding of the

phenomenon and to proposing the means suitable to cope with it. I Such centers, already operating in various places, are destined to achieve I

greater efficiency by coordinating their efforts, something which is, in any case,

required by the international character of the phenomenon of people on the move" I (DSS 2479-2481).

IAware of the fact that such a task should be the concern primarily of

pastors and pastoral workers, the Pontifical Commission for the Pastoral Care of

Migrations has launched an interdisciplinary study of the pastoral themes of I mobility through a series of publications (26) which offer to Seminary teachers and

educators material to sensitize and prepare young people to face and solve the I problems of the pastoral care of migrants according to the directives of the

I I

- 35 ­

grantes; a saber:

1) dar a los emigrantes la misma asistencia pastoral que reciben los

fieles del lugar;

2) proporcionarles esa asistencia por medio de un sacerdote que hable

su mismo idioma;

3) reconocer su patrimonio espiritual, sin forzar la integracion en

la sociedad que les recibe;

4) la asistencia pastoral especlfica debera prolongarse hasta que 10

exija una verdadera necesidad.

No obstante, la pastoral que se organiza alrededor de la parro­

quia personal es, y sigue siendo, una estructura provisional, transi­

toria, interina, hasta que se logre la insercion de los emigrantes en

la comunidad territorial ordinaria, con todo derecho. Hay que distin­

guir, en efecto, la estabilidad de una persona jurldica como 10 es la

parroquia, de la comunidad de personas que se alternan en ella y la

utilizan por el tiempo limitado de sus necesidades. Es este el signi­

ficado de la doble pertenencia: a la parroquia territorial y a la pa­

rroquia personal. Lo mismo puede decirse de la potestad cumulativa de

ambos parrocos. Se trata de una opcion de libertad que la Iglesia deja

a sus fieles. Sin embargo, Ella los estimula con discrecion para que

se inserten, cuando puedan, en la normal pastoral diocesana (23). Los

responsables de la parroquia territorial y de la parroquia personal

deberan tener presente ese mismo objetivo, pero con la discrecion que

corresponde a las directivas de la Iglesia.

Ademas de la parroquia, el Codigo preve - para los emigrantes ­

tambien la Capellanla. El can. 568 establece la constitucion "en la

medida de 10 posible, de capel lanes para aquellos que por su genero

de vida no pueden gozar de la atencion parroqulal ordinaria, como son

los emigrantes, desterrados, profugos, nomadas, marinos".

La figura del capellan esta descrlta en forma bastante precisa

por el nuevo Codigo (can. 564-571). Esta provlsto de algunas faculta­

des por derecho (can. 566, §1). Estrlctamente, en razon del derecho

36

Church (27).

Other initiatives are on the same line, such as the publication of the

documents of the Holy See by the Pontifical Commission (28) and the collection of

John Paul II's speeches on the same topic (29), the letter to Ordinaries concerning

the formation of seminarists on the problems of the pastoral care of migrants,

jointly prepared by the Congregation for Catholic Education and the Pontifical

Commission (30), and finally, a similar letter, signed by both the Congregation for

the Institutes of religious Life and the Pontifical Commission (Council), sent

recently to religious institutes to arouse their interest and to involve them in the

pastoral care of migrants.

The Church perceives in the phenomenon of people on the move the great

challenge she is called to take up. People on the move, beyond the human

tragedies and the injustices of which they are the victims, can be seen in the

context of a providential plan through which God calls them to personalize and

strengthen their faith, and to set up new communities of faith. From a pastoral

angle, it has to be seen and faced in that perspective. Many Christians have lost

their faith in the mobility (DSS 431). But in that same phenomenon we can discern

quite a number of positive aspects and effects (DSS 1982-1983, 2684, 2693, 1721).

"Travelling as such - says the letter "Church and People on the Move", 7 ­

cannot be reckoned an enemy to faith, and the Church is making prudent efforts

to exploit its potential as an instrument of evangelization" (DSS 2389). "In many

cases - reminds us the same letter, 9 - the movement of people has exercised a

determining or at least notable influence on the birth and growth of new churches"

(DSS 2396). Thus, the work for migrants is a part of the work of evangelization

of the Church.

I

I

I I

I I

I I

I I

II I I I I II I , ,

--- 36 ­

universal 0 particular, 0 por especial delegacion, puede tener todas

las facultades de un parroco con relacion a la comunidad que se Ie en­

comienda.

Pero la diferencia entre parroquia y capellanla sigue existiendo,

aun cuando el capellan tenga todas las facultades de un parroco. El

parroco tiene sus facultades en virtud del derecho y no Ie pueden ser

limitadas, ni quitadas; las facultades del capellan, al serle encomen­

dadas en gran parte por delegacion, son siempre revocables.

Ademas, el capellan actua siempre dentro de una parroquia y bajo

la autoridad del parroco: el campo de autonomla para su actividad pas­

toral es necesariamente limitado.

En fin, y nos parece que esta reflex ion tiene mayor peso, el

capellan puede tener todas las facultades del parroco a nivel personal,

pero no existen - para su comunidad - todas aquellas estructuras que

el derecho contempla para que pueda construirse verdaderamente una

comunidad cristiana: Iglesia parroquial con aulas para el catecismo,

lugares de encuentro, etc ..• Precisamente en esa realidad amplia y ar­

ticulada se puede organizar de manera adecuada la cura pastoral de una

comunidad. La capellanla, fuera de carecer de tales estructuras, no

tiene garantlas de estabilidad.

~Cual es la mejor respuesta que se puede dar para la pastoral

de los emigrantes: la parroquia 0 la capellan!a? Nos parece que es

posible encontrarla en la praxis y en las directrices de la Iglesia

que constituyen la fuente del Codigo. Pero hay que decir, antes que

todo, que la respuesta no puede ser igual en todos los casos. Lo dice

claramente la Instruccion "De pastorali migratorum cura" en el nQ 12

donde se lee: "En cuanto a los modos, las formas jur!dicas y la conve­

niente duracion de la asistencia religiosa de los emigrantes, deben

ser considerados cuidadosamente en todos y en cada uno de los casos,

para ser as! adaptados a las diversas circunstancias" (DSS, 2000).

I

37 I NOTES I (1) The quotations are taken from Church and People on the Move. Documents

of the Holy See from 1883 to 1983. Edited by the Centro Studi Emigrazione,

Rome 1985. Henceforth we shall simply indicate DSS with the number of the I passage.

(2) Cf. GIULIVO TESSAROLO, The Church's Magna Charta for Migrants, St. I Charles Seminary, Staten Island, N. Y., 1962. The book, in addition to the

English translation of the Constitution, reproduces also the comments I published in the meantime.

(3) VELASIO DE PAOLIS, Aspetti canonici del magistero della S. Sede sulla Imobilita' umana, in nDSS", pp. XXXI-XLIX. See also V. DE PAOLIS, The

Pastoral Care of Migrants in the Teachings and the Directives of the IChurch, in nMigrations", vol. 1, ed. by the Pontifical Commission for the

Pastoral Care of Migrants, Vatican City, 1985, pp. 111-149.

(4) Id. Aspetti canonici ... , pp. XXXV -XXXVII. I (5) VELASIO DE PAOLIS, La cura dei migranti secondo il Motu Proprio

"Pastoralis Migratorum curan e l'Istruzione "De Pastorali Migratorum cura", I edited by the General Direction of the Scalabrinian Missionaries, Rome 1980,

pp. 149-219. Cf. also the German translation ... Die Seelsorge fur die IMenschen unterwegs nach dem Motu Proprio "Pastoralis migratorum curan

und nach der Instruktion "De Pastorali Migratorum Cura", Rome, 1981 (pro Imanuscripto) .

See also V. DE PAOLIS, De cura pastorali migratorum, in "Periodica", 70,

141-176. I (6) VELASIO DE PAOLIS, L'impegno della Chiesa nella pastorale della mobilita'

umana secondo il Codice di diritto canonico, in "Orizzonti pastorali oggi", I ed. Messaggero, Padua, 1987, pp. 129-157.

VELASIO DE PAOLIS, La mobilita' umana e il nuovo Codice di diritto Icanonico, in "On the Move", 45, 1985, pp. 111-149. Cf. also JEAN BEYER,

Le nouveau Code de droit canonique et la Pastorale de la mObilite', in "On Ithe Move", 39, 1983, pp. 3-28.

(7) Cf. in "Periodica", 72, 1983, p. 558.

(8) Cf. in "On the Move", 40, 1984, Giovanni Paolo II e la Mobilita' Umana. I ., J

- 37 ­

Entre las circunstancias concretas que se deben tener en cuenta, la

Instruccion indica las siguientes: la duracion de la migracion; el pro­

ceso de integracion (de la primera 0 de las sucesivas generaciones);

las diferencias culturales (de lenguaje 0 de rito); la forma del movi­

miento migratorio, segun se trate de migracion periodica, estable 0

temporal, de migracion en pequenos grupos 0 en masa, de asentamientos

concentrados geograficamente 0 dispersos (DSS, 2001). En esta situa­

cion, hay que tener muy presente el criterio que orienta a la Iglesia:

encontrar una forma que - a pesar de las continuas adaptaciones ­

corresponda a las efectivas necesidades de los emigrantes (DSS, 2001).

En el nQ 33, la misma Instruccion nos da criterios de accion mas pre­

cisos: "AI prestar la asistencia pastoral a los inmigrantes, los prin­

cipales modos y formas - que, se entiende, deben adaptarse a las diver­

sas circunstancias y usos locales, ademas de las costumbres, y a las

necesidades de dichos fieles - son estos ... " Y luego senala la

parroquia personal y la mision con cura de almas, autonoma 0 aneja a

una parroquia por medio de un vicario cooperador.

La condiciones para estaelecer una parroquia personal son las

siguientes:

1) que haya un numero considerable de emigrantes de la misma lengua;

2) que ellos vivan de manera estable en un lugar, 0, de todos modos,

aunque se alternen continuamente, que constituyan siempre una can­

tidad notable.

Estos dos criterios proporcionan los elementos que hacen posible

la insti~ucion de una parroquia personal, pues existe una comunidad

estable con la necesidad permanente de una cura pastoral espec{fica.

Esta situacion se verifica, en particular, en las grandes ciudades

modernas 0 en los grandes centros industriales donde, por razones de

estudio 0 de trabajo, hay siempre una concentracion de grupos etnicos

que - aun en medio de la rotacion {nsita en el fenomeno migratorio ­

constituyen siempre una comunidad permanente que necesita de los cui­

dados pastorales de la parroquia.

38

II

I

I

(9) We have tried to read the texts from a canonistic point of view in the above­

mentioned study in "DSS". We refer also to GIANFAUSTO ROSOLI, who

reads the same documents more from a historian's point of view, Alcune

considerazioni storiche su S. Sede e fenomeno della mobilita' umana, in

"DSS", pp. XIII-XXX.

(10) Today, however, the Church is called to review or to integrate her

directives in the face of a new situation. The large groups on the move

today are not Christian. The majority are Muslims. This is today's

challenge to the Church. Cf. "On the Move", 41, 1984. The competent

Congregation is that for the Evangelization of Peoples, Constitutions.

"Pastor Bonus", art. 85. There is also the Council for interfaith dialogue,

art. 162.

(11) A study in that perspective would be interesting. There have been many

interventions of the Church to protect the right to one's rite in the sector

I

••••••••••

J

Congregation for Oriental Churches even after the last reform of the ROman

Curia through the Constitution "Pastor Bonus", art. 59.

(12) DE PAOLIS, Aspetti canonici del magistero ... , art. const. p. XLVIII.

(13) The reading of the migratory phenomenon recurs frequently in the

documents of the Church. In particular, one can see what is said in the

letter "Church and People on the Move", 44, 4-7, DSS, 2378-2393.

(14) To be found especially in the notes 4-9 of the letter "Church and People on

the Move. But "DSSH is precisely the publication that includes all the

documents of the Holy See on people on the move. However, it should be

noted that these documents are only those published in "Acta Sanctae Sedis"

and in "Acta Apostolicae Sedis".

(15) The same definition is mentioned in the letter Church and People on the

Move, No.3 (DSS 2377).

(16) PIERANTONIO BONNET, Il diritto-dovere fondamentale del fedele migrante,

in "On the Move", 39, 1983, pp. 66-115. J(17) Cf. Atti Convegno Mondiale della pastorale dell'emigrazione 14-15 October

1985 in "On the Move", No. 46, 1985. See especially Msgr. GIULIO

NICOLINI, Integrazione ecclesiale degli immigrati corne esercizio di un diritto J di liberta' nei documenti della Chiesa, pp. 44-53; VELASIO DE PAOLIS,

J

of migrations. Consult "DSSH Anyhow, the competence rests with the•

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Ademas de la parroquia, la Instruccion menciona una estructura de

la que no hay rastro en el Codigo: la mision con cura de almas. Esta

se erige, sobre todo, alII donde los emigrantes no son estables. Al

faltar esa perspectiva de estabilidad, no se puede ni siquiera pensar

en constituir una parroquia. Sin embargo, ellos necesitan - tanto por

el tiempo como por su numero - una cura pastoral analoga a aquella

parroquial, aunque tenga estructuras de duracion limitada. El respon­

sable de la mision con cura de almas tiene las mismas facultades y es

equiparable al parroco en paridad jurldica (Instrucc. nQ 39; DSS, 2083).

La mision con cura de almas es una estructura jurldica que

- como se ha dicho - va mas alIa del Codigo, y se basa en la tradicion

y en la praxis jurldica de la Iglesia. A ella se refieren varias veces

la Constitucion Apostolica "Exsul Familia", la Instruccion "De pasto­

rali migratorum cura" y otros documentos. La mision con cura de almas

no se puede identificar con la cuasiparroquia, a la que se refiere el

can. 516, §1, ni simplemente con la capellanla,de la que hacen mencion

el can. 564 y sigs. No se identifica con la cuasiparroquia porque esta

se define en el can. 516, §1 como "una determinada comunidad de fieles

dentro de la Iglesia particular encomendada, como pastor propio, a un

sacerdote, perc que, por circunstancias peculiares, no ha side aun

erigida como parroquia". La cuasiparroquia, pues, tiende a hallar una

situacion definitiva en su constitucion como parroquia; ademas, no es

una entidad personal, sino territorial. La mision con cura de almas

tampoco se puede identificar con la capellan[a, porque su Director

se equipara al parroco y tiene todos sus derechos y deberes, aunque

en forma cumulativa con el parroco territorial. El capellan, por 10

general, no tiene todos los derechos y deberes del parroco; y aunque

los tuviese, esto no ser[a con paridad jur[dica, sino segun concesio­

nes que recibe por delegacion. Se podr[a encontrar una lejana alusion

a la mision con cura de almas en el can. 516, §2, donde dice: "Cuando

algunas comunidades no puedan ser erigidas como parroquias 0 cuasipa­

rroquias, el Obispo diocesano proveera de otra manera a la cura pasto­

ral de las mismas". De todos modos, no es dif[cil entender la orienta­

cion de la legislacion eclesiastica, a saber: la estructura normal,

fundamental, para la cura pastoral, es la parroquia.

39

Integrazione ecclesiale degli immigrati come esercizio di un diI'itto di liberta'

nella legislazione canonica della Chiesa, pp. 125-154.

(18) Yet, the idea of extraordinarity is sometimes stressed with very hard

expressions that are no longer to be found in later documents. Thus, for

example, in 1952, Pius XII said to missionaries working with Italian migrants

that these should understand that the assistance provided to them was an

extraordinary spiritual care, which allowed them, among others, to confess

themselves in their mother tongue, when this is not possible with indigenous

priests, but that in the meantime they should endeavor to attend the divine

services on Sundays together with the local people. They were to be

encouraged to accommodate themselves with the local religious life, and

above all, to get in touch with the Catholic organizations, especially the

workers and youth organizations (DSS 1963).

(19) JEAN BEYER, Fondamento ecclesiale della pastorale dell'emigrazione, in

"Migrazioni" CSER, Rome, pp. 9-33; E. CORECCO, La presenza dei migranti

nella Chiesa particolare: segno dell'immanenza reciproca fra Chiesa

universale e particolare, in "Orizzonti pastorali oggi", ed. Messaggero,

Padua, 1987, pp. 39-58.

(20) VELASIO DE PAOLIS, n Missionario per i migranti: carisma, compiti e

preparazione, in "On the Move" 39, 1983, pp. 116-182.

(21) GIANFAUSTO ROSOLI, Alcune considerazioni. .. , art. quoted, pp. XXI­

XXII.

(22) The Instruction "De Pastorali Migratorum cura", No. 53, #1, mentions the

Congregation of Missionaries of Saint Charles-Scalabrinians, the Society of

Christ for Polish emigrants, the Pius Society of Saint Paul for emigrants

from Malta (DSS 2112). Exsul Familia mentions also the Society of the Holy

Angels in Badgodesberg (DSS 1082).

(23) The Pontifical Commission has organized a meeting with the religious

institutes from 4 to 6 December 1986. Cf. Atti, Religiosi e mobilita' umana,

in "People on the Move", No. 48.

(24) Cf. The World Congress for the Pastoral Care of Migrants in Rome, 14-19

October 1985, in "On the Move", No. 46.

( 25 ) Cf. n Congresso mondiale pastorale Emigrazione, in "On the Move", Nos. 26­

27.

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En cambio, la constitucion del capell~n est~ prevista "todas

las veces que no parezca oportuna la ereccion de una parroquia perso­

nal 0 de una mision con cura de almas" (DSS, 2067). La Instruccion,

pues, si bien es consciente de la variedad de las situaciones, indica

la parroquia personal y - cuando la ereccion de ~sta no sea posible ­

la mision con cura de almas como estructuras normales de la cura pas­

toral especlfica de los emigrantes. Mas alIa de las diferencias jurl­

dicas, se vuelve al principio fundamental: la cura pastoral ordinaria

para los fieles es aquella de la parroquia; alII es donde ellos encuen­

tran el cuidado espiritual apropiado.

En cuanto a la parroqula personal, solicito que se me permita

mencionar el juicio positivo, comprobado por la historia, recordado

en la Constitucion Exsul Familia. Despu~s de haber enumerado las dis­

tintas estructuras a trav~s de las cuales la Iglesia ha llevado a cabo

la pastoral de los emigrantes, la Constitucion habla aSl de las parro­

quias personales: "Todos saben el beneficio que estas parroquias, vi­

sitadas asiduamente por los extranjeros, han proporcionado a las almas

y a las diocesis, y todos las tienen en merecida consideracion" (DSS,

1044).

* * * * * * *

Quisiera terminar haciendo referencia a una cuestion que, a pri­

mera vista, no parece directa e inmediatamente pastoral. Se trata del

estudio de los problemas planteados por la movilidad humana. La Igle­

sia se preocupa por ellos, sobre todo desde un punta de vista pastoral.

La movilidad humana ha tenido siempre, en la sociedad, un enorme al­

cance. Hoy dIa, mas que nunca. Las repercusiones en el campo religioso

son dlficiles de calcular. Sin embargo, la Iglesia las debe saber para

buscar las soluciones adecuadas. La Instruccion "De pastorali migrato­

rum cura", en el nQ 21 (DSS, 2023. 2025), contemplaba la posibilidad

de una comision de estudio para los problemas de la emigracion. Sobre

la necesidad de estudiar los problemas de las migraciones se trato,

•

40

(26) A number of special issues of "On the Move" (marked

notebooks) are dedicated to various pastoral themes. We

I

I as university

refer to them I under the indication of the number and year of the issues: 33 (1981), 38

(1983), 39 (1983), 41 (1984). Other publications edited by the same I Pontifical Commission: "Migrations", Vatican City, 1985; "migrazioni", CSER,

Rome, 1985; "Orizzonti pastorali oggi, studi interdisciplinari sulla mobilita' I umana", ed. Messaggero, Padua, 1987; "Liturgia e mobilita' umana", ed.

Messaggero, Padua, 1987; "Maria, esule, itinerante, pia pellegrina",

Messaggero, Padua, 1988. I ( 27) VELASIO DE PAOLIS, La pastorale della mobilita' umana nella formazione

teologica nelle universita' e nei seminari, in "On the Move", 39, 1983, pp. I 29-38.

( 28) Cf. note l.

(29) Cf. note 3.

(30) See "Seminarium", De formatione ad pastoralem migratorum curam,

Dec. 1985.

I Oct., I

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tambien, en el primer congreso mundial de la pastoral migratoria, ce­

lebrado en Roma en 1978 (24); de esto habla, igualmente, la Carta

"Iglesia y Movilidad Humana" en el nQ 40: "La complejidad y la fre­

cuente evolucion que se registra en los fenomenos del movimiento hace

necesaria, para la orientacion de la pastoral, la obra de institucio­

nes complementarias, destinadas a seguir tales fenomenos y a dar valo­

raciones objetivas de los mismos. Se trata de centros pastorales para

grupos etnicos, pero sobre todo de centros de estudio interdisciplina­

res, que reagrupen las materias necesarias para la elaboracion y la

actuacion de la pastoral. Sociologos, psicologos, antropologos, econo­

mistas, juristas y canonistas, moralistas y teologos, al encontrarse

y confrontar sus respectivos conocimientos y experiencias, junto a

los pastores de almas, contribuyen a la profundizacion de los fenome­

nos y a la indicacion de los medios adecuados.

Tales centros, ya en marcha en diversos lugares, estan destina­

dos a obtener mediante su coordinacion mayor eficacia, como viene so­

licitado, por otra parte, por la Indole internacional de la movilidad"

(DSS, 2479-2481).

La Pontificia Comision para la pastoral de los emigrantes, cons­

ciente de que en tal tarea deben estar interesados sobre todo los pas­

tores de almas y los agentes de pastoral en general, ha promovido el

estudio interdisciplinar de los temas pastorales de la movilidad con

una serie de publicaciones (26) que brindan a los profesores y a los

formadores, en los seminarios, material para sensibilizar y preparar

a los jovenes a afrontar y resolver, de acuerdo con las directrices

de la Iglesia, los problemas del cuidado pastoral de los emigrantes

(27).

Dentro de esa misma l!nea, tenewos la publicacion de los docu­

mentos de la Santa Sede, promovida por la misma Pontificia Comision

(28); como tambien los discursos de Juan Pablo II sobre ese mismo ar­

gumento (29); igualmente, el env!o a los Ordinarios de una carta sobre

la formacion de los seminaristas con relacion a los problemas de la

pastoral migratoria, preparada conjuntamente por la Congregacion para

I - 41 ­ I

la Educacion Catolica y la misma Pontificia Comision (30). En estos I ultimos dlas, la Congregacion para los Institutos de vida consagrada

y la misma Pontificia Comision (Consejo) han dirigido una carta a los I institutos religiosos para sensibilizarlos e involucrarlos en la pas­

toral de los emigrantes. I La Iglesia ve en el fenomeno de la movilidad humana el gran Idesaflo que Ella esta llamada a aceptar. Mas alIa de los dramas huma­

nos y de las injusticias de que es vlctima, este fenomeno se puede

enfocar como designio providencial a traves del cual Dios llama a sus I protagonistas a personalizar y fortificar su fe y a crear nuevas comu­

nidades de fe. Es aSl como se debe leer y encarar la movilidad humana, I desde un punto de vista pastoral. En ella ha naufragado la fe de mu­

chos cristianos (DSS, 431); pero en ese mismo fenomeno se pueden per­ Icibir tambien muchos aspectos y resultados positivos (DSS, 1982-1983;

2684; 2693; 1721). I La movilidad humana en cuanto tal - nos dice la Carta "Iglesia

y Movilidad Humana ll en el nQ 7 - no puede ser considerada como enemiga I de la fe; y la Iglesia se esfuerza prudentemente en valorizar aquellas

virtualidades que la constituyen instrumento de evangelizacion" (DSS, I 2389). "En muchos casos - nos 10 recuerda esa misma Carta en el nQ 9 ­

la movilidad humana ha resultado determinante 0 al menos ha ejercido I un notable influjo en el nacimiento y desarrollo de nuevas Iglesias"

(DSS, 2396). As!, pues, el compromiso en favor de la migraciones hace Itambien parte del compromiso de evangelizacion de la Iglesia.

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HOlAS:

(1) Citas tomadas de Chiesa e Mobilita Umana. Documenti della Santa Sede dal 1883 al 1983, publicada al cuidado del Centro Studi Emigrazione - Roma 1985. De ahora en adelante, se citara ese volumen con la abreviacion DSS y el numero correspondiente al trozo al que se hace referencia.

(2) Cf. GIULIVO TESSAROLO, The Church's Magna Charta for Migrants, St. Charles Seminary, State Island, N.Y., 1962. El libro, ademas de la traduccion en ingles de la Constitucion, incluye tambien comentarios.

(3) VELASIO DE PAOLIS, Aspetti canonici del magistero della S.Sede sulla mobilita umana, en: "DSS" , pags. XXXI-XLIX. Consultese tambien V. DE PAOLIS, The pastoral care of migrants in the teach­ings and the directives of the Church, in migrations, publicado por la Pont. Comision para la pastoral de los migrantes, Ciudad del Vaticano, 1985, pags. 111-149.

(4) Id. Aspetti canonici ... pags. XXXV-XXXVII.

(5) VELASIO DE PAOLIS, La cura dei migranti secondo il Motu Proprio "Pastoral is Migratorum cura" e l'Istruzione "De Pastorali Migra­torum cura", en: "Per una pastorale dei migranti, editado por la Direccion General de los Misioneros Scalabrinianos, Roma, 1980, pags. 149-219. Cf. tambien la traduccion en aleman ..• Die Seelsorge fUr die Menschen unterwegs nach dem Motu Proprio "Pastoral is Migratorum cura" und nach der Instruktion "De Pastorali Migratorum cura", Roma, 1981 (pro manuscripto). Consultese tambien V. DE PAOLIS, De cura pastorali migratorum, en: "Periodica", 70, 141-176.

(6) VELASIO DE PAOLIS, L'impegno della Chiesa nella pastorale della mobilita umana secondo il Codice di diritto canonico, en: "Oriz­zonti pastorali oggi", ed. Messagero, Padova, 1987, pags. 129-157. VELASIO DE PAOLIS, La mobilita umana e il nuovo Codice di dirit ­to canonico", en: "On the Move", 45, 1985, pags. 111-149. Cf. tambien JEAN BEYER, Le nouveau Code de droit canonigue et la Pastorale de la mobilite, en: "On the Move", 39, 1983, pags. 3-28.

(7) Cf. en: "Per!odica", 72, 1983, p. 558.

(8) Cf. en: "On the Move", 40, 1984, Giovanni Paolo II e la Mobilita Umana.

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(9) Hemos procurado realizar una lectura desde un punta de vista canonista en el estudio mencionado en "055". Vease tambien GIAN­FAUSTO ROTOLI, quien lee los mismos documentos mas bien desde una perspectiva historica en: Alcune considerazioni storiche su S. Sede e fenomeno della mobilita umana, en "055", pags. XIII-XXX.

(10) La Iglesia esta llamada, hoy, sin embargo, a reconsiderar 0 a integrar sus directrices frente a una nueva situacion. Las gran­des masas que se mueven, hoy dIa, no son cristianas. La mayorla son de fe musulmana. Es el desaflo a la Iglesia actual. Cf. "On the Move", 41, 1984. La Congregacion competente es aquella para la Evangelizacion de los pueblos, Const. "Pastor Bonus", art. 85. Esta tambien el Consejo para el dialogo interreligioso, art. 162.

(11) Serla interesante realizar un estudio desde esta perspectiva. Las intervenciones de la Iglesia en favor del derecho al propio rito en el sector de las migraciones, han sido numerosas. Es posible consultar en "055". Oe todas maneras, la competencia, segun 10 dice tambien la ultima reforma de la Curia Romana con la Consitucion "Pastor Bonus", sigue siendo de la Congregacion para las Iglesias Orientales, art. 59.

(12) OE PAOLIS, Aspetti canonici del magistero ... " art. const. p. XLVIII.

(13) La lectura del fenomeno migratorio se presenta a menudo en los documentos de la Iglesia. En particular, se puede ver 10 que dice de esto la carta "Iglesia y Movilidad Humana", 44, 4-7, 055, 2378-2393.

(14) Es posible localizarlos, en especial, en las notas 4-9 de la carta Iglesia y Movilidad Humana. Pero la publicacion "055" es precisamente la recopilacion de todos los documentos de la Santa Sede sobre la movilidad humana. Hay que senalar, sin embargo, que se trata solo de documentos que han sido publicados en: "Acta Sanctae Sedis" y en "Acta Apostolicae Sedis".

(15) Esa misma definicion es recordada en la Carta Iglesia y MovilIdad Humana, nQ 3 (055, 2377).

(16) PIERANTONIO BONNET, II diritto-dovere fondamentale del fedele migrante, en: "On the Move", 39, 1983, pags. 66-115.

(17) Cf. Atti Convegno Mondiale della pastorale dell'emigrazione, 14-15 ottobre 1985,en: "On the Move", nQ 46, 1985. Cf. en espe­cial: Mons. GIULIO NICOLINI, Integrazione ecciesiale degil Immi­grati come esercizio di un diritto dl Ilberta nei documentl del­la ChIesa, pags. 44-53; VELASIO DE PAOLIS, Integrazione eccle­siale degli Immigrati come esercizio di un diritto dl Ilberta nella legislazione canonica della Chiesa, pags. 125-154.

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(18) Sin embargo, se subraya la idea del caracter extraordinario, a veces con palabras tan duras que no se volveran a encontrar en documentos posteriores. Por ejemplo, Pio XII decla a los misio­neros para los emigrantes italianos en 1952: "Haced aprender a los inmigrados italianos que vuestra asistencia espiritual es extraordinaria, que debe ofrecerles, entre otras cosas, la opor­tunidad de confesarse en su lengua materna, cuando esto no es posible con los sacerdotes indlgenas; pero que, mientras tanto, ellos deben pensar en asistir a los oficios divinos de los dlas festivos con los demas fieles del Pals. Animadlos a que se acos­tumbren a la vida religiosa del lugar y, sobre todo, a que se pongan en comunicacion con las organizaciones catolicas, espe­cialmente de los trabajadores y de los jovenes" (DSS, 1963).

(19) JEAN BEYER, Fondamento ecclesiale della pastorale dell'emigra­zione, en: "Migrazioni", CSER, Roma, pags. 9-33; E. CORECCO, La presenza dei migranti nella Chiesa particolare: segno dell'immanenza reciproca fra Chiesa universale e partico­lare, en: "Orizzonti pastorali oggi", ed. Messaggero, Padova, 1987, pags. 39-58.

(20) VELASIO DE PAOLIS, II Missionario per i migranti: carisma, com­piti e preparazione, en: "On the Move", 39, 1983, pags. 116-182.

(21) GIANFAUSTO ROTOLI, Alcune considerazioni .... art. cit., p. XXI-XXII.

(22) La Instruccion "De Pastorali Migratorum cura", nQ 53, §1, recuer­da la Congregacion de los misioneros de San Carlos-Scalabrinia­nos, la Sociedad de Cristo para los Emigrantes Polacos, la Socie­dad de San Pablo para los Emigrantes Malteses (DSS, 2112). La Exsul Familia recuerda tambien la Sociedad de los Santos Angeles Custodios de Badgodesberg (DSS, 1082).

(23) Del 4 al 6 de diciembre de 1986, la Pontificia Comision promovio un encuentro con los Institutos religiosos. Cf. Actas, Religiosi e mobilita umana, en: "People On the Move", nQ 48.

(24) Cf. Congreso Mundial de la pastoral de la emigracion, celebrado en Roma del 14 al 19 de octubre, 1985; en: "On the Move", nQ 46.

(25) Cf. I Congresso Mondiale Pastorale Emigrazione, en: "On the Move", nn. 26-27.

(26) Algunos numeros especiales de "On the Move" (cuadernos universi­tarios) estan consagrados a los distintos temas de la pastoral. Nos remitimos a ellos indicando solamente los numeros y anos de la Revista: 33 (1981 );38 (1983); 39 (1983); 41 (1984). Otras publicaciones al cuidado de la misma Pontificia Comision: "Migrations", Vatican City, 1985; "Migrazioni", CSER, Roma, 1985; "Orizzonti pastorali oggi, studi interdisciplinari sulla mobilita umana", ed. Messaggero, Padova, 1987; "Liturgia e mobilita umana", ed. Messaggero, Padova, 1987; "Maria, esule, itinerante, pia pellegrina", ed. Messaggero, Padova, 1988.

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(27) VELASIO DE PAOLIS, La pastorale della mobilita umana nella formazione teologica neUe universita e nei seminari, en: "On I the Move", 39, 1983, pags. 29-38.

(28) Cf. nota (1). I (29) Cf. nota (3).

(30) Consultese: "Seminarium", De formatione ad pastoralem migratorum I curam, oct., die. 1985.

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