Accompanying Migrant Farmworker Communities
By Sister Joanna Okereke, HHCJ, Assistant Director, Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugees and Travelers
The plight of farmworkers in our country is one of great concern to the Catholic Church. These men and women labor tirelessly in the fields, orchards, and other settings, helping to ensure we have food on our tables, while often enduring harsh conditions, isolation, and exploitation. They continue to struggle with low wages, minimal legal protection, and unhealthy work environments. Migrant farm workers are rarely seen as people. Their needs, both physical and spiritual, are rarely considered and opportunities for attending Mass and receiving the sacraments are infrequent.
It is important to remember that migrant farmworkers are human beings. As stated in Genesis 1:26-27, “...let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness… and God created mankind in His image; in the image of God, He created them.” Justice calls us to stand in solidarity with migrant farmworkers to change unjust conditions, ensure their contributions are recognized, and guarantee they are treated fairly. All of this in accordance with their God-given dignity as human beings made in His image.
The Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugees, & Travelers (PCMRT) is dedicated to encouraging leaders to develop an active and sustained ministry of presence along with opportunities for integral human development. PCMRT is also devoted to creating possibilities for migrant farmworkers to attend mass and meet their spiritual needs. Meeting migrant farmworkers where they are is an important aspect of the Church’s pastoral response and connecting them with the Catholic community around them is of paramount importance to them.
The Church’s concern for the pastoral care of migrant farmworkers stems from its mission to bring the message of salvation to all people (cf. Matthew 28:19). In the 110th message of World Day of Migrants and Refugees, our late Pope Francis said, “let us unite in prayer for all those who have had to leave their land in search of dignified living conditions. May we journey together with them, be ‘synodal’ together, and entrust them to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a sign of sure hope and consolation to the faithful People of God as they continue their journey”.
May we be encouraged to be, in the words of Pope Francis, iglesia en salida, (Evangelii Gaudium 24) – a church that “goes forth” – to bring forth the Gospel and accompany the people where they are. The Church must remain committed to walking with them and calling for reforms to our immigration system that would provide a pathway to legal status.
Given the difficult circumstances migrants face, we must challenge ourselves as Christians to figure out ways to help those in need, with mercy and love for our neighbors. Pope Leo XIV in his message for the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, under the theme “Migrants, Missionaries of Hope”, calls on us to recognize the inherent dignity of every human being regardless of their migration status, and, to support people who are forced to leave their homes and places of origin. Our Catholic faith calls us to pray, work, and advocate for protections that allow all workers to thrive. We must uphold Catholic Social Teaching, which values the dignity of work and the rights of workers. Also, we must promote an environment where every worker can live with dignity and receive fair treatment. As echoed in the Scriptures, we must seek ways to welcome, promote, support, accompany, encourage, and empower migrant workers who, like all people, are created in the image and likeness of God.