‘Refugee Day’ outreach in Arima

On Divine Mercy Sunday (April 11), members of the Migrants & Refugees Ministry of the Santa Rosa-Malabar Parish Cluster in Arima, successfully hosted ‘Refugee Day’, a community service mission outreach to our Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters among us.

Corporal and spiritual works of mercy took centre stage as participants were able to:

• access various healthcare services through the Catholic Commission for Social Justice (CCSJ)/Archdiocesan Ministry for Migrants and Refugees (AMMR) collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the T&T Medical Association and the T&T Cancer Society;
• obtain articles of faith and access religious services such as the Sacrament of Reconciliation in Spanish, Eucharistic Adoration, and sign-up to receive Catholic Spanish Bibles;
• become knowledgeable of help resources, and receive counselling.
• receive basic food hampers, as well as access to educational and baby items.

The mission was well attended and received. Sincere gratitude was expressed by participants of both the Venezuelan and the local communities who benefited from the mission.

Those who availed themselves of Confession had much to say. “I feel free! I needed that! Thank you so much!” exclaimed one Venezuelan who has been living in Trinidad for more than five years but hadn’t been to Confession in even more years than that. He apologised for taking up 30 minutes of the priest’s time. “I haven’t had Confession since my First Communion! (14 years ago)” said a bilingual parishioner.

Innumerable thanks to Fr Mark Georges of Opus Dei, Fr Gutemberg Tosca Barahona of Penal’s Migrants Ministry and all parishioners and supporters of the Refugee Day Mission Outreach.

—PMMR, Santa Rosa-Malabar Parish Cluster