Securing Hope: Liaison of the American Dream

Through her work with the Immigrant and Refugee Reform Committee at Old St. Patrick’s Church in Chicago, BVM Mary Fran McLaughlin (l.), supports Venezuelan family José, Jesús, and Maria, with co-liaison Doug DuBois.

by Mary Fran McLaughlin, BVM

I eagerly joined Old St. Patrick’s Church (OSP) in Chicago’s West Loop, once the COVID lockdown was lifted. During the quarantine, I found comfort in the church’s streamed Sunday liturgies and was especially drawn to the beautiful music and timely homilies. As weeks and months passed, the desire to connect to this community deepened and I discerned that I would test it out.

Answering the Call
After attending services in-person for about six months, I was drawn to the Immigration and Refugee Ministry (IRM) Committee, which has been in existence at OSP for over eight years and has approximately 100 members. Troubled by the global, national, and local resistance to “Welcome the Stranger,” and in touch with my own Irish heritage, along with BVM foundresses and sisters, I joined IRM to welcome newcomers to the United States. It has been a good fit!

Initially, I participated in IRM meetings on Zoom and joined committee members in some of their many outreach projects; securing, cleaning, and furnishing apartments for new families arriving in the United States; assisting in the annual collection of items needed to furnish apartments with new bedding, dishes, pots and pans, towels, etc.; providing new families with school-age children with backpacks, school supplies, and gift cards for clothing at the beginning of the school year; and making lunches for new arrivals who were living in police stations.

The ‘Holy Family’
Since 2022, over 30,000 immigrants/asylum seekers have been bused into Chicago without notice. Last summer, a young Venezuelan family—José, Maria, and their 4-year-old son, Jesús—were connected with OSP. Recognizing their need, I volunteered to be one of the liaisons for this family, lovingly referring to them as the “Holy Family.” I marvel at the story of their arduous journey from Venezuela leaving family and friends, fearing for their lives, sometimes riding buses, or walking through the Darién Gap, evading drug dealers and robbers! Picture José carrying his son, Jesús, on his shoulders to keep him safe and to hasten their arrival in the United States!

They were able to move into an apartment offered by an IRM member in a building she owns. OSP covers rent for six to eight months for families whom they sponsor and assists them with other needs until they can find work and manage on their own. OSP is currently sponsoring nine families: four from Venezuela and others from Myanmar, Syria, Colombia, Honduras, and Somalia.

Nurturing the “American Dream,” liaisons keep in touch with their family and offer help depending on the needs of each family: finding a grocery store, setting up utility and bank accounts, paying bills, registering children for school, providing directions to clothing and food stores, locating medical services that are willing to serve the new immigrant population, and ESL classes that are convenient to their location, etc.

José is a skilled auto mechanic; Maria is a manicurist. Maria is taking ESL classes while Jesús is at school. Both José and Maria want to work and be independent. They hope to receive their work permits soon so they can find full-time work with benefits and start to live the “American Dream.”

Being in touch with this family has strengthened my belief in the inherent dignity of every individual. Weren’t most of us (or our ancestors), immigrants at some point? Why would we not embrace our shared humanity and stand in solidarity with one another?

To learn more, visit: www.oldstpats.org/ospirm.html and tinyurl.com/mt7bfwtz

This story was featured in:

SPRING 2024: BVMs on the Run Toward Justice

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