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Migrant Ministry Opens at St. Edmund School

January 4, 2024

On December 19, 2023, the Migrant Ministry held the final day of “Showers” program for hundreds of our asylum-seeking brothers and sisters at St. Catherine – St. Lucy Shelter Center. Thank you to those parishioners for allowing this program to invade their church and rectory. On January 4, 2024, the Migrant Ministry moved and had an opening day at St. Edmund School. Thank you to the planning team who did a masterful joy putting the move together.

A common expression in Spanish is “No cuesta nada soñar” (It doesn’t cost anything to dream), and we are dreaming! Our new location offers wonderful opportunities to expand our ministry. Large classrooms allow for the comfortable distribution of coats, blankets, clothes, shoes, toiletries, and winter gear. One classroom has been converted into a breakfast and children’s play area with freshly-painted bookshelves that we plan to fill with toys and books for both adults and children. Two smaller rooms have been set aside, one for health care visits from a Loyola medical team and a second as a quiet space for rest and meditation. In the future we hope to use other classrooms for ESL classes and legal assistance.

We have worked to make the halls of the century-old building warm and welcoming. Bright cheery banners decorate the walls and flags of Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, and Honduras hanging in the hallway assure the migrants that this is their home. There is still much more to do, but thanks to the hard work of our amazing volunteers, Centro San Edmundo is open and ready to serve.