The Chilean Episcopal Conference released the document “I was a stranger and they welcomed me” that explains the worrying situations related to migration, develops migration in the Bible and the Magisterium of the Church and proposes paths of action.
Vatican News
“We ask the authorities and other political and social actors to favor effective strategies that allow the migratory regularity of people who today are in an irregular condition and do not have criminal or delinquent problems,” said the Archbishop-elect of Concepción, Sergio Pérez de Arce. , when presenting the document “I was a stranger and they welcomed me (Mt 25, 35)”, released by the Chilean Episcopal Conference (CEC), which offers a Christian look at migration. The launch took place this Wednesday, June 12 at the offices of the Chilean Catholic Migration Institute (INCAMI) which is located in the Latin American Parish in the commune of Providencia.
Before delving into the text, the bishops, panelists and guests toured the facilities, at which time they were able to talk with those who provide services there, as well as some migrants.
A release available on the CEC website reports that more than 180,000 people voluntarily participated in the biometric registration process during 2023-2024. Many of them already have family ties in the country, as well as relatives in a regular situation, work there and study in schools in the national territory. Therefore, “regularizing these people is within the options of the National Immigration Policy and there are no serious reasons that justify not doing so,” stated the prelate. Monsignor Pérez de Arce clarified that “far from being a problem for the country, migratory regularity contributes to security and social peace, allowing more transparent relationships between people. It is a benefit for both migrants and Chileans.”
For his part, from the Center for Migration Policies, Juan Pablo Ramaciotti, highlighted the importance of having public policies, action from civil society or from the religious world, also from the Church “that can take charge of difficult situations, but from the evidence,” he said. Likewise, the Social Union of Christian Entrepreneurs (USEC), through its representative Francisco Jiménez, stressed the importance of regularizing migrants who meet the requirements. In turn, Felipe Harboe highlighted the importance of joint work between civil and religious organizations and appreciated that the document emphasizes that, in a legalistic country, “it does not welcome people who have even entered regularly but then due to administrative issues “they cannot end up being inserted, due to bureaucracy or laziness”.
Among the members of the Episcopal Conference of Chile, Monsignor René Rebolledo, archbishop of La Serena (president); Monsignor Ignacio Ducasse, archbishop of Antofagasta (vice president), and Monsignor Sergio Pérez de Arce, archbishop of Concepción (general secretary) and the archbishop of Santiago, Monsignor Fernando Chomali G.. Along with them, the bishop of Arica, Moisés Atisha, was present. , president of INCAMI and Cáritas Chile and the auxiliary bishop of Santiago, Alberto Lorenzelli.
The president of the Episcopate, Monsignor René Rebolledo, commented that numerous people and many organizations contributed to the drafting of the document. “To all, deep gratitude. I think on this day of the institutions that have served migrants for years, both ecclesiastical, civil society and also the State. The Lord will know how to reward this selfless service, carried out with sincere affection and great dedication,” he said.
At the conference, Verónica Moreno, a Venezuelan migrant who has been living in the trans-Andean country for seven years, said that she has had difficulties with her final visa that has not been possible: “This is my second visit to INCAMI. On the first occasion they guided me in the process, something very specific. I turn here because I understand that it is a service that is made available to all who need it. This is a place where I can find a concrete and accurate answer to what I have to do.
