Jubilee of Migrants: Hope Away from Home

Fr. Edwin Logrono is associate pastor at Holy Martyrs of Japan Parish in Bradford, Ont., who with Pastor Fr. John Pak and a team of volunteers, runs the St. Philip of Jesus (San Felipe de Jesús) Mission to accompany agricultural migrant workers in the area. The mission’s programming includes Sunday Mass in Spanish as well as various recreational and faith-based activities throughout the year. On the occasion of the Jubilee of Migrants, October 4 and 5, Fr. Logrono reflects on this important mission.

1. How did the mission get started? How has it grown over the years?

This ministry began several years ago with various missionary priests from this archdiocese due to the concern for the pastoral, spiritual and human care that these migrant brothers, children of God, needed to receive in a different land. They saw the need to evangelize them and tried to be close to them and this new reality.

According to the accounts of the migrants themselves, they have received support over the years, but without any formal structure like a chaplaincy or an essential mission. Fr. John Pak resumed this ministry and supported them significantly. When I arrived here as associate pastor, we decided to include it in our parish activities. We then met with Bishop John A. Boissonneau from this area, who provided his full support and supervision to create a formal administrative structure for this ministry. In June of 2024, the San Felipe de Jesús Mission was established.

After this mission was established, we found volunteers to help us develop the annual schedule of faith and social activities for our migrant brothers.

2. In his message for this year’s World Day for Migrants and Refugees, Pope Leo affirms that “communities that welcome [migrants and refugees] can also be a living witness to hope, one that is understood as the promise of a present and a future where the dignity of all as children of God is recognized.” Where do you see hope in this particular ministry with migrant workers?

The purpose of this mission is to provide true shelter to our migrant brothers and make them feel that our Church is a true family beyond languages or cultural realities. We want them to feel transformed by the love that God provides through their brothers and sisters (priests and volunteers), who choose to accompany them in their life projects while they are away from their countries and families. We encourage them to understand the grace of prayer and their participation of faith in each community celebration.

We have seen and heard with great joy about their new commitments to God, their church and their families. Many have shared testimonies with us about encountering God here in their work activities, and how many of them have embraced this in their personal lives upon returning to their countries, for example, by entering into the Sacrament of Marriage or participating more actively in their parish communities. Some have also spoken to us about their new perspective on living their faith by seeing a united and service-oriented church here in Canada.

3. In which ways can others within the Archdiocese support this mission?

Well, primarily with prayer. Financial support to help us carry out many of the activities is always welcome. Currently, the costs are covered by the parish, its faithful and the volunteers, who have always been very generously willing to accept the challenges of this mission of love to build a true civilization of faith, hope and charity.