New York, Meeting of the Congregation Services

The General Direction of the Scalabrinians convened representatives of different areas of specific service from 21 to 23 July

la direzione generale dei Missionari di San Carlo, secondo le indicazioni del Capitolo Generale (XIV CG, 12), ha convocato a New York dal 21 al 23 luglio i rappresentanti di diverse aree di servizio specifico

The phenomenon of human mobility is multifaceted and presents complex challenges for the approach of a congregation like the Scalabrinian one, committed as it is for almost 130 years to the service of migrants and refugees.

This is the reason why the General Direction of the Missionaries of St. Charles – Scalabrinians, as indicated by the General Chapter (CG XIV, 12), convened representatives of different areas of specific service in New York from 21 to 23 July: the Scalabrini International Migration Institute, the ITESP of San Paolo, the Communication sector, study centers, the SIMN, the network of the AOS and the Houses of Migrants, the ecclesial bodies and the General Management, p.  Alfredo J. Goncalves, vicar general.

Incontro servizi congregazione New York, 21-23 luglio 2015 2

The first step of the meeting was the clarification of the objectives and the proposed methodology underlying the Strategic Plan between the departments and areas of the Congregation: the presence of Michael P. Hoffman, an expert on resource development for catholic entities, made clear the task of the members. Keywords, strengths, but also the challenges facing a congregation that wishes to operate as one body in the field of migration emerged during the conversation. Over the rest of the morning every representative presented a summary of their current work and synergy with other areas, the basic premise to know, judge and then to take action.

The first stage ended with the common definition of the mission, vision and goals between departments and areas of the Congregation, on the one hand, and common strategies between the four services and networks of areas on the other. Participants stressed the vision about the people on the move of the Good Shepherd – with the living example of Blessed Scalabrini, putting in the first place the promotion of every migrant, as expressed in the mission that different areas already have put into practice, and the holistic Christian vision on the phenomenon as its contribution to the animation of the local churches for an ecumenical openness towards migrants.

The meeting of the pastoral areas has produced a draft document containing some concrete actions and initiatives that the different networks undertake to develop in the coming years. The document will come into the hands of the Council of Congregation scheduled for September in Portugal. On that occasion the superiors will approve the document and give start to the official plan.

Some of the participants have also intervened in the ongoing UN General Assembly in New York. The occasion was the presentation of the book Fishers and plunderers. Theft, violence and slavery at sea cured by the scalabrinian father Bruno Ciceri.

Here is father Ciceri’s speech.

Human Trafficking and Slavery in the fishing industry

«When a man is desperate for work, find himself in a factory or on a fishing boat or in a field, working and toiling, for little or no pay, and beaten if he tries to escape – that is slavery».

Barak Obama, 25 September 2012

ciceri fishers and plunderers onuHuman trafficking is multi-billion dollar business. It affects the maritime industry at different levels and uses various methods in commercial ships, fisheries and irregular migration at sea. People are trafficked in shipping containers, port authorities cannot possibly check every container entering in the port.

The fishing industry is associated with human trafficking for the purpose of forced labor on board of fishing vessels and at shore in the fish processing industry. Since last year several newspapers has done investigative journalism and denounced the exploitation, abuses and trafficking of people in the fishing industry, especially in Asia. There are sufficient reasons to believe that a significant portion of seafood imported in USA, is the final product of the forced labor of people trafficked in the fishing industry.

ciceri onuThis book is exploring and denouncing the hidden world of exploitation, human rights abuses and trafficking of people for forced labor within the global fishing industry.

This book would like to “raise awareness” on the sufferings of trafficked migrants and suggest collaboration between government officials, civil society NGO’s, including faith-based-organizations. On behalf of the Scalabrini International Migration Network, I would like to invite all of you to join our mission in fighting slavery and human trafficking in the maritime industry.

Thank you! If you want to know more about it… If you want to join our mission… If you want to fight Slavery and Human Trafficking in the maritime industry… please contact us!