ECMI - Episcopal Commission

for the Pastoral Care of Migrants

and Itinerant People - Philippines

The Program

Asia has been the site of substantial and intense migrations in the past three decades. At the same time, Asia continues to be an important region of origin of migrants to other regions in the world. Within East and Southeast Asia alone, some six million people live and work outside their country of birth. As a group, migrants face greater vulnerabilities compared with nationals. Living outside of their country of origin and confronted with an uncertain (if not hostile) reception in the country where they work, migrants encounter problems and challenges without as much access to support systems compared with non-migrants.

Churches in Asia have responded to the needs of migrants to the best of their abilities. Initially, such response has generally consisted in providing religious services in the language of migrants, mostly through missionaries already present in the Church, and by organizing forms of assistance for their various needs. Over time Churches have deepened the awareness that the care of migrants characterizes the way of being Church today. In his message for the 2001 World Day of Migration, His Holiness John Paul II expressed it well by calling the pastoral care of migrants "a way to accomplish the mission of the Church today." In his message for the 2003 World Day of Migrants and refugees, the Holy Father reminded us that this mission is a "basic expression of evangelical love," which has been manifested by the Church's "ecclesial heritage of practical service to immigrants and displaced people."

In various forums, laypersons, religious and priests working with migrants and migrants’ issues have expressed the need to know more about the various dimensions of the migratory phenomenon, the teaching of the Church on migration, and how to evaluate Church programs and personal experiences in the care of migrants. To respond to this request, the Scalabrini Migration Center, in cooperation with the CBCP Episcopal Commission on the Pastoral Care of Migrant and Itinerant People, is offering a program called "Exodus: A Formation Week for Pastoral Workers with Migrants in Asia." The program is envisioned to facilitate dialogue among missioners involved in the same activity in various countries, and in the process, provide an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the care of migrants and of being Church in Asia.  Resource persons will be drawn from the academe, the Church, and the NGO community to provide contextual information on the complexities of the phenomenon. However, the program will be participatory. Therefore, participants are expected to share their experiences and these will be an important basis for discussing programs and directions in the pastoral care of migrants.

Learn more ...

Place and Time

The last edition of Exodus was held in Iloilo City on January 18-24, 2008. In January 2009 a special edition titled, "Exodus Next Level," will be offered to Exodus former participants. The event will be held in Manila. More information will be uploaded soon.

Contents and Scope

The program (downloadable) is divided into six modules:

• Migration in Asia today

• The teaching of the Church on migration

• The mission with migrants in Asia

• Specific issues in the care of migrants in Asia

• The care of all migrants

• Networking and planning future programs on the care of migrants

Each day will have liturgy organized on migration themes, using relevant passages in the Scripture, and prepared by the participants based on their experiences.

Invitation to Apply

We are seeking participants who are actively engaged in the care of migrants in Asia: missionaries, lay missioners, religious and clergy preparing to work with migrants, pastoral workers and migrant workers who intend to deepen their Christian involvement while abroad. Participants from other continents involved with Asian migrants are also welcome.

Interested applicants must confirm their participation by submitting the completed registration form (downloadable) on or before 5 January 2008 to:

Exodus Formation Program
Scalabrini Migration Center
4, 13^th St. New Manila
1112 Quezon City
Philippines

Email: smc@smc.org.ph  or Fax: (632)-7214296

Travel, Fees and Accommodation

Materials and accommodation during Exodus in Iloilo will be provided for free. Participants will be responsible for their travel expenses and accommodation arrangements prior to and after the workshop.