The Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen announced on January 6 that it will establish a local Catholic refugee resettlement program, through a partnership with the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops’ (USCCB) Office of Migration and Refugee Services. Local churches in the diocese include St. John the Evangelist Church in Dunellen, as well as Our Lady of Fatima Church in Piscataway and Our Lady of Mount Virgin Church in Middlesex.
Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski has appointed diocesan Chancellor Lori Albanese to oversee the newly launched refugee resettlement program, which will be run by a coalition of parishes.
“The Catholic Church is the largest resettlement organization in the U.S. and our diocese is pleased to be part of a sanctioned program geared to bolster our nation’s ongoing effort of caring for and welcoming refugees in need of assistance,” said Bishop Bootkoski. “It is a global effort that we can be proud to be part of.”
The USCCB’s Office of Migration and Refugee Services is one of nine voluntary agencies in the country that manages a reception and placement program under agreement with the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. The agency partners with local diocesan and Catholic Charities agencies and supports them in their work with refugees, thereby forming a network of refugee resettlement programs.
The Diocese of Metuchen is the second Roman Catholic diocese in New Jersey to decide to participate in the program; in the southern region of the state, the Diocese of Camden also is part of the network.
“It is likely that the Diocese of Metuchen will begin to accept refugee families in October 2016,” said Msgr. Joseph Kerrigan, pastor of Holy Family Parish, New Brunswick, one of the coalition parishes. “We anticipate that we will intake 12 to 15 families, no more than 40 people in total, during the first year. We’ve never done this before and it is important for us to build a strong resettlement program, both operationally and administratively. So, we will start slow, meeting the state department’s lowest threshold level at first.”
Before it can formally receive refugees, the Diocese of Metuchen needs final approval from the U.S. State Department.
Local resettlement programs are responsible for providing services to refugees such as case management, basic needs support, medical needs, and counseling. “The counseling piece is important,” Msgr. Kerrigan said, “as many refugees have experienced significant trauma or injury.”
The Diocese of Metuchen already has lined up four social workers and some other key staff members for the program, which Msgr. Kerrigan said, “is largely a social work discipline.”