Photos

Parishes accompany families seeking asylum in Chicago

Parishes throughout the archdiocese have stepped up to help newly arrived migrant families start their new lives in Chicago. Here we feature the work of Old St. Pat’s, St. Catherine of Siena-St. Lucy and St. Giles and Assumption-St. Edmund and Mother of the Americas parishes. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Anne Durkin washes dishes while Joseph Graciosa Sr. and his son Joseph Graciosa Sr. work on plumbing. Parishioners from Old. St Patrick Parish set up an apartment for migrants in Pilsen on July 31, 2023. Volunteers from the parish’s Immigrant and Refugee Ministry worked on plumbing, cleaned and set up a crib as progress continued on setting up the apartment for the family. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Jeanne Plunkett and Anne Durkin wash dishes while Penny Davoren takes a call. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Mary Ann Mcniece talks with Penny Davoren about plans for one of the bedrooms. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
oseph Graciosa Sr. and his son Joseph Graciosa Jr. assemble a crib in one of the bedrooms. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Penny Davoren places stuffed animals in the bed. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Enrique Pilarte from Scalabrini Immigrant and Refugee Services assists an asylum seeker with documents during the shower program and breakfast. Members of Oak Park churches including St. Giles and Catherine of Siena-St Lucy and Assumption-St. Edmund volunteered to serve breakfast and assist asylum seekers at the recently dedicated emergency shelter at St. Catherine of Siena church site at 38 N. Austin Boulevard on Aug. 8, 2023. The parish offered the former rectory space to the asylum seekers, who have been living at the area police station, to take showers and have breakfast every Tuesday and Thursday. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Matt Brophy, Operations Director at St. Catherine of Siena-St. Lucy and St. Giles Parish, takes a phone cal, during the breakfast. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Margaret Burk and Margie McKenzie help an asylum seeker (far left) look for clothes. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Volunteer Bob Wielgos talks with Margie Rudnik during the breakfast. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Sister of Mercy Mary Catherine McDonagh makes toast for those asylum seekers who stopped for breakfast. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Cristian Garcia, a seminarian at Mundelein who interns at Mother of the Americas Parish, becomes emotional during a Holy Thursday Mass where Cardinal Cupich washes the feet of Venezuelan refugees on April 6, 2023 at Holy Name Cathedral. Garcia led the parish’s outreach to migrant families in Little Village. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Cristian Garcia, a seminarian at Mundelein who interns at Mother of the Americas Parish, prays during a Holy Thursday Mass where Cardinal Cupich washes the feet of Venezuelan refugees on April 6, 2023 at Holy Name Cathedral. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

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