Scalabrinian nuns feel strengthened in their apostolate to migrants and refugees.

Dulce Araujo - Vatican News.

Following the canonization of Saint John Baptist Scalabrini last Sunday, some religious women who are missionaries in a congregation founded by the new saint also told Vatican News of their experiences working with migrants and refugees in South Africa, Angola and Mozambique.

Angolan migrants lack residence permits

Sister Neide Lamperti announced that she is returning to her native country of Brazil after 13 years in Africa: two spent in South Africa and eleven in Angola, where she worked as coordinator of the Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants (CEPAM). Sr Lamperti spoke of her gratitude for the time spent in Angola. Her prayer is that the challenges affecting the lives of more than six hundred and sixty thousand migrants in Angola, especially regarding residence permits, would continue to be followed up by the Angolan Bishops Conference. She further wishes more could be done to make the local people more accepting of migrants and refugees in their midst.

Ministering to migrants and refugees in transit

Sister Carla Luisa Frey believes that the canonization of Blessed John Baptist Scalabrini will strengthen the congregation’s charism and further enrich its mission.

She has only been in Angola for a month. Still, she has had experience as a missionary in Africa, having worked in Mozambique. She ministered to migrants and refugees in Ressano Garcia, a small town in the Province of Maputo, Mozambique. The town is adjacent to Komatipoort in South Africa. Sr Frey’s apostolate involved mostly working with migrants who were in transit to South Africa.

The Bienvenu Shelter

On the other hand, Brazilian-born Sister Marivane Chiesa, spoke about her work in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the “Bienvenu Shelter.” The centre welcomes and cares particularly for refugee women and their children in the Archdiocese of Johannesburg.