Archbishop of Miami celebrates its first Mass at the Aligator Alcatraz migrants detention center in the US.

As part of a new pastoral ministry, the Archdiocese of Miami celebrated the first Mass of the Detention Center for not authorized migrants in Florida (United States), known as Alligator Alcatraz.

“I am pleased that our application has been accepted to provide pastoral care to the detainees,” said Archbishop Thomas Wenski in a August 3 statement. “In addition, we were able to respond to a request to offer a similar service to the personnel residing in the facilities.”

In a July interview with EWTN News In DepthMons. Wenski said that his “greatest concern” was “the health and care of the people who are detained” in Alligator Alcatraz. He and other defenders asked “a minimum of standards” and claimed that “one of those standards should be access to pastoral care.”

At that time, the Archbishop explained that his archdiocese had difficulty organizing masses and spiritual care for detained immigrants, since the government of the state of Florida and the federal government were “discussing among them on who has the responsibility” of the detention center.

After months of conversations between the bishops of Florida, the Archdiocesan leadership and the state correctional authorities, finally an agreement was reached: the chaplains and pastoral ministers of the Archdiocese of Miami will have “full access” to the facilities to offer masses to the detainees and the staff.

According to the statement of the Archdiocese, the first Mass was held on August 2 and marked the beginning of the regular liturgical celebrations that are expected in the center. The Archdiocese reported that it will continue with the Ministry “following the rules of the center and the pastoral availability of our clergy.”

They also reported that they plan to “maintain a constant and effective Catholic presence in the Alligator Alcatrazwhich will depend on an effective ordination and coordination. “The objective is” to ensure a stable schedule of sacramental attention and pastoral ministry that responds to the spiritual needs of both attendees and personnel, with the support of the clergy and committed lay volunteers. “

“The Catholic Church has no ‘borders’, because we are all members of a single human family,” said Mons. Wenski. “Our ‘Agenda’ has always been to announce the ‘good news’ to the poor,” he said.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.