VIA Task Force Frequently Asked Questions

Why do we need a diocesan VIA Immigration & Refugee Task Force?
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The Human Rights Office and the Hispanic Ministry Office meet regularly to discuss pastoral care, education, public policy and spiritual concerns that directly impact both.  Our diocese and our parishes are fortunate to share a very strong network of external community partners, especially in the areas of immigration and refugee services.  However, there is also a real need for a team that is dedicated to effectively providing the following to the members of our diocese in general and to the faithful within a specific set of our parishes, in particular:
  • Clear, concise, comprehensive and actionable information to the members of our diocese in general, and to the members of affected parishes specifically, when critical immigration and refugee-related issues arise.
  • Thorough and timely consultation to our diocesan leadership in the areas of immigration and refugee-related concerns in order to continually improve the quality and relevance of the VIA ministry.​
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What is the actual role of the VIA Immigration & Refugee Task Force?
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In its simplest form, the task force will serve as a common resource for all of our parishes to ensure the dissemination of the most accurate, most timely and most beneficial information.  The task force will also assist with referrals between parishes when a common need is known to exist or if more than one parish is known to be working on a single issue.   

The responsibility of the Human Rights Office for general education on Catholic Social Teaching and for public policy advocacy in the area of immigration and refugee issues will remain the same and the general responsibilities of the Hispanic Ministry Office with regard to non-immigration issues will remain the same.  Neither will be the expressed responsibility of the VIA Immigration & Refugee Task Force. 
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How is this different from the work that is typically done by the Human Rights Office and the Hispanic Ministry Offices?
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Even on the issues that parishes share, the needs and messaging required for one parish may not be the exact same as another.  Therefore, the most critical work must continue to be done at the parish-level; about this, there is little disagreement.   However,  if the Human Rights Office and Hispanic Ministry Office are going to be able to serve as an effective resource for all of our parishes, each of our parishes must also have a representative ministry that is dedicated to supporting whatever “this” issue means to them.  

​By taking this approach, the task force manages the “internationalized” pieces that the parishes can then “localize” based on the unique needs of each, not only avoiding a set of one-size-fits-all solutions that do not necessarily meet the specific needs of any parish, but also ensuring parishes remain in complete control of the design, development, implementation and monitoring of their own parish-specific solutions.  ​

In this regard, the coupling of the VIA Immigration & Refugees Task Force with existing parish-specific committees will resemble the diocesan/parish coordinator networks and committees that exist in other areas. 
How is this different from the work that is currently being done by parishes and local community organizing groups that are already actively engaged in these particular issues?
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From a Catholic Social Teaching perspective, if you unpack just the topics that directly impact “immigrants" and “refugees”, there are multiple issues that need to be addressed concurrently and each has varying degrees of pastoral care, education, public policy advocacy and prayer.  

​Furthermore, there is often a related but different need for these same functions by the larger group of our faithful who are neither actively engaged within parishes that are directly affect by immigration and refugee issues, nor affiliated with any local community organizing group currently engaged in these type of issues. 

The Church herself is in the best position to meet the needs of all of our faithful.  Most importantly, there is no need for parishes or for individuals that are directly affected by immigration and refugee issues and that are already working closely with one or more local community partners to discontinue this important work or to end these important relationships.  
What is the plan to expand the scope of the VIA Immigration & Refugee Task Force?
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Initially, the task force will be charged with addressing urgent issues that directly impact the shared responsibilities of the Human RIghts Office and the Hispanic Ministry Office.  It is possible that either the scope of the existing task force will increase or additional groups will be formed to support similar needs within the following areas.  In the meantime, these will be managed on a case-by-case basis.
  • Members of additional immigrant groups.  The current task force may be used as a model or we may decide to actually incorporate members of other groups into the existing task force as needed.
  • Members of other refugee groups.  This need will likely require an increasingly larger number of decisions to be made and actions to be taken that are outside the defined scope of the current task force, especially in the areas of education and public policy advocacy.
How can I best utilize/benefit from the VIA Immigration & Refugee Task Force?
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There are two things you can do immediately:
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1)  If one does not already exist, identify a core group of parishioners or individuals within your organization who have a heart for issues associated with immigration and refugees and who are trusted by the affected members of your parish or organization.   The size of this parish leadership team and the requisite skill sets will depend on the particular needs of the various members of your organization, but at a minimum, it should include the following:​
  • A pastor or deacon to address Church-specific concerns
  • At least one other person who either already has direct communication with affected members of your organization (and with other community support groups currently engaged with your organization if applicable), or who is willing to establish such communication via email, social media or in-person correspondence.​​
2)  Familiarize the members of your parish or organization's ministry leadership team with the planned purpose, the make-up and the responsibilities of the VIA Immigration & Refugee Task Force and with those of your own ministry.  ​
Who is on the VIA Immigration & Refugee Task Force?
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Participation will include representatives from the following diocesan teams and community partner organizations:

​ Chancery
  • Vicar General for Pastoral Affairs
  • Director of Hispanic Ministry Office
  • Director of Human Rights Office
  • Human Rights Office Program Coordinator
  • Director of Communications Office
Local Parishes & Catholic Organizations
  • Pastor(s) from local parishes directly affected by issues
  • Ministry leader(s) from local parishes directly affected by issues
  • Catholic Charities of Kansas City - St. Joseph
  • Archdiocese of Kansas CIty in Kansas
Community Partners
  • Local attorney(s) specializing in immigration-related issues 
  • Local organization(s) specializing in immigration and refugee-related  issues
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What should I do if I have questions, concerns, comments or ideas for the VIA Immigration & Refugee Task Force?
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Additional information will be made available regarding the VIA Immigration & Refugee Task Force as members become more active.  In the meantime, keep the Human Rights Office or the Hispanic Ministry Office informed about any new concerns you have or any new issues that impact our faithful so we can ensure adequate research and global communicate, and so we can mobilize the appropriate community partners as needed.

Pastoral Care

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"The Church supports the human rights of all people and offers them pastoral care, education, and social services, no matter what the circumstances of entry into this country, and it works for the respect of the human dignity of all, especially those who find themselves in desperate circumstances."                                                                                                                    
​                                                                                                                               Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity, A Statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops

Human Rights Office ~ Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph  ~ 20 West Ninth Street ~ Kansas City, MO 64105 ~ ​(816) 756-1850 (x 521) ~ tmolina@diocesekcsj.org