JOIN US As we embark on a Summer/Fall pilgrimage to win the Drive Safe bills and get ready for the coming election season where immigration will be in the forefront!

Click here for more information on each program and to register.

Ready to get involved? Email strangersnolonger11.com or call 313-549-0421.

We expect delegations from all over Michigan representing all the different immigrant countries and cultures. In front of press, we’ll declare our intention to go in big numbers to the State Capital on November 13.

Why are we going? To talk one more time with as many of our legislators and senators as we can – to remind them of the importance of DRIVE SAFE. 

Why is this important? Because our immigrant members say this is NUMERO UNO for them. And because we as Catholics (or human beings) are not “suffering from the disease of INDIFFERENCE,” as Pope Francis warns. This campaign is on the agenda of the seven Michigan Catholic Bishops.

Email strangersnolonger11@gmail.com or call 313-549-0421.

Pax Christi of Michigan presents the Young Peace Activist award each year to highlight efforts by individuals or groups to support and advocate for immigrants in Michigan. SNL is proud to announce that this year, the award went to our Youth in Action for Immigration Circles!

At the 42nd state conference at University Detroit-Mercy on April 20th, eight students from SNL's youth Circles representing Mercy, Shrine, Notre Dame Prep, Detroit Cristo Rey, and Catholic Central high schools accepted the award on behalf of their peers.

Addressing the Conference attendees, the student leaders eloquently spoke of what an honor it is to receive the award and how much it means to them to participate in Strangers No Longer. Pax Christi members were eager to meet and congratulate these young leaders for their efforts.

SNL's youth leaders have done much to earn this Pax Christi award throughout the year! Youth leaders meet monthly to plan, collaborate, and share updates from their school Circles – including fundraisers and educational events, like presentations by immigrant leaders. Together, they participated in SNL’s Assembly for Human Dignity and the 2024 Banquet, and organized a 4th annual Youth Conference this March at St. Francis Cabrini Parish in Allen Park. Cristo Rey and Shrine high schools are preparing summer immersion trips to the US-Mexico Border through the Mercy Sisters’ Arise program.

Congratulations to our Youth in Action for Immigration for winning this Pax Christi Award! Thank you for the work you do to live in solidarity with immigrants!

Please consider inviting the youth to give a presentation at your parish sometime this summer. Contact Strangers No Longer as soon as possible if you’re interested in this opportunity, as our youth are very busy! Email strangersnolonger11@gmail.com.

In November 2023, over 230 leaders from 15 Catholic parishes, non-profits and civic leaders in the Diocese of Gaylord gathered at SNL’s first Assembly for Human Dignity in the diocese. There state legislators agreed to work with the local immigrant leaders on a Spanish-speaking Mental Health Promoters Pilot Project. Also discussed by local leaders were common good topics, like affordable housing, mental health for all vulnerable populations, and the health effects of climate change. 

Following a suggestion that came from this Assembly, leaders across the Gaylord Diocese are now planning a Day of Reflection and Education on Catholic Social Teaching on Saturday, September 21, from 10am to 2:30pm at the St. Mary Cathedral in Gaylord, Michigan.

Fr. David Buersmeyer, will share Catholic Social Teaching principals and how Catholics are called to be involved in their local communities. Attendees will receive training to prepare them to listen to fellow parishioners and learn more about the issues of common good that are of concern in their local communities.

Click here for more information and to register.

Questions? Contact Amy Ketner at amyketner.snl@gmail.com or 810-252-2664

On Sunday, April 14th, over 400 members of SNL gathered at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Warren to celebrate another year of working together to help make Michigan a more welcoming community for immigrants. Chris Lynch, President of Cristo Rey High School, was again our Master of Ceremony.

We enjoyed music from Amoris Lingua, the youth choir from from St. Clemens parish in Romeo and we were entertained by the Island Guys Duo. Baskets created by SNL Circles were raffled off and were even better than last year!

Our keynote speaker was Dylan Corbett, Executive Director of Hope Border Institute in El Paso, TX. He talked about his work at the southern border and how organizations like SNL can help.

Our thanks to banquet chairperson, Vicky Kovari and raffle coordinators Cyndi Malow and Irma Landin-Obregon and all the members who helped make the banquet a memorable event!

The circle of support of St. Charles Borromeo and Nativity Parishes invited Daris Bartolon, a leader of the immigrant support circle Women Under God's Protection, to share her testimony of life with the parishioners on the Sunday we celebrated the Feast of Pentecost.

Daris shared how she had to leave her country of Guatemala fleeing domestic violence and hoping that her daughter could obtain medical care not available in Guatemala.  She described the danger she and her family endured as they journeyed to the U.S., including being kidnapped for a time. Daris was grateful for the opportunity to tell her story and thankful for all the help received through the prayers of those who were present at the Eucharist and the support received from Strangers No Longer.

Daris received a standing ovation from the parishioners and parishioners thanked her for her testimony.

Women from SNL immigrant circles continue to share their life experiences in parishes, high schools, and other spaces where they are invited.

Please contact SNL at strangersnolonger11@gmail.com.

Julie Watanabe, Circle Leader at St. Michael’s in Sterling Heights, reports that their circle joined with the parish's Christian Service Commission to provide Easter baskets and gifts to three groups: The SNL immigrant circle Mujeres Bajo la Proteccion de Dios; the temporary shelter in Detroit called Bakhita House; and families in St. Clement of Rome parish.

Each child who received a basket or gift was “adopted” by a Strangers No Longer or Christian Service member, who then went out and purchased unique gifts that reflected the child’s age and gender. Teenagers received Easter candy and an Amazon gift card. A total of 45 children and 13 teenagers received special Easter presents through this effort.

Does this humanitarian aid lead to the thousands of migrants and asylum seekers searching for entry at the southern border? Or, to put it another way: Will cutting humanitarian assistance help the crisis? America asked immigration experts to weigh in.

Click here for the article from America - The Jesuit Review.

Sr. Norma Pimentel, a religious sister best known for helping more than 100,000 migrants and asylum-seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border in southern Texas was in Chicago April 15 to share her artwork nationally for the first time and reiterate a message of love.

Click here for the article from Global Sisters Report.

The Mexican Patriotic Committee of Metro Detroit and its volunteers organized a weekend full of traditional festivities to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with the theme “La Historia de Southwest Detroit”. (SNL Youth in Action for Immigration Circle from Cristo Rey High School at right.)

Click here for the complete article.

The next Board meeting is scheduled for Saturday, August 17th at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom. If you would like the link, please email strangersnolonger11@gmail.com.