Senior Moments
Audrey@ipcboston.org
Call: 617-265-5300 Ext. 13
Trip to Wrentham and December's Monthly Mass and Luncheon
On Thursday, seniors from both the Dorchester and Brighton groups took a trip to Mount St. Mary’s Abbey in Wrentham and we then enjoyed a visit to the Big Apple Farm, followed by lunch.
Our next monthly Mass and luncheon at the ICCNE in Canton will take place on Thursday December 18th. Please call the RSVP line by Friday December 12th to reserve your place: 855-479-2472.
Cara Club
At Cara Club in Brighton on Monday, Norah Lavelle of ‘By Your Side Nursing’ carried out blood pressure checks on some seniors. As usual, we are very grateful to Norah for coming to the club on a regular basis to perform these checks. Volunteer Kevin O’Sullivan played some funny video clips, which drew plenty of laughs from the group. The afternoon was rounded off with everyone joining in singing some old favorite songs and some new ones.
Café Eireann
A very chilly Wednesday morning did not deter too many from venturing out to attend coffee morning at Café Eireann, where hot tea and coffee and fresh baked breads were served. While we were disappointed that our scheduled speaker was unable to attend, everyone enjoyed the time to catch up on each other’s latest news and talk about their plans for Thanksgiving.
PLEASE NOTE: There will be no Café Eireann on Wednesday November 26th.
Immigration and US Citizenship News
By Kieran O Sullivan; Immigration Counselor
617-265-5300 Ext. 16
IPC Welcomes Executive Action
President Obama addressed the nation on Thursday night, and stated he intends fulfilling his promise to grant relief to many of the undocumented immigrants residing in the U.S. While I watched the Presidents speech Thursday night, I was in contact with a caller who will benefit from the Executive Action. The mother of a young U.S. citizen child, and here ten years, and she has been living, working and paying taxes here for the past number of years. She later did a live interview with RTE on her reaction to the news. Unfortunately, while the executive orders will bring relief to many undocumented Irish families, the majority of the undocumented Irish in the U.S. will remain without an option unless Congress acts on comprehensive immigration reform.
While the following isn’t the entire script of the Executive Action but a summary, the main points of the Executive Action includes the following areas of relief:
Ø Allows eligible parents of children who are U.S. citizens or legal residents to obtain employment status.
Ø An expansion of the provisional I-601 waivers for spouses and children of legal permanent residents and the adult children of U.S. citizens and permanent residents. The extreme hardship elements will be reviewed and more information will be published in the months ahead.
Ø The Secure Communities program will be discontinued.
In terms of employment based visas, President Obama’s directive aims to do the following:
Ø Modernizing the Employment-Based Immigrant Visa System
Ø Reforming "Optional Practical Training" for Foreign Students and Graduates from U.S. Universities
Ø Promoting Research and Development in the United States
Ø Bringing Greater Consistency to the L-lB Visa Program
Ø Increasing Worker Portability
Space does not allow us to expand on all these elements. See our webpages and facebook pages for more information. We will also be hosting a seminar on December 2nd and details are below on this.
December Legal Clinic
We will be having a special information seminar and legal clinic on December 2nd at The Banshee, 934 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester at 5:30 PM and we will answer any questions on the implications of an executive action at that time.
Our pro-bono attorneys work full time as immigration lawyers, and are members of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). We will also be reviewing visa and US citizenship applications on that evening. We have secured additional resources for upcoming clinics and invite any readers who have questions to attend the December information evening. The December 2nd seminar will be hosted by attorneys Chris Lavery, Dan Harrington and Manny Rodriques Pires.
It could be months before regulations are completed, applicants are filed and approved and employment cards issued to eligible immigrants. Immigrants are always warned to seek advice before applying for any immigration benefit.
Disclaimer: Please note that the information contained in it is provided to inform generally, and is not intended as a substitute for individual advice. Immigration law is subject to frequent changes and individual circumstances can affect the application of certain legal provisions. For individual legal advice, please contact the Irish Pastoral Centre directly regarding upcoming legal clinics or consultation with an immigration attorney.
Pastoral News
Feast of Christ the King, Our final Exam
By Sr. Marguerite Kelly; Pastoral Associate
srmkelly@ipcboston.org
617-265-5300 Ext. 10
Like a merciful teacher, Jesus lets us know ahead of time what is going to be on our “Final Exam.” We will be “graded” on how well we have responded with compassion to those in need. How? Jesus couldn’t be clearer: by feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, caring for the sick, and visiting the imprisoned.
Sometimes we make our faith too complicated or too abstract and so give ourselves an excuse for not doing much of anything. But Jesus’ criterion for being a follower of his is very simple and very concrete. We need ask only this: what specific compassionate deed will I do today for a brother or sister in need?
Jesus, help me to reach out today to someone in need, knowing that in doing so, I am really doing it for you.
Living with Christ, Sr. Melannie Svoboda, SND
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