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Political “agreements” and treaties are enabling the birth of a new Europe. However, the true face of the old continent is being designed by the many migrants coming from Asia, from Africa, from Central and South America. The Scalabrinian Missionaries are currently operating in 8 European nations: Italy, Switzerland, France, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and England. These new developments may be a source of worry to some, but we can never forget that no one has ever prevented water from coming down the mountains and the birds from migrating. It’s the law of nature, Scalabrini would say.
Today, immigration poses several challenges to Italy. Its southern border has made it an easy target for undocumented immigrants. Regional conflict has fuelled an increase in those seeking work and asylum in Italy and, from there, other countries. Meanwhile, non-traditional sending countries to Italy are providing a growing number of immigrants, further diversifying Italy's immigrant population. This new immigration scenario drove to a radical reconsideration of the Scalabrinian mission in Italy and a thorough revival of the pastoral projects. A turnover in personnel and its requalification has become more and more necessary. On-going projects
The United Kingdom has been a further area of attraction for the Italian emigration in Europe. The Scalabrinians have started their presence since the beginnings of the 50’s, although the assistance to the Italians in the large cities (particularly in London) was already assured by other priests: in 1954 in Bedford and in 1957 in Peterborough. Only in 1966 we arrived in London (Centro Scalabrini in Brixton Road). Beyond the pastoral activities in some parishes, the Congregation presently publishes a fortnightly magazine and a centre for assistance to elders. On-going projects
On the eve of Second World War the Scalabrinian missionaries have been called to carry out the services for the Italian emigration: to follow the Italian workers to Germany; but the real Scalabrinian presence in German territory begins in 1957, with the massive inflows of Italian workers. At the end of the 90’s, also in front of a raising awareness of local Churches, which get more involved in the pastoral care of migrants, the Scalabrinians feel the need of new pastoral paths, beginning with some patterns of intercommunitarian pastoral care. The pastoral activity is dynamic and important because many of our communities are well attended and well organised. Nevertheless, the ageing of the personnel and the reforms carried out by local Churches put us in front of new choices, for which local churches are expecting our specific contribution. On-going projects
Scalabrinian presence in Switzerland increases in a few years, taking over, among other things, some positions which were previously run by Bonomellian Missionaries: the paradigm of religious and social works, which we have inherited in 1942 in Geneva will be repeated several times in our locations. In 1946 the Scalabrinians are present in Basle; in 1947 in Bern; in 1952 in St Gall and in Rorschach; in 1953 in Naters-Briga; in 1954 in Solothurn; in 1955 in Delémont; in 1962 in Liestal (later abandoned in 1966) and in Lausanne; in 1963 in Grenchen; in 1965 in Fribourg, Gerlafingen and Thun. In the 1970s the Scalabrinians in Switzerland was enriched by two important services: the opening in 1972 of the CSERPE in Basel, with the intention to give a contribution of study and reflection to the Swiss and German society and to offer a helping hand for reflection, education as well as for pastoral aid to the activity of the Missions; and the organisation, beginning by the end of the 70’s, of theology classes for Italian lays, taken over by the Swiss Bishops’Conference itself, for the training of lay pastoral operators On-going projects
Started before the II World War, to assist Italian migrants, at the beginning of the 1970s the Scalabrinian mission in France began to face new questions and problems connected with the social integration of Italians. New and dynamic element in the Scalabrinian landscape in France was the foundation of the CIEMI in Paris, in 1975, which influenced the French society and other European Institutions, thanks to the studies and initiatives that it carried out from the 80’s. On-going projects
The Scalabrinians also install themselves in Luxembourg, in the mining and metallurgical basin, in Esch-sur-Alzette in 1946. In the ‘70s, thanks to the contribution of brethren coming from Brazil (Italians and Brazilians), the mission opens to the Portuguese. In Luxembourg, the Italian communities continue to organise themselves with parish-like pastoral services, whereas the driving force of our presence seems to be the pastoral care for the Portuguese, although the two realities result to be juxtaposed and not communicating among themselves. On-going projects
In the 1960s the Scalabrinian presence began in Belgium, to assist Italian migrants employed in the iron and steel industry and the coal mines. During the 80’s and the 90’s, the Scalabrinian missions take up a pastoral care similar to “parish” work. The continuous efforts of the Scalabrinian Missionaries and lay people are now addressing the needs of a multi-ethnic society. On-going projects
Scalabrinians assisted Portuguese communities abroad since 1965 in Argentina, Uruguay, United States, Canada, France, Luxembourg, Italy and Australia. In 1971 the Scalabrinian presence in Portugal began, with the opening of a seminary and the establishing a multicultural parish in Amora, Dioceses of Setubal. Since 2000 the Congregation cooperates with the Portuguese Episcopal Conference furnishing personnel for the executive secretariat of the Portuguese Catholic Service for Migration. On-going projects
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