Three weeks ago, Resurrection of Our Lord Parish in Ottawa, with pastor Fr. Greg Murray, SCJ, welcomed the Al Fazaa family from Syria. The family consists of the parents and three children, two of whom are high school students. Now that they are finally here in Canada, the greatest challenge for all of them will be to learn English.

Our Montréal community is working together with the parish unit of Visitation, Antoine Marie Claret and Martyrs Canadiens, staffed with Fr. Engelbert Fotsing, SCJ as the Associate Pastor, to welcome a Syrian refugee family. No word has been received whether or not the family has passed all the required immigration documentation. It is a waiting game for everyone involved at this time, both the refugees and the sponsors. The community has received financial assistance from the Region of Canada to make it possible.

To celebrate the March 14 birthday of Fr. Dehon, the Toronto local community, in conjunction with St. Thomas More Church, staffed by Fr. Will Rapozo, SCJ and Fr. Aegi Warsito, SCJ, will sponsor a workshop on welcoming and accompanying Syrian refugees within the context of the Islam and Christian faiths.

Each of the local communities will continue to have further community meetings to explore how each confrere can concretely be part of these parish responses.