An upcoming presentation at Saint Charles Borromeo Parish in Sicklerville will guide participants in celebrating their own immigrant roots, and cultivating a sense of compassion and empathy for neighbors in their parishes and communities.
“Immigration Then & Now” will take place on Friday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m. in the parish hall, with guest speaker Joanna McGill-Gardner, Esq., an immigration lawyer and parishioner of Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Collingswood.
In an interview with the Talking Catholic podcast, Joanna McGill-Gardner drew on her own family’s immigrant lineage, stressing that today’s immigrants are our neighbors, co-workers, and fellow parishioners—and that the laws and systems they navigate are often far more complex than headlines suggest. For decades, U.S. immigration policy has shifted from welcoming streams of earlier Catholic-immigrant families to a system marked by legal limbo, mixed-status households, and asylum backlogs. Joanna believes that for Catholics, the response cannot stop at compassion—it must include understanding and action rooted in the Gospel call to ‘welcome the stranger.’
“My Italian ancestors came to the United States in a wave of what was a huge Catholic diaspora. These were poor, working people. They were just trying to establish a better life. Many of our Catholic ancestors were in that same position,” she said.
On Nov. 14, she will walk attendees through real-life stories, and use her family’s story to show how laws have changed for those seeking opportunity, as compared with our ancestors.
“Migration to the United States has always involved poor folks who wanted to work,” she explained, “but we don’t have a legal pathway for those same people anymore. We haven’t figured out a way to revamp our legal immigration system to meet the needs of people seeking to support their families.”
Joanna made clear that this event is not about politics or party lines—it is about persons, image-bearers of God, our brothers and sisters. And she reminds the faithful that the Church’s call is to an ongoing mission of mercy, not a one-time talk. “Once you start to really encounter the migrant neighbor, it becomes difficult to think about them as separate from ourselves. Encountering your own immigration story helps you recognize that connection.”
The event is jointly sponsored by Saint Charles Borromeo’s Life and Justice Ministry, and the Diocese of Camden’s Office of Life & Justice Ministries.
Dr. Michael Sims, director of the diocese’s Office of Life & Justice Ministries, noted that the evening will invite participants “to view immigrants through the lens of compassion, solidarity, and justice — core Gospel values,” as they “better understand how these values can inspire practical action and advocacy for fairer policies and more humane treatment of immigrants.”
“We’re hoping those who come understand the facts on immigration, hold it in their hearts, apply it to their lives, and share it with others,” said Noelle Gallagher, leader of Saint Charles Borromeo’s Life & Justice Ministry.
“No seed planted is wasted, and we hope this evening is a moment of encounter for people.”
“Beyond Immigration Misinformation” will take place at Saint Charles Borromeo Parish Hall, 176 Stagecoach Road, Sicklerville, on Friday, Nov. 14, from 6-7 p.m. For more information, contact Noelle Gallagher at ngallagher12@gmail.com, or call 856-346-8779.
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