India’s bishops have recently unveiled a new digital tool aimed at aiding the nation’s vast migrant population, which numbers in the hundreds of millions. This initiative seeks to tackle what one bishop describes as a “serious concern” for migrant well-being.
The digital portal was launched on September 27 in Bangalore by the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI). This event coincided with the Vatican’s 110th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, celebrated on September 29.
According to a press release from the CCBI, the portal is linked to the CatholicConnectIn platform of the Indian Church. Its purpose is to assist migrants who are relocating for work, education, or due to other forms of displacement. This effort aligns with Pope Francis’s vision of welcoming, protecting, promoting, and integrating migrants and refugees.
Archbishop Victor Henry Thakur, who leads the CCBI Commission for Migrants and heads the Archdiocese of Raipur, emphasized the Church’s responsibility to support migrants. He stated, “Migration is a reality, and the Church has the duty to accompany migrants.”
Thakur noted that some dismiss migration as a problem and argue it should be halted. “When people struggle for survival and jobs, they move to greener places for better opportunities. The constitution also gives them the right to move,” he explained.
Nearly one-third of India’s population, estimated at 1.44 billion, consists of migrants. Thakur pointed out that migrant care has become a pressing issue for the Church in India since the early 2000s. “It is a challenging task for us to connect our social service wings at the diocesan level to reach out to as many migrants as possible,” he added.
The CCBI highlighted that India is home to over 450 million internal migrants, making it one of the world’s largest diasporas. Many of these individuals face challenges such as displacement, exploitation, and limited access to essential services.
In response to these issues, the Catholic Church is increasing its efforts to support migrants, refugees, internally displaced individuals, unaccompanied minors, and victims of human trafficking.
The new digital portal will act as a crucial resource, allowing migrants to register and access Church services from anywhere in the country. Dioceses and parishes will support this initiative by assisting migrants in registering. Trained volunteers from migrant communities will provide help to those in distress.
Father Jaison Vadassery, the secretary of the bishops’ Commission for Migrants, stated that the service is available to everyone, regardless of caste, creed, or religion. He noted, “The portal will enable the Church to accompany migrants in a more meaningful way. It will help migrants enroll in government schemes and provide assistance during emergencies, such as securing healthcare or education for their children.”
Vadassery mentioned that there is still much technical work to be done to connect the digital portal to a multilingual website that links all dioceses in the country. This will allow migrants to seek support from anywhere.
“Our goal is to provide migrants with a way to register and access Church services no matter where they are. We want to help them integrate into their host communities while staying connected to their cultural and religious roots,” he explained.
A team of computer experts is working on establishing effective networking, while regional coordinators are overseeing surveys at the diocesan level. Sister Rani Punnasseril, a nun with the Sisters of the Holy Cross and coordinator for the migrant commission in the northern region, shared insights on their progress.
“We have already conducted surveys among migrants in the Agra, Meerut, and Delhi dioceses. In Delhi alone, we interviewed 400 migrants. Gathering information is challenging because they are wary of fraudsters,” she said.
Punnasseril added that several teams are currently engaged in conducting surveys among migrants to gather more information.
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