“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” — Luke 4:18-19
Introduction: The Sacred Command to Welcome the Stranger
In an era defined by a fracturing global landscape and deep displacement crises, the Church cannot afford to remain a passive bystander. As the Director of the Office of Faith, Justice, and Humanitarian Efforts (OFJHE), I am humbled to present this operational directive and ministry report to our community, to the broader Independent Sacramental Movement (ISM), and to our leadership under Bishop Greer. The theme of this season—Immigration, Belonging, and the Work of Peace—is not an abstract theological puzzle for intellectual debate. It is an immediate, visceral call to action.
For too long, religious institutions have fallen into reactive patterns, treating the migration of human beings as a political dilemma to be managed rather than a profound spiritual encounter. The core proposition of our office, manifested through our strategic directive titled The Nazareth Manifest, is built upon a simple, radical truth: social activism on behalf of the marginalized is not a modern secular innovation. It is the restoration and preservation of our ancient heritage.
When we look upon those fleeing violence, systemic poverty, and persecution, we are looking directly at the Anawim—the biblical “least of these”. Therefore, welcoming the stranger is not an act of optional charity; it is a sacred command, an expression of our historic faith, and our fundamental Apostolic Right to Liberate.
Confronting Institutionalized Sin
To do the true work of peace, we must first have the courage to name the forces that disrupt it. Our ministry explicitly identifies and confronts the reality of Institutionalized Sin. This refers to systemic injustices, prejudices, and harmful practices that are deeply embedded within social, political, economic, and even religious institutions. Institutionalized sin means that wrongdoing is not merely the result of individual malice; rather, it is perpetuated by structural systems that outlast any single human life.
In our current context, we see institutionalized sin manifest vividly in unfair economic systems that exploit the vulnerable and in aggressive enforcement tactics carried out by agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These actions frequently separate families and strip individuals of their inherent, God-given dignity. When a system treats a migrant as an administrative problem or a security threat rather than a person to be accompanied, it participates in structural sin.
Our mission demands that faith-based communities respond with active resistance. We cannot merely provide temporary relief to those suffering; we must directly challenge and dismantle the structural systems that perpetuate hunger, fear, and exclusion. Peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.
The Strategy: Praxis Over Pedagogy
The Nazareth Manifest moves intentionally from abstract theory to concrete survival mechanics, prioritizing Praxis over Pedagogy. To implement this vision, OFJHE has designed a comprehensive, 42-day multi-channel rollout divided into three deliberate phases:
Phase A: Awareness and the “Tree-Shaking” Phase (Weeks 1-2)
The initial stage focuses on identifying ready participants and dedicated leaders within our local communities. We are leveraging a dual-track approach:
Digital Outreach: Deploying highly visible, impactful graphics across digital platforms to spark immediate community engagement and counter false narratives regarding border issues.
Offline Outreach: Partnering closely with local parishes to distribute physical “Emergency Call” flyers and “Quick Guides” to ensure vital information reaches those who need it most.
Phase B: The “Call to the Upper Room” (Weeks 3-5)
True relationship-building requires deep, personal invitation and secure environments to foster trust. During this phase, we move beyond public broadsides into localized action:
Justice Cafés: Hosting open, informal meetups in local coffee shops and parish halls to talk about the intersection of faith, immigration, and structural reform.
Social Justice Film Nights: Screening educational documentaries to bridge the historical journey of our faith tradition with modern-day immigration realities.
Faith in Action Toolkits: Conducting hands-on workshops that teach practical, protective legal skills, such as establishing Powers of Attorney and building community health advocacy networks.
Phase C: The “Operation Nazareth” Webinar & Covenant (Week 6)
The culmination of our seasonal campaign brings our community together for virtual tactical training. This phase bridges the gap between passive learning and organized, active stewardship. Through this training, we finalize our Covenant of Solidarity, directly pairing “Guardian” families with “Beneficiary” families to form a resilient, protective mutual-aid ecosystem.
Parishes as Field Hospitals
Under this directive, our local parishes are called to serve as spiritual “Field Hospitals” and tactical defense hubs, operating through a vital two-pronged strategy:
The Immigrant Sector: This requires a heavy focus on high discretion and caution. Leadership teams will assist families with organizing vital legal documentation and preparing emergency “Go-Bags,” taking extreme care to safeguard individual privacy and prevent state surveillance.
The Citizen Sector: This public-facing wing acts as a protective shield. Citizens within our pews are called to utilize their social capital to provide public advocacy, legal mentorship, and direct resource sharing to support and protect our undocumented neighbors.
Furthermore, our activism remains structurally integrated with our worship. Through Bishop Greer’s upcoming eight-week Liturgical Series (spanning May 31 to July 19, 2026), our daily devotionals, homilies, and intercessions will be completely aligned with the themes of migrant accompaniment and structural justice.
Accountability, Feasibility, and Metrics
We recognize that good intentions are insufficient to counter systemic oppression. To ensure complete operational accountability, the OFJHE has established strict success metrics for this campaign. We are auditing and tracking our public and secure digital network reach, monitoring the total number of successfully paired families under the Covenant of Solidarity, and actively overseeing the refurbishment and physical distribution of donated hardware, including laptops and printers—so that every participating family has access to our secure communication infrastructure.
A rigorous feasibility assessment awards this strategic plan an 8 out of 10 chances of success. The plan succeeds because it treats social justice as an intrinsic spiritual right, answers an urgent humanitarian crisis, and provides immediate, practical utility rather than academic rhetoric. To ensure we maintain this trajectory, we must continuously guard against scope creep and guarantee that our messaging remains accessible and clear to the laity, not just the clergy.
Conclusion: An Invitation to the Manifest
Belonging is not something we passively wait for; it is something we actively build through solidarity, mutual protection, and love. The immigrant is not a political problem to be solved, but a human person to be accompanied. By stepping into this work, we live out the ancient liberty of our tradition and fulfill the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ.
I extend a heartfelt invitation to every member of the faithful, every member of the Independent Sacramental Movement, and all seekers of justice to join us in enacting The Nazareth Manifest. Let us act together as an empowered, organized front for true liberation.
Soli Deo Gloria. Pax et Bonum.
Join the Manifest:
If you have any questions, comments, or wish to volunteer with our parish field networks, please contact me directly via email at: father.ricardo@myocci.org.
