A Very Successful Family Fun Day

By Louise Coyne; Marketing and PR Associate

Last Sunday, the IPC held its 5th Annual Family Fun Day at Braintree High School, where 80 families with over 170 children partook in good ole fashioned community game events like the three-legged race, egg and spoon races, the wheelbarrow race and sack races. The parent’s got in on the action too by taking part in very competitive adult 100 meter sprints, three-legged races as well as some very hotly contested tug-of-war battles – as it was a fun event, there is no need to mention who won! Some very young dancers from the Haley School of Irish Dance showed off their Irish Dancing talents and provided additional entertainment on the day where they too got to participate in the activities.

The day was a huge success and we would like to thank all of those that helped to make is such a great day, especially all the tireless volunteer’s who organized a great day out for the whole family.

Senior News

By Audrey Larkin; Interim Senior Program Coordinator

Weekly coffee gathering

Freshly baked goods, tea and coffee were enjoyed at Cara Club on Monday this week. Jean and Jeanette from Emerald Isle Nursing Agency gave a brief introduction about their agency and conducted health clinic checks. Volunteer Kevin O’Sullivan then led the group in a very entertaining singing session with everybody joining in with Irish songs and old favorite songs. This week at Café Eireann, the beautiful weather brought out over 40 very lively seniors group to participate in the coffee morning where they enjoyed friendly banter and freshly baked breads. We welcomed Maria Burke from Celtic Angels who offered a health clinic & free blood pressure checks. Thank you so much to the volunteers at both clubs who run things so smoothly every week.

Musical Memories program

Tuesday saw the resumption of the program. Whilst a very small group participated we all got great pleasure from the songs selected and reminiscing about things and places some songs prompted. The next event will be on Tuesday September 30th at 5:30pm at the Irish Pastoral Centre in Dorchester and everybody is more than welcome to attend. Once again, a very big thank you to the musicians and volunteers who attended and made the evening a wonderful experience for everyone.

A full house at the monthly Mass and Luncheon hosted at The Irish Cultural Centre of New England, to whom we are sincerely grateful for the use of their facility. Entertainment by Mossie Coughlan was warmly welcomed by everyone in attendance, allowing some the opportunity to show off their dancing talents while others preferred to listen. Once again, the volunteers ensured everything ran smoothly and we are so grateful to them to offer their time & talents.

Be sure to sign up for the next monthly Mass on Thursday October 16th, by calling the RSVP line with you reservation 855-479-2472. Please call by the Friday prior to the event.


Immigration and U.S. Citizenship News

By Kieran C. O’ Sullivan; Immigration Counselor

This week I had a call from Mary. She had just received an approval notice on an I-130 family based petition filed for her by her father who is a US citizen. The petition was filed for her in 2013. Quite often, when people receive these approval notices they get excited thinking they are near the end of the process. Unfortunately, in many cases, the approval notices are pretty routine notices. This is very common, the 'approval' notice is merely approval of the filed petition, it does not mean a visa is available. One has to go to the State Department bulletin to see where the visa priority dates are. The US State Department website is www.state.gov

Because of visa caps, there are huge backlogs. For the adult child of a U.S. citizen for example, in a case where the person is unmarried, the bulletin indicates they are now just working on April 2007 petitions. Mary’s petition was filed in 2013, so unfortunately there is about a five year backlog. If I, as a U.S. citizen, want to sponsor a brother or sister, the wait backlog is roughly 12 years.

Family sponsorship

There are two classifications of relatives for family sponsorship. First, immediate relatives of U.S. citizens who are classified as children and spouses of U.S. citizens and parents of a U.S. citizen age 21 or older. There is no limit on the number of immediate relatives who may adjust status to permanent residence in the U.S. Second are family based relatives which are limited in number by the Department of State.

There are four different categories in family sponsored preferences. Relatives who can sponsor immigrants are listed below. The categories are as follows:

· First Preference: Unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens - 23,400 visas plus any unused visas from the other family sponsored preference classes.

· Second Preference: Spouses, children, and unmarried sons and daughters of lawful permanent resident aliens.

· Third Preference: Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.

· Fourth Preference: Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens if the citizen is at least 21 years old.

The use of the term “sons and daughters” in the family sponsored preference classes is designed to avoid the statutes definition of “child,” since “children of U.S. citizens are exempt from the numerical limitations as immediate relatives. Hence a son or daughter is a “child” of the petitioner who has passed the age limits for the definition of child.

The term “unmarried” used in the first and second preference classes is defined as the marital state of the person at the time of visa issuance, regardless of any previous marriage.

The term “brothers and sisters” used in the fourth family-sponsored class is undefined, but may be derived from the term “children from common parents.”

Undocumented and family petitions

If you have ever been convicted of a crime, visa fraud or you have overstayed a visa by 180 days or more, you need to consult an immigration attorney before proceeding with paperwork involving a family based I-130 petition.

October legal clinic

On the first Tuesday of every month, we hold a free legal clinic at The Banshee Bar and Restaurant in Dorchester beginning at 6:30 PM. Our next clinic will be on Tuesday October 7, 2014.

Disclaimer: Please note that the information contained in it is provided to inform generally, and is not intended as a substitute for individual advice. Immigration law is subject to frequent changes and individual circumstances can affect the application of certain legal provisions. For individual legal advice, please contact the Irish Pastoral Centre directly regarding upcoming legal clinics or consultation with an immigration attorney.

Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

by Sr. Marguerite Kelly; Pastoral Associate

Love given freely

“Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?” (Matthew 20:13).

In your Christian life, what do you consider your “daily wage”? The parable in today’s gospel strikes to the heart of being Christian in today’s culture of entitlement. We are owed nothing. It is a privilege that we know the commandments and have experienced the joy of being and doing for others in the spirit of Christ. In the parable, the grumbling workers who didn’t want the other laborers treated with generosity miss the point entirely. Their attitude is, “God owes me.” Jesus was teaching them to realize instead, “God loves me.” In the ecstasy of that love, they need do nothing but rejoice that others are given a share in that love, even if they have done nothing to “deserve” it.

Living with Christ; Sr. Katheryn J. Hermes, FSP

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