LANGLEY—The migrant ministry coordinator at St. Joseph’s Church in Langley says she does it all for her sister.
Grace Rees pioneered the migrant farm workers outreach in 2010. When cancer took her life two years later, Paulina Weslowski took on her mission.
“When she was alive, I was her helper, so I knew a little bit. I wanted to continue doing it because I know it was my duty. I love the job.”
Weslowski said Rees began the ministry by visiting local farms and inviting the temporary workers to church. Since the vast majority of them spoke only Spanish, she arranged for her parish to hold a Spanish Mass once a month.
Weslowski said it was hard to find a priest who could celebrate the monthly Mass regularly. Sometimes Rees was still searching on Saturday.
“I would say to my sister, ‘Who is going to say Mass on Sunday?’ And she would say, ‘I don’t know, but I know God will send us a priest.'” She said they haven’t missed a single Sunday.
St. Joseph’s offers Mass in Spanish on the first Sunday of the month and has coordinated with other parishes so there is at least one liturgy for farm workers every week. St. Ann’s, Precious Blood, and St. Luke’s take on the other weekends.
Father Pablo Santa Maria has been celebrating the Mass for farm workers in Langley and Maple Ridge since 2012.
“The main thing is that they know that the Church cares for them, that the Church is their home, and that they are not alone,” he said.
He and some Scalabrinian priests make themselves available for the sacrament of reconciliation each month, while volunteers cook free meals and give welcome packages to new arrivals.
“The most important thing for the migrant workers is for them to know that despite the fact that they are in a foreign land, with a different language, they are not abandoned.”
There are currently 200 seasonal farmers in the Langley area and another 300 in Aldergrove, Weslowski guessed. They usually work for six to eight months at a time.
“It is very important to let them know that they are part of the community. I will do everything to give them a good spiritual time here in Langley.”
Weslowski doesn’t have to fundraise much; parishioners donate to her cause and St. Joseph’s provides some funds, as it does to its other programs. Weslowski tries to spend it wisely by seeking bargains at grocery stores.
Another challenge has been transporting farm workers to the church, as most can’t take themselves. Weslowski has five volunteers on call who pick up farm workers in their own vehicles. Only able to take a maximum of six at a time, they often have to make more than one trip.
“My goal is that one day I will have a bus and I just can go to each farm and pick every single worker and bring them to church. Maybe one day that dream will come true.”
