In the latest Justice & Peace alert from the Conference of Major Superiors of Men, the “membership feature” showcases the Viatorians and specifically Viator House of Hospitality, and its ministry of welcoming the stranger.
“Advent is, among other things, a great season of hospitality,” CMSM officials write. “The long build toward Christmas is penitential in part to remove what isn’t needed and to make room for Jesus in our lives. The Great Commandment teaches us that such a movement is never just up toward God but also outward to our neighbor.
“This Advent, let us move a little closer to loving God with our whole heart,” they continue, “our whole soul, our whole mind, and our neighbor as ourself.”
Consequently, in the context of Advent, they offer Viator House of Hospitality as a prime example. They sum up the ministry this way:
Viator House of Hospitality
Viator House of Hospitality logo
Every year children without their parents migrate to the United States, coming from various parts of the world to seek asylum. When these unaccompanied children enter the country, they can be detained and placed in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services. While children under 18 receive basic care in a juvenile detention facility, those over 18 are not allowed to stay in those facilities. Viator House of Hospitality, run by the Clerics of Saint Viator, helps care for and educate those over 18 while they await their trial to determine if their asylum plea is accepted. At Viator House they learn English, attend school, and find jobs to adapt to the United States while they await their asylum plea hearing.
Read more about the House on their website.