30 years of aiding immigrants
Irish Pastoral Center welcomes all to Boston
When the doors first opened 30 years ago over at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Dorchester, a wave of Irish immigrants, including thousands of undocumented immigrants, had been arriving in Boston for years.
With an economy at rock bottom in several parts of Ireland and violence rampant in the north, many people left loved ones behind and came to Boston seeking hope, economic opportunity and a new life. They had to struggle and work hard in America, but they made it.
Despite facing bias and bigotry at its worst, the Irish never complained or gave up on their new homeland. They served our nation in the military, played by the rules, worked hard and raised great families.
My grandfather, Mike Kirby from County Cork, and his family were members of the West Cork Brigade, which fought injustice by the Black and Tans in Ireland.
As a young boy, I grew up an avid supporter of the peace and justice movement and a passionate advocate for a united Ireland.
We demonstrated, marched and attended countless meetings. And while I served in the Massachusetts Legislature in the early 1970s, I visited both the republic and Northern Ireland many times, and introduced legislation that many anti-Irish Catholics — both Democratic and Republican — strongly opposed.
As we mark the Irish Pastoral Center’s 30th anniversary, we can look back at all the great work it did for immigrants who needed help when they came to Boston.
We thank the center’s faithful and dedicated staff, especially our loyal friend Father Dan Finn for his unselfish commitment to our Catholic values, which honors all of God’s children.
The staff helped immigrant families deal with citizenship issues, children’s education, medical care, housing and job training. The people of Boston were united in helping all immigrants become happy and productive U.S. citizens.
But today another major problem threatens the stability of Ireland.
In the next several months, another issue which may require the active leadership of the international community needs to be addressed.
When the people of the U.K. voted to leave the European Union, they potentially left the Good Friday Peace Agreement in a state of uncertainty.
The various economic and border security agreements between the North and South of Ireland, which were enacted with the help of the U.S., could be in peril.
The U.S. government must not let the U.K. go back to its old days of discrimination and insensitivity toward the Catholic community in Northern Ireland.
Many of us worked very hard for many years to pass the Good Friday Peace Agreement.
The international community must not let the English government go back to the ugly old days in Northern Ireland.