PROVIDENCE — More than 250 people walked through Providence’s Silver Lake neighborhood on Tuesday evening, Sept. 15, carrying a cross, praying and expressing solidarity with immigrants. They were accompanied by Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., during a Way of the Cross for Migrants.
The procession began at St. Bartholomew Parish and continued through the neighborhood for nearly two hours. It was organized by the Diocesan Immigration Commission, with logistical support from Father Filemón Rodríguez Sixtos, C.S., administrator of St. Bartholomew, and a team of parish volunteers.
Escorted by two Providence Police vehicles, the participants moved from station to station, meditating on Christ’s Passion and reflecting on the hardships faced by many immigrants and refugees.
As the procession made its way through the neighborhood, its public witness of faith caught the attention of local residents. People stepped out of their homes and businesses to watch, while others remained at their doorways and joined in prayer. For a few hours, the streets of Silver Lake became a place of communal prayer.
The Way of the Cross began with Jesus’ words: “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lk 9:23). The prayers were composed by Columban Father Bob Mosher, who is a member of the Diocesan Immigration Commission.
The reflections drew a connection between Christ’s journey to Calvary and the journey of those who leave their homelands because of poverty, violence, persecution, insecurity or other circumstances that threaten their lives and human dignity.
Each station also brought a personal dimension to the prayer. Different groups, families and communities took turns carrying the cross, including older adults, children, construction workers, young people, Scalabrinian laypeople and families from Mexico, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Ecuador and Colombia, among other countries. Representatives of community organizations and various cultural groups within the immigrant community also took part.
As the cross passed from one group to another, it became a visible reminder of a shared reality: no one should have to carry his or her suffering alone.
The reflections recalled some of the challenges migrants face during their journey or after arriving in the United States, including family separation, adapting to a new language and culture, detention, fear of deportation, the search for work and housing, and the difficult task of starting over far from home.
The Way of the Cross also highlighted those who become the “Simons of Cyrene” and “Veronicas” of our time: volunteers, families, parishes and organizations that offer food, water, clothing, guidance, companionship and comfort to people going through difficult circumstances.
The procession ended back at St. Bartholomew with a 15th station dedicated to the Resurrection. After reflecting on Christ’s suffering and death, the final meditation turned toward the hope of new life.
“Many migrants—through the mercy and compassion of others—are blessed with the opportunity to begin a new life, in a new land and a new home,” the meditation stated.
The closing prayer asked God to help Christians become partners in building “a new world of peace, justice and respect for the dignity of the most vulnerable.”
As night fell over Silver Lake, the participants returned to the church having done more than simply walk through the neighborhood. Through their prayers, their footsteps and the cross passed from family to family, they offered a visible Gospel witness: to recognize Christ in the stranger, to accompany those who suffer and to remember that behind every migration story is a person, a family and a dignity that must be respected.
