Immaculate Conception parishioners recognized for dedication to serving asylum seekers
Since 2019, over 50 people have lived at Mother Teresa House, coming from Guatemala, Columbia, Honduras, Haiti, Iran, Venezuela, and Ecuador. On June 6, the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Caldwell recognized Catherine Mulroe and Maryann Schaeffer with the congregation’s 2024 Peace Award for their outstanding work with Mother Teresa House ministering to migrants, refugees, and those seeking asylum in collaboration with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark.
Mulroe and Schaeffer emulate the gospel message of beatitude: I was homeless, and you gave me shelter; clothed me when I was naked; fed me when I was hungry; welcomed me when I was a stranger. Their lives and ministries reflect the challenge of St. Catherine of Siena who said, “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.”
Mulroe was born in Orange, N.J., the seventh of nine children. She is a nurse who has worked at Mountainside Hospital for almost 40 years. Mulroe and her husband, Michael, raised their three children in Montclair, all of whom attended Lacordaire Academy. As an active member of Immaculate Conception Church, Mulroe and others invited representatives from Catholic Charities to discuss the logistics of co-sponsoring a refugee family. They felt the need to put faith into action and set up a subcommittee to support the needs of newly-arrived refugees, such as employment, medical needs, housing, assimilation, and English as a Second Language classes. Close to 100 people attended, and the subcommittee was formed into the Refugee Resettlement Ministry. This ministry at Immaculate Conception Church is a group of parishioners and members of the community committed to welcoming newly-arrived immigrants and aiding them in finding housing and employment. The ministry is a grassroots effort to welcome the stranger among us and to provide basic hospitality and respite before they settle into a new life.
In 2019, the ministry was approached by Father Benny Prado, the pastor of Immaculate Conception Church, to work collaboratively with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark to house migrants. What started with serving the needs of two Syrian men led to the eventual founding of Mother Teresa House at the former rectory of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Montclair. These ministry volunteers helped restore the building, which had been in disrepair. Each family who lives at Mother Teresa House is unique, as well as resourceful, and resilient. Pope Francis often reminds us that we are all made in the image and likeness of our Creator and that we are all better when the least of us is better. As Mulroe noted, “we are a better and stronger parish and community for having welcomed these families. We have grown to appreciate the generosity and humility of other faith communities and this experience has opened our eyes to the fact that, truly, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.”
Schaeffer, a New York native and resident of Montclair, N.J., for over 30 years, was a clinical dietitian at Newark Beth Israel and UMDNJ/Newark Hospital. She and her husband, Christopher, raised three children. She later went on to be a parent/teacher liaison at Lacordaire Academy, which her children attended, as well as work as a substitute teacher in the Cedar Grove Public Schools. As a parishioner of Immaculate Conception Church and St. Cassian Church over the years, she has been volunteering with the Refugee Settlement Ministry since it was founded in 2017, eventually leading it with Mulroe in 2022.
Mulroe and Schaeffer were recognized for their tireless dedication in serving the poor seeking refuge in their search for asylum in the United States and providing safety, shelter, and hope. Their leadership in coordinating a cadre of community volunteers in providing essential services, contributions, repairs, transportation, and other pro bono aid where needed has been an inspiration for others. Mulroe and Schaeffer are faith-filled advocates for the human rights of refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers through their generosity of time, talent, and treasure and modeling the gospel message of love for God and neighbor.
The 2024 Peace Award was presented to Mulroe and Schaeffer at the Motherhouse Chapel in Caldwell, N.J., during a Vespers service in anticipation of the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The service was followed by a supper and celebration for family members, friends, sisters, and associates of the Caldwell Dominican community.
Featured image: Kiera LoBreglio, Director, Immigrant & Refugee Services at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark; Christopher and Maryann Schaeffer; Catherine and Michael Mulroe.
