Easing the migrant’s path in a new land

Catholic Crosscultural Services (CCS) executive director Claudio Ruiz Pilarte came to Canada from Nicaragua in 1988 at age 16. He joined Toronto’s Catholic community, where contributing to ShareLife became an important expression of his faith.

“It was faith in action,” said Ruiz Pilarte. “It wasn’t just words. It wasn’t just references to the Gospel. There was actually concrete work that the Church was doing in supporting those who lived in the margins or people in need.”

The compassionate spirit at the heart of everything ShareLife does appeals to Ruiz Pilarte. He and his team strive to epitomize that same disposition when interacting with and aiding immigrants and refugees.

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Over 50,000 newcomers to Canada benefited from CCS’ suite of settlement and integration services in 2025 alone, on top of the thousands more since the non-profit began extending its hand of welcome and help in 1959.

The fruits of ShareLife funding are experienced throughout CCS. One heartwarming expression is the Golden Agers Club (GAC), a free seniors’ program with a goal of improving newcomers’ holistic wellbeing and fostering camaraderie.

Nadia Afrin, CCS’ manager of communications and special projects, said “ShareLife funding has helped hundreds of seniors move from isolation to belonging. Seniors who once had little connection to community now gather weekly for fitness, conversation and cultural celebration while building friendships that carry them into their later years.”

Ruiz Pilarte shared the life-affirming purpose behind the GAC. He and his colleagues observed many elderly immigrants on benches or at food court tables for hours at a time with nothing to do.

“In the context of (medical assistance in dying), we thought that we needed to respond,” said Ruiz Pilarte. “We needed to make sure that we showed that Catholic organizations were doing work around that issue and particularly giving a sense of purpose to people who otherwise could be seen as disposable in society.”

More than 90 seniors regularly partake in GAC events, which have emerged as one of CCS’ most vibrant success stories during Ruiz Pilarte’s three-year tenure. He credits ShareLife’s receptiveness to emerging needs as a reason why CCS programming soars.

“We can call ShareLife right now or Catholic Charities (of the Archdiocese of Toronto) and talk to them about (an emerging need) and propose how we can intervene, assist, and they will be receptive to it, which is quite unique,” said Ruiz Pilarte. “Funders that are similar to ShareLife basically want you to first do all these bureaucratic steps before even beginning the conversation.”

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CCS pays ShareLife’s example forward by being responsive to the Office for Refugees of the Archdiocese of Toronto’s needs as it fulfills its mandate as a Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) for refugees, one of 100 faith or community organizations with such an accord with the federal government. CCS guides parishes and other groups referred by ORAT through the refugee-sponsorship process.

Deacon Rudy Ovcjak, who celebrated his 10th anniversary as ORAT’s director this month, shared that “thousands upon thousands” of refugees have been resettled by this ministry, founded in 1979.

ORAT collaborates with constituent groups to resettle a refugee, and also works with co-sponsors — family or friends of the potential newcomer — to offer a pathway to Canada. Resettlement is accompanied by a responsibility to take care of the sponsored refugee, both financially and non-financially, for a period of one year.

Refugees, of every race, creed and colour, are resettled, but there is a particular emphasis on saving Christians, statistically the most persecuted religious community in the world, as 380 million followers of Jesus are at risk of victimization right now, according to research from Open Doors International. It is a reality too many in power are quick to ignore, said Ovcjak.

Ovcjak recalled the many statements decrying Christian persecution around the world uttered by the late former Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, Jonathan Sacks (1948-2020). His historic July 24, 2014, speech on religious freedom to his fellow UK House of Lords members was particularly memorable.

“He said the persecution of Christians in the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere is one of the human rights issues of our time,” said Ovjack. “Here’s a Jewish rabbi whose own community has suffered greatly in the last century and continues to suffer, coming to the defence of Christians.”

ORAT has cultivated relationships with Eastern Rite Catholic and Orthodox churches and Protestant communities to give the afflicted a chance at a life where they can live their faith in the open.

This “vital work would not be possible without the help of ShareLife,” emphasized Ovjack. He has seen the charitable arm of the Archdiocese of Toronto “demonstrate the love of Christ” throughout his whole life, and he urges continued support of its work on behalf of social service agencies as “the need is great.”

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“We have an opportunity, a vehicle through ShareLife, to help many people who are in desperate need of help and ShareLife, through its many agencies, seeks to address that,” said Ovjack. “But the need is always greater. Our Lord said ‘the poor you always have among us.’ There’s always going to be a need that outstrips our capacity but is important for Christians and people of goodwill to take the steps necessary to respond.”

On Sept. 27, the archdiocese will mark the World Day of Migrants and Refugees with Mass at St. Isaac Jogues Parish in Pickering, Ont.,  celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Vincent Nguyen.

(Amundson is an associate editor and writer for The Catholic Register.)

A version of this article appeared in the September 27, 2026 issue of The Catholic Register with the headline "Easing the migrant’s path in a new land".