Dear Partners in the Assumption Family,

During the Advent and Christmas seasons, our church and our faith remind us of God’s gifts of hope and peace. As a member of the Assumption family, I am continually blessed by your commitment, prayers, and support for the Assumptionists who “go wherever God is threatened in human beings and human beings threatened as image of God.” (Rule of Life #4)

As you know, Assumptionists have been laboring in El Paso, Texas for the past few years now among new immigrants by providing shelter, food, hot showers, and spiritual needs. If we look more closely at the local community, we see that it is immigrants ministering to immigrants by way of Fr. Ronald Sibugan, who comes from the Philippines, and Fr. Chano Lopez Solis who hails from Mexico. You can be sure that they and Fr. Peter Precourt are most grateful for your prayers and generous financial support. Because of you, the community has been able to provide the most basic of needs for over 7,240+ people from many countries. Migrants receiving food at the shelter

Now the congregation has arrived at a ‘crossroads’ and is in need of more financial help. The personnel requirements of the program continue to grow significantly. In addition, funds are needed to help purchase bus tickets for individuals or families as they must travel to host families when they leave the shelter.

The immigrants that arrive at our shelter are already documented but it takes a great deal of time to record them in our system. Also, volunteers are preparing about 150 meals per day. Therefore, hiring one part-time employee to coordinate the volunteers will organize our overall efforts. Moreover, hiring two full-time employees will help supervise the administrative and kitchen needs during the week. These additions to our staff will free up the Assumptionists to provide the spiritual and sacramental services which only they can provide.

And so I take this moment during the seasons of Advent and Christmas to express my profound gratitude for your prayerful and financial support of our missions. Our mission in El Paso has benefited greatly from your past support and will continue to grow through your continued generosity.

I pray and hope that this most sacred time of the church year will accompany you and your family with many peace-filled blessings.

Thy Kingdom Come,

 Very Rev. Chi Ai Nguyen, A.A.

Provincial Superior

North American Province