New York City is at the forefront of a years-long and intensifying migrant crisis, and Christians in monastic life are among those helping the overwhelmed city. In the past two years, 175,000 migrants — largely from Venezuela and Ecuador — have sought asylum and assistance in the country’s largest city. Since August 2022, Texas has transported an estimated 33,600 migrants to New York.
The city continues to be overwhelmed, as city leaders struggle to meet the demands of a growing population of people in need of housing, help, work, food, and clothing.
Among those assisting with the integration of migrants is Brother Mike Lopez, OSB, an Episcopal monk serving at the House of Initia Nova. He created the Hungry Monk Rescue Truck in Queens, and serves migrants and homeless people at three locations in Queens: St. James, Elmhurst; St. Paul’s, Woodside; and All Saints Priory, Ridgewood. Lopez said he works to do what “the church is supposed to do.”
“We work closely with the poor and are bringing services, food, and security work to migrant families,” he said. “We also do homeless outreach and intervention, with a bed program that operates out of Episcopal and Lutheran church spaces. We’ve been pivoting lately to assist with the migrant crisis, providing resources and legal services to assist with the influx.”
Lopez is a busy man. Just before talking with TLC, he was on the phone as an interpreter for one migrant’s court case. The demand for his services is relentless, as 10 to 15 people knock on his door every day asking for help.
Lopez said his fellow monks, nuns, and migrants alike are emotionally and spiritually exhausted. For the Benedictines, this requires retreat into the prayer life between their times of working in the world.
These challenges are also the doors to opportunity. He believes that moments like these require looking outside of the monastery’s doors to engage with a needy world. He is thankful that his organizations have received support from local parishes and the larger religious community.
“We have an out-of-control situation here, in that tons of people are coming every day. The migrants keep coming to the church, and we support them the best we can. It’s been a work of God, as the entire parish community — the entire community of monks — has put themselves out there,” he said.
“We aren’t just open on Sundays anymore. We’re a seven-day operation and very forward-facing. There are a lot of suffering people here who thought they were coming for one experience and found it to be a different experience. They found that the church is the place where they can find support.”
As Br. Lopez notes, migrant men used to be able to find work and homes more easily, but now entire families are discovering that both are in short supply.
“They’re coming and they don’t understand how things work in an American context,” Lopez said. “The daily challenges are just to understand our culture, particularly New York culture, which is very unique. We’re helping assimilate them and urge them to learn English, operate within these systems, and understand they cannot discipline their children the same way here. They need to learn the style of life here and navigate the resources.”
Bishop Lawrence Provenzano of Long Island tells TLC that Monkworx, the nonprofit agency that operates the Hungry Monk Rescue Truck, “embodies Christian compassion in action, and I am profoundly grateful for their partnership in serving those who need it most in our communities. The food and shelter they provide is needed now more than ever, as we aim to uphold the dignity and well-being of every human being, regardless of legal status.”
The bishop said Episcopal churches in New York City are working to address the crisis by expanding parishes’ food pantries and taking collections for shelters across the city. He affirmed the work of the Rev. Canon Marie Tatro, the Long Island diocese’s canon for community justice ministry, in helping to found the Long Island Immigration Clinic.
The Episcopal Diocese of New York kicked off its Diocesan Emergency Asylum Seeker Support Network on January 31, discussing advocacy and response efforts in the city to assist asylum seekers.
Tyler Hummel is a freelance writer based in Elkhorn, Wisconsin.
