By Don Stubbings
When Colorado Associates shared that they were planning a gathering of Denver Associates to learn more about Venezuelan refugees, their journey, and the work being done in the Denver area for all refugees, I cleared my calendar for the weekend. On Saturday, March 21, Associates, Sister Sheila Karpan, and new friends gathered at Denver Friends Church for a day I can only describe as a reflection of true humanity in action and of hope for the future.
Our day began with Susan Eisenhower, a member of Friends Church of Denver, who went from being uninvolved in refugee assistance to building a community of care and compassion, starting simply by offering fruit to those arriving by bus from Texas. Fighting back tears, Susan described the refugees’ journey: fleeing oppression, traveling 3,000 miles, much of it on foot, and arriving in Denver with little more than the clothes they wore. Many had only simple sandals, like Crocs; some children had no shoes at all.
What began as a small act of compassion quickly grew into a coordinated effort to transform the church gymnasium into a shelter. Opening a shelter is not as simple as lining up mattresses; it requires extensive planning, city approval, and meal preparation. With faith and determination, approvals came through, and the Denver Friends Church Shelter became operational, serving around 30 refugees each night, primarily from Venezuela, all while keeping families together.
Soon, the church’s kitchen came alive. Volunteers prepared traditional meals, including a fragrant Venezuelan sauce called guasacaca, made with avocado, garlic, onion, vinegar, and other ingredients. Susan said it was a smell she will never forget (so much garlic!), and volunteers made gallons of this staple in the Venezuelan diet.
The shelter soon became more than a place to sleep. It became a place of worship and a caring, safe space, and it even hosted a wedding that united several couples. Denver Friends Church became a true community treasure of welcome and support.
Although the shelter is no longer operational today, the food pantry remains a vital source of support. In the spirit of the SCL Charism, Associates arrived at the gathering carrying bags of food, including potatoes, rice, beans, and fresh vegetables, for the pantry to continue supporting the refugee community and the Denver community at large.
Following Susan’s powerful witness, Sister Sheila Karpan, SCL, took us deeper into the realities from which refugees flee. Her passion for immigrants is rooted not only in her ministry in Peru, Mexico, and Nicaragua but also in her upbringing in a Wyoming coal-mining town of just 10,000 people, home to 57 different ethnicities. That experience shaped her deep understanding of diversity and community.
Sister Sheila spoke about the many forces that drive migration: violence, poverty, and climate change. As I thought about the United States climate refugees, Hurricane Katrina came to mind. Hurricane Katrina remains one of the largest climate-driven migrations in our nation’s history, displacing over 600,000 people, many of whom never returned to New Orleans, and as you can guess, our Sisters were there too! Globally, climate refugees are in the tens of millions.
Reflecting on her journaling, Sister Sheila recounted a profound encounter with a homeless woman in Lima, Peru. The woman greeted her by offering a piece of bread, an act of generosity that deeply moved her. Pausing in that moment, she heard within her, “Do this in memory of me.” It was a powerful reminder of dignity and shared humanity.
Her call to serve also led her to the Texas-Mexico border, where she ministered to refugees. She spoke openly about detention conditions, facilities often referred to as “iceboxes” due to their cold temperatures, with limited food and poor conditions.
Her role was to serve those released from detention with nowhere to go. Alongside others, she helped provide the first moments of dignity many had experienced in a long time: a clean bed, warm food, and assistance in continuing their journey.
Our final speaker was Mayra Juarez-Denis, Executive Director of El Centro de los Trabajadores. Mayra shared her own journey, arriving in the United States as a teenager after her family’s restaurant in Mexico was forced to close. She described the challenges of learning English while attending school. Mayra overcame these challenges, graduating in the top ten of her high school class and earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She credits supportive teachers who recognized her potential early on.
Today, Mayra serves immigrant workers in the Denver area. Under her leadership, El Centro de los Trabajadores provides services grounded in its core values of work, dignity, and community.
The organization offers wraparound support, workforce development, and educational opportunities that help immigrant workers transition into employment in the United States, benefiting both workers and employers.
Mayra also serves on the Catholic Committee on Pastoral Care of Migrants with the Archdiocese of Denver. Of the Archdiocese’s 148 parishes, only around 30 parishes actively engage with immigrant communities. She hopes to expand that outreach through dialogue and collaboration. With the support of Archbishop Aquila, that vision is becoming possible.
These efforts were clear in November 2025, when Associates and Sisters joined the Archbishop and hundreds of community members at an ICE detention center to pray the Stations of the Cross. Together, they delivered a message from the Archbishop that still resonates: “We must remember the dignity of every human being. That dignity is not bestowed by any government. That dignity comes from God and God alone.”
Our gathering concluded with prayer, recommitment, and hope.
As Associates, we renewed our call to live the mission of the Church, to be a community rooted in the Gospel, carrying forward the stories we heard, allowing them to move not only our hearts but also our feet in service to those in need.
Together, we prayed the Prayer for Migrants (USCCB), trusting that with God’s grace, we will continue to walk in solidarity with our immigrant brothers and sisters and be ever-present to the needs of today.
Feature photo
Bottom row: Don Stubbings, SCLA, Susan Eisenhower, Ron Cox, SCLA, Patte Paquette, SCLA. Top row: John Beeson, SCLA, Debra Beeson, SCLA, Julie Lay, SCLA, Vie Thorgren, SCLA, Bridget Forsmark-Edelstein, SCLA, Dana Glade-Yaussy, SCLA, Fr. John Costanzo, SCLA, Desirae Rodriguez, Richard Rodriguez, Blanca Esparza, SCLA, Sister Sheila Karpan, SCL, Jim Paquette, SCLA, and Mayra Juarez-Denis.
Further Information
Denver Friends Church Immigrant Outreach Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qku3YXMak_M
El Centro de los Trabajadores:
https://centrodelostrabajadores.org/
Sr. Sheila’s Experiences:
https://www.scls.org/finding-humanity-in-migration-my-experiences/
