Residents - Church Clergy - Mercy First Address Holy Cross Lutheran Church Proposal

By Chris Biancaniello

Tuesday, August 19th residents of Commack gathered at the Commack Branch of the Smithtown Library to have an open dialogue regarding a proposal by Lutheran Social Services (LSS)  to potentially use the  Holy Cross Lutheran Church on Verbena Drive  as a “safe haven” for immigrant children aged 4-17 who have entered the country illegally. The LSS proposal was scheduled to be heard in a closed meeting of the  Church’s Council on August 4th, but was quickly disbanded when neighbors of the church learned of the meeting on Facebook and voiced their outrage before the proposal could be heard.

L-R Michael Cantwell, Gerard McCaffery, Bruce Ettenberg, Rev. Dennis Walker, Rev. Marc HerbstFueled by rumors and a lack of information from the church public outrage towards the unmade proposal grew daily. In response to the community’s concern and anger Bruce Ettenberg, president of the Commack Community Association, hosted an emergency meeting in order for both sides to hear each other out. The church, represented by Reverend Dennis Walker and Reverend Mark Herbst, did their best to respond to the concerns, but it quickly became apparent that it was to no avail. 

The LSS program would have the church housing up to a maximum of 40 child immigrants, all of whom had crossed the border illegally. According to Mercy First (an organization that runs a program in Nassau County) Chief Executive Officer and panelist for the evening Gerard McCaffrey, U.S. law under expansions to the William Wilberforce Victims Protection  Reauthorization Act of 2008 provides that unaccompanied children would be given a temporary status and a chance to plead their case at an immigration hearing which could potentially reunite them with family in the U.S.. Children caught entering through our southern border are sent to a United States Customs and Border Protection Center, where they are, amongst other things, examined and inoculated. Some are then processed and sent to transition centers like Mercy’s until they can have a proper hearing and their family has been located. Children often stay for up to as many as six weeks depending on the influx of immigrants entering the U.S. at any given time.

Commack resident and panelist at the meeting Michael Cantwell, who lives across the street from the church, was in attendance to speak on behalf of the community and to voice their concerns. He read a statement in which he repeated a Newsday report indicating that the LSS proposal may be revisited in the future. Cantwell stated, “At whatever time the Lutheran Church decides to revisit this proposal, that the community will stand up and oppose this matter. ” Pointing out the the church is located on a two acre site in the middle of a community, he judged this to be an unequal comparison with Mercy First, which is located at a site with over one-hundred acres of property. He read questions brought to him by members of the community whose concerns included: the health of those entering, the security of the facility, the incidents of gang related violence amongst immigrant children, and whether or not the church would even be large enough to house up to 40 kids at one time. Cantwell’s main question was “is this the right place for the situation you want to put them in?” 

In response to this,  Gerard McCaffrey explained that in the six months they had been running the program, there had been little to no incidents of violence, no uncontainable illness sans the occasional case of treatable pneumonia, and the children were confined to the facility.

When Father Walker was given a chance to speak he cited religious texts, including the story of the good Samaritan who helped a man in need even though they were of opposite beliefs, stating that it was the intent of the church to be a good neighbor and to be there for those in need. Rev. Walker also wanted to make it clear that it was not their intent to move forward on the plan without hearing from the community, and that the original proposal by LSS wasn’t to be voted on without first hearing from both the congregation, as well as the community.

Commack residents speak outThe Q and A session started off with an unnamed resident being removed by the officer on hand after he repeatedly interrupted to shout, “Families of the immigrants, legal or illegal!” This was followed by what seemed like an endless number of residents (the room had a 70 person capacity) voicing their complaints about the potential proposal. Included in the questions and comments were ideas from residents for a community center, and other ways for the church to raise money. Although many in the audience were unhappy about the lack of transparency in the church’s action, much of their frustration and anger was directed to national policy and whether or not these children were  legal or not. One man, Dr. Steve Vuolo of Dix Hills believed that this was a monetary issue for the church even going so far as to say, “it is obvious to me that we have an administration that’s hell bent on destroying this country” and that to host such a program would be “adding and abetting” that process. 

Gerard McCaffery, President of Mercy First, Syosset, NYDespite assurances, Commack residents voiced their concerns about the size of the facility, and the likelihood that they would be able to confine 40 children, adolescents, and teens to such a small space for so long. “It just seems to house 40 kids there it seems very small, plus the staff that are working there.” said a Commack resident of 14 years. 

Others felt that communities should be looking inward before helping-out with other countries problems. citing local kids who can’t afford to eat meals out of school. Each suggestion, comment, and concern was met with resounding applause from most of the residents in attendance. By the end of the meeting, they were calling for Reverend Walker to make a promise that he would not consider applying for the program unless the residents could not come up with another proposal. Reverend Walker could not make the promise without first presenting it to his council. 

It was apparent that many in attendance would do everything in their power to make sure the LSS proposal would never occur and they were not the only people unhappy with the church.  Although the proposal had never been presented to the Holy Cross Church Council or the congregation, it was Reverend Walker’s estimation that his congregation “…feels like many of you…most of them are opposed.” 

Comments

[Re]

This is such a well written and thorough article, it was delightful to read.
I was at the meeting and you summed up thye meeitng in a precise manner.

[Lynn]

I would like to thank you for writing one of the only articles, in any newspaper, thus far which explains both sides in a fair manner.