BUTTE - St. Patrick and Immaculate Conception parishes are ready to take in and help a refugee family in need.
"We’re excited, we’re happy, and we want to work hard to make sure this is very successful," said Father Patrick Beretta.
Father Patrick Beretta says a parishioner approached him with an idea. She was very moved by the evacuation of Kabul airport and suggested that the church invite a family and help them resettle.
Beretta loved the idea right away and submitted the idea to the parish council who unanimously voted in favor of it.
"We felt it was a sacred obligation. These were people whose lives were at risk because they were our allies over there," said Beretta.
He began to form a team that would be responsible for the family’s finances, medical concerns, employment, and education.
Beretta says it’s important to let the community understand the vetting process the families go through.
When the events at Kabul Airport unfolded, refugee families were taken to American Air Force bases in Europe and in the middle east. The first phase of vetting was done by military intelligence and, if a family passed, they moved into Air Force bases across the United States where the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI continue a second phase of vetting
Beretta wants to make sure that the family feels the same kindness he experienced when he moved to Butte 10 years ago.
"And I first hand experienced the amazing gifts of hospitality that this community has to offer," said Beretta.
He says that the parish is 100 percent ready to welcome the family to Butte and hopes that the experience is positive for them as well as the community.
"So it’s not just about welcoming people and creating refuge for them, it’s about learning from the experience. It’s about growing from the experience and that’s what I want. I want this to be a really good experience both for the community and the family in need," said Beretta.
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