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Thursday, October 30, 2003     Page: 11A

Building Trust: 10/31/03 A LETTER to the editor published Thursday
incorrectly listed some names as associates of a ministry group in Scranton.
The Rev. Anthony Grasso, the Rev. Patrick J. Sullivan, the Rev. Donald Grimes,
the Rev. John Ryan, the Rev. Thomas O’Hara, the Rev. William Ribando, the Rev.
Richard Hockman, the Rev. Charles Kociolek, the Rev. Thomas Carten, the Rev.
Mr. John Reardon, and Brother Tom Sawyer signed the letter but not in
association with any group.
   

    Less than one hundred years ago, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Pittston and
surrounding towns were teeming with immigrants. On any street corner you could
hear the sounds of Polish, Italian, Lebanese, and Slovak being spoken.
Tailors, shopkeepers, factory workers, and coal miners worshipped in churches
and synagogues founded by Irish, Welsh, Syrian, German, Lithuanian, and
Russian immigrants. People of all walks of life came to these shores for
opportunities, fleeing persecution because of their ethnic background, the
religion they practiced, or a system of servitude in which they could not own
land or vote.
   
Our region has reason to be proud of the contributions of our immigrant
communities that made Northeastern Pennsylvania and our country what it is
today, and we are proud to call it home.
   
Today, as in the rest of America, immigrants are again a part of Northeast
Pennsylvania and contributing to our culture. These newest Americans – from
Brazil, Ukraine, Mexico, Iran, Vietnam, and more – are buying homes, paying
taxes, patronizing businesses, serving in the Armed Forces, and working hard
to provide opportunities for their families, not unlike our ancestors before
them. Like our ancestors, they can face prejudice because their languages and
customs are new and different to some. When this happens, immigrants are
discouraged from fully participating in their communities. As a result,
communities suffer when their economic and cultural potential is not fully
realized.
   
Recent misinformation also distorts the facts of what immigrants contribute
to the U.S. economy. According to the most comprehensive study made of
immigrants by the National Academy of Sciences, immigrants make major
contributions to the United States economy. In 1997, immigrant households paid
an estimated $133 billion in direct taxes to federal, state, and local
governments. In a time when Social Security’s future is precarious, immigrants
are net contributors to Social Security and Medicare. The total net benefit to
the Social Security system, (taxes paid over benefits received) based on
current levels of immigration, is estimated at $500 billion for the 1998 –
2022 period and nearly $2.0 trillion through 2072. Immigrants are and will
continue to be an important part of the U.S. economy as taxpayers,
   
The face of America is changing, much as it did beginning in the late
1800s. The many names that follow reflect the diverse immigrant backgrounds
from which we all come. Although some of the newest immigrants may speak a
different language or have different customs, we recognize and respect that
their dreams, like those of our ancestors’, are the same. The contributions
they make to Northeastern Pennsylvania are immeasurable.
   
Catholic Social Services, Lackawanna County: Stephen R. Nocilla, Executive
Director; LeDonne Shibley, Assistant Executive Director; Kim Biggs and Kate
Gibbons, Refugee and Immigration Programs; Dora Femandez, Hispanic/Ethnic
Affairs.
   
UNITE Union: David Melman, Hector Sanchez, Sam Bianco, Marion Nalaschi,
Nancy Hughes, Michael A. Cotter, Chief Union Steward, T.J. Maxx; Aneudy Ramos,
Union Steward, T.J. Maxx.
   
Mae McHugh, UNITE, Pittston Twp. Resident
   
Rev. Anthony Grasso, Rev. Patrick J. Sullivan, Rev. Donald Grimes, Rev.
John Ryan, Rev. Thomas O’Hara, Rev. William Ribando, Rev. Richard Hockman,
Rev. Charles Kociolek, Rev. Thomas Carten, Rev. Mr. John Reardon, Brother Tom
Sawyer.
   
Rev. William Pickard, Urban Ministry, Scranton.
   
Very Rev. James B. Shimsky, Holy Rosary Church, Wilkes-Barre.
   
Msgr. Joseph P. Kelly, Nativity of Our Lord Church, Scranton.
   
Sr. Luz Maria Cayazzo, IHM, Hispanic Pastoral Outreach.
   
Ned McGinley, Wilkes-Barre, National President, Ancient Order of Hibernians
in America.
   
Joseph (Tim) E. Gilmour, President, Wilkes University.
   
Rev. Scott Pilarz, President, University of Scranton.
   
Rodrigo Gereda, Director of Pre-College Programs, University of Scranton.
   
Lia Palmiter, Diversity Manager, Marywood University, and chair, Diversity
Coalition.
   
Gregory Woodyard, Lackawanna College.
   
Arthur Breese, Associate Director, Diversity Institute; Linda Trompetter,
Director, Diversity Institute, College Misericordia.
   
Joyce Avila, Coordinator of Diversity, Keystone College.
   
King’s College Hispanic Outreach Team: Rita Boyle, Marcy Everest, Gregoria
Garcia, Dawn Morton, Edmund Napieralski, Matthew O’Connor, Anne E. Massey,
Margarita M. Rose, Carlos A. Sanes, David P. Sosar.
   
Jewish Family Service of Lackawanna County Scranton Fellowship of
Reconciliation
   
Greater Hazleton Human Relations Commission
   
Jewish Community Center of Greater Hazleton
   
Hazleton Interfaith Ministerium