Detroit parishes lose hundreds of Albanian Catholics to deportation

Published: 2007-03-26

DETROIT (CNS) -- Father Anton Kcira first began to notice the absence of more and more of his regular parishioners at St. Paul (Albanian) Church in suburban Rochester Hills back in 2005, and the loss due to deportations has escalated since then. "Last year we lost about 200 families, and Our Lady of Albanians lost 120," said Father Kcira, pastor of St. Paul's, of the situation in his parish and at the other Albanian ethnic parish in Beverly Hills, another Detroit suburb. The deportations -- and detentions pending deportation -- have split hundreds of families, said Father Kcira, who conducted a March 16 outdoor Stations of the Cross and prayer service for the deportees, detainees and their families outside St. Paul Church. An estimated 1,000 people attended the service, and a similar service was held at Out Lady of Albanians Church. St. Paul parishioner Scipe "Skippy" Vuljaj, a 33-year-old mother, spent 99 days in detention last year before finally being released to return to her home in suburban Sterling Heights. Another parishioner, Marcela Djonovic, 31, a mother of three and pregnant, is worried about her husband, Djelosh, 44, held in custody since Feb. 1.

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