For the past two months, federal authorities have been turning away clergy and nuns who\u2019ve been trying to minister to detained, unaccompanied migrant children from Central America. But that situation is beginning to change.<\/p>\n
In mid-July, an Episcopal priest in Arizona and a nun in Texas were among the first to receive invitations to provide pastoral care at detention facilities, where U.S. Customs and Border Protection has been overwhelmed and hard pressed to develop visitation protocol.<\/p>\n
According to Bishop Kirk Smith of the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona, children detained in the Tucson area got a pastoral visit in mid-July from the Rev. John Smith, rector of the Church of St. Michael and All Angels in Tucson. Bishop Smith said the rector brought along his guitar.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey wanted to sing songs with him,\u201d\u009d Bishop Smith said. \u201cThey wanted to have prayers with him. People asked him for a blessing.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n