The centre is a community based, non-profit charitable organization serving immigrants and refugees in the Ottawa-Carleton region for 52 years. 

And although it serves all newcomers, “The Catholic Immigration Centre is very mindful of its heritage and of the strong role of the Church in the organization,” said John Scratch, president of the board of directors. 

About 2,000 people gathered June 26 at Brewer Park — with a citizenship ceremony for 50 newcomers being incorporated for the first time, said event director Dan Dubeau. 

While not all of the participants are Catholic, Dubeau said Catholicism is tied to the event as it’s based on helping people.

“We help integration go faster for the newcomers who are just waiting,” he said. 

“It’s a hard struggle if you can’t find work or find friends, so we are just facilitating that and the values in that by just helping people.”

Glaphyra Georges, an immigrant from Haiti and a newcomer from Toronto, sees the importance of the Community Cup, calling it “a charity event that is welcoming and engaging.”

“This is what’s happening here, especially through what the volunteers offer,” said the 14-year-old, a volunteer herself. 

Dominic Dumond, 11, also volunteered at the day-long event, and said it felt good to help others.

“Making (newcomers) feel welcomed is something God would have taught us to do,” said Dumond, a resident of Ottawa. 

Tournament co-ordinator Victor Ogbechi said that Catholic values are universal.

“I want to see Catholic values stand as a world view, not limited to race, what one has or where one is from,” said Ogbechi. “We see ourselves as one. This is a very diverse event.”

He said it is fitting for the Catholic Immigration Centre to host this event because through it, “We follow God’s words in Matthew, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ”

(Park, 20, is a communications and political science student at Carleton University in Ottawa.)