Migrant and Refugee Solidarity

“We ourselves need to see, and then to enable others to see, that migrants and refugees do not only represent a problem to be solved, but are brothers and sisters to be welcomed, respected and loved. They are an occasion that Providence gives us to help build a more just society, a more perfect democracy, a more united country, a more fraternal world and a more open and evangelical Christian community.”

– Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2014.

Letter of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Bishops of the United States on Migration

On February 10, 2025, His Holiness Pope Francis wrote a Letter to the Bishops of the United States on the situation of immigration in the country. He said “I exhort all the faithful of the Catholic Church, and all men and women of goodwill, not to give in to narratives that discriminate against and cause unnecessary suffering to our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters….  With charity and clarity we are all called to live in solidarity and fraternity, to build bridges that bring us ever closer together, to avoid walls of ignominy and to learn to give our lives as Jesus Christ gave his for the salvation of all.”  A response from Archbishop Broglio, President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, was sent on February 11, 2025.

Maryland Catholic bishops’ joint statement in support of immigrants:

On January 27, 2025 the Catholic bishops of Maryland issued a joint statement expressing solidarity with immigrants and recommitting their dioceses to advocacy for policies that protect immigrant rights and uphold their dignity.

“In Solidarity and Accompaniment” (“En Solidaridad y Acompañamiento”)

World Day of Migrants and Refugees

“Migrants, missionaries of hope” is the theme chosen by Pope Francis for the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR).  This year the WDMR will not fall on the last Sunday of September, as usual, but will be celebrated October 4-5, during the Jubilee of Migrants.   This year’s theme considers the courage and tenacity of migrants and refugees in the light of the Church’s Jubilee Year theme of “Pilgrims of Hope.”

The Church has been celebrating the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR) since 1914. It is an occasion to express concern for different vulnerable people on the move; to pray for them as they face many challenges; and to increase awareness about the opportunities that migration offers to all of us.  Migrants and refugees bear witness to hope for the future despite difficulties. It is the hope of happiness beyond borders that leads them to entrust themselves totally to God.  Migrants and refugees remind the Church of the ultimate purpose of our earthly pilgrimage to the Kingdom of God.

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington is the philanthropic arm of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington but operates autonomously in its mission to serve the most vulnerable in our community.

• The Newcomer Network is dedicated to helping newcomers to our country become more stable, empowered and connected to their communities. It works with newcomers to identify goals and make many services available to them in a convenient referral system.
• Immigration Legal Services works with cases that range from consultations to full representation. The program has represented individuals from more than 135 countries who needed legal assistance with an immigration matter. The program also trains lawyers to provide pro bono services and educates community groups on the latest immigration issues.

Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC)

For more than 30 years, the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc., (CLINIC) has protected the legal rights of immigrant families and promoted their dignity by embracing the Gospel value of welcoming the stranger.  CLINIC works in partnership with a dedicated network of Catholic and community legal immigration programs in 49 states.  As the largest nonprofit immigration law organization in the country, CLINIC offers highly specialized direct legal representation, training, technical assistance, and resources related to current immigration law.  All people in the United States, including undocumented immigrants, have Constitutional rights and protections.

• Know Your Rights
• Rapid Response Toolkit
• Emergency Planning Guide
• Standby Guardianship for Immigrant Parents

USCCB’s Justice for Immigrants Campaign

In 2003, the bishops of the United States and Mexico issued a joint pastoral letter, Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope (en español), that presented a Catholic framework for responding to the ongoing migration phenomenon in their respective countries.  In June 2004, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration and The Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) resolved to make comprehensive immigration reform a major public policy priority within the Church, with special emphasis on legalization.  As part of the Church’s response, a diverse group of Catholic organizations with national networks joined in launching the U.S. Catholic bishops’ campaign “Justice for Immigrants: A Journey of Hope” designed to unite and mobilize a growing network of Catholic institutions, individuals, and other persons of good faith in support of a broad legalization program and comprehensive immigration reform.

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