Promoting a Church and a World for All

Be not inhospitable to strangers, lest they be angels in disguise (Hebrews 13:2). Whether for safety or a better life, there are many angels among us. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has enacted the week of January 5, 2020 January 11, 2020 as National Migrants Week.

The theme for National Migration Week 2020 - "Promoting a Church and a World for All", which reflects the need for Catholics to be inclusive and welcoming to all our brothers and sisters. It is a call for unity to stand in solidarity with and care for those who are excluded and marginalized.

For nearly a half century, the Catholic Church in the United States has celebrated National Migration Week, which is an opportunity for the Church to reflect on the circumstances confronting migrants, including immigrants, refugees, children, and victims and survivors of human trafficking. The theme for National Migration Week 2020 draws attention to the fact that each of our families have a migration story, some recent and others in the distant past. Regardless of where we are and where we came from, we remain part of the human family and are called to live in solidarity with one another.

Unfortunately, in our contemporary culture we often fail to encounter migrants as persons, and instead look at them as unknown others, if we even notice them at all. We do not take the time to engage migrants in a meaningful way, as fellow children of God, but remain aloof to their presence and suspicious or fearful of them. During this National Migration Week, let us all take the opportunity to engage migrants as community members, neighbors, and friends. To do so, we will look at the important role that foster care plays in the lives of unaccompanied immigrants and refugees, highlight MRS’ Parishes Organized to Welcome Refugees, and examine local initiatives that are making important contributions in this regard.

St. Pius V Church in Saint Louis will celebrate its annual Migration Mass on Sunday, January 5, 2020 at 10:00 am.

So please join us in celebrating National Migration Week as an opportunity to consider the circumstances confronting today's immigrants and refugees.  

Resources for National Migration Week - #NMW2020 Toolkit (Download the Toolkit here)

NMW Toolkit 2020 by Katty Huanuco on Scribd