National Migration Week

Within September, an important week to highlight, within the Church, is National Migration Week. National Migration Week is celebrated from September 23rd to September 29th this year. The overarching mission of National Migration Week is focused on educating society on the circumstances as to why these individuals are migrating, whether it be because of economic reasons, conflict in their home country, etc., highlighting the contributions that immigrants and refugees bring to their new home, and creating awareness of challenges that migrants and refugees may face. Throughout this week, Catholics are reminded of the principles of Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and how they relate to migration. The Holy Father calls to “view them as persons and respond in a way which is always humane, just, and fraternal.” National Migration Week allows people of all faiths to reflect and create awareness of the horrific stories that migrants and refugees encounter in formulating a better life for themselves and their families.

This week's vocation is dedicated to informing individuals about the stories of migrants and refugees. The Church presents opportunities for Masses, prayer services, panel discussions, and education outreach programs to the public. In addition, the Church enables policymakers and various other stakeholders to uphold the dignity and worth of these individuals and their stories through innovative policies and programs to discuss the issues surrounding migration including human rights violations, deportation, detention, and societal barriers. National Migration Week can serve as a reminder for United States citizens regarding how lucky they are to be a member of the United States but also to acknowledge the hardships that others may face in creating a better life for themselves and their families. Throughout this week, the Church calls on the people to reflect and contemplate ways in which we all can work together, as brothers and sisters, to create a better and loving world. Please let us know if you celebrated National Migration Week this past year and let us know what you did!

This year’s theme for National Migration Week is “God Walks with His People.” In choosing this theme, embodies the Church’s mission that we are all God’s children and that he is always with us; we are never alone. During periods of persecution and unsafe actions in one’s country of origin, many are displaced and forge a new way of life far different than it was prior. This is the reality of many migrants and refugees. Pope Francis reshapes the notion of migration to the migrating towards the Kingdom of Heaven. We are all on our individualistic journey towards the Kingdom of Heaven; however, we are not alone. Like the Jews in the desert, we all encounter obstacles; however, it is through faith that we may see the light and overcome these obstacles. In addition, we are all brothers and sisters, and we encounter Christ in everyone that we meet, especially with the poor and marginalized. It is through advocacy and education that change can be made. We must respect and support one another regardless of one’s status or where they call home.

In society today, there are various risks that migrants face when crossing the border. One significant risk is the terrain that one must travel to solely arrive at the border. For instance, according to the International Organization for Migration, “People who migrate irregularly from Central America to North America must face dangerous river and desert crossing, remote terrain and unsafe forms of transport to reach their destinations, such as traveling on top of freight trains over long journeys or inside overcrowded trucks.” Understanding the extremity of what migrants are physically going through to provide a better life for themselves and their families encompasses the importance of treating these human beings with dignity and respect. In addition, the statistic of how many individuals sadly die in transiting for a better life is unknown currently; however approximately “at least 3,105 people lost their lives between 2014 and 2018 in the Central and Northern American Region” according to the International Organization for Migration.

Another risk is a lack of access to resources. Migrants arriving bring with them new cultures, languages, and ways of living which can create challenges among those already living in the country. These individuals are fleeing their home countries from persecution and violence and are settling in various countries to provide a better life for themselves and their families. However, resources can be difficult to obtain. One resource that can be difficult to obtain is healthcare. During transit to their new home, it can result in various health issues as migrants are put in life-threatening situations such as going without food and water. In addition, health also tends to go unnoticed as migrants can be instead focused on surviving or do not have the finances to obtain adequate healthcare. Cost is the primary factor when discussing the lack of access to resources. Healthcare, education, and other services can have a hefty price tag to either become a member or to obtain which can restrict the availability of these services to new migrant families.

There are also various current trends within the topic of migration. According to the World Migration Report 2024, “there are an estimated 281 million international migrants worldwide as of 2020.” However, this number has only increased. In addition, the number of “forcibly displaced people was 117.3 million by the end of 2023” according to the Migration Data Portal. This is compared to the 59.5 million forcibly displaced at the end of 2014 provided by the Migration Data Portal. Within the data set, it is constantly increasing and the evident trend over the last four years is that it will keep rising. 

Drawing on Mother Theresa

The month of September encompasses an array of various saints' feast days. One of these feast days is September 5^th, the feast day of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Through the life and dedication of Mother Teresa, it is evident that she had a passion for service and loving one another.

Mother Teresa’s love and dedication to service influenced her faith life and others around her through the foundation of the Missionaries of Charity. The Missionaries of Charity embodies Mother Teresa's mission of serving the poorest individuals as they are our brothers and sisters. Mother Teresa and her sisters would distribute food, medical supplies, and other necessities to those who did not have adequate opportunities to acquire such things.

Through the actions of Mother Teresa, individuals around the world are reminded to love one another despite where people may come from. As stated by Mother Teresa, “At the end of life, we are going to be judged on the basis of our love for one another.” Mother Teresa saw Jesus in everyone she met and encouraged everyone to do the same. Although we may come from different walks of life, we are all brothers and sisters and made in God’s image and likeness. We are to treat each other as such. It is through her work that we, as brothers and sisters, are reminded to work on de-stigmatizing the feelings people have towards migrants and calling Catholics to love and serve one another.

A Prayer for Immigrants

God of the journey, God of the traveler,

We pray for those who leave their homes in search of new beginnings and possibilities,

May they know your presence with them.

We pray that those who seek to make a home in this country

May find us welcoming and willing to help them find a path toward citizenship,

We pray that our legislators, as they craft new immigration legislation

May find the wisdom and courage to enact new policies that do justice for our country and for those who would immigrate here.

We pray for those who fan the flames of fear and discrimination against the undocumented may be touched with your divine compassion.

We pray in Jesus‟ name.

 Amen

~ The Archdiocese of Chicago, adapted

We are thrilled to announce that we have a new St. Bakhita prayer card! Amy Heyse painted the beautiful piece of art that graces the front. Although we cannot print to order, we can share with you a PDF version of the prayer card.

We also have the prayer card available in Spanish, please email [email protected]

If you want to learn more about the USCCB/MRS'

Anti-Trafficking Program, reach out to:

Felicitas Brugo Onetti

Anti-Trafficking Education and Outreach Coordinator

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (202) 541-3064