National Migration Week 2022 Newsletter

We are excited for the upcoming National Migration Week/World Day of Migrants and Refugees celebration, which will begin next Monday, September 19. We want to take an opportunity to share with you some resources, event announcements, and other opportunities that you can use in your own celebration. Please continue to email Tony Cube at [email protected] should you have events for NMW that are not listed here.

USCCB/MRS would like to thank Raymundo Valdez of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Pastoral Migratoria and Leyden Rovelo-Krull of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph in particular for their ongoing support and assistance in developing resources and outreach in support of this year’s World Day of Migrants and Refugees/National Migration Week celebration.  

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National Migration Week 2022 takes place September 19-25 and culminates with the Vatican’s celebration of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR), which always falls on the last Sunday of September.

The primary theme for this year’s WDMR is “Building the Future with Migrants and Refugees”. Commenting on the place of migrants in God’s plan, Pope Francis 

emphasizes that: 

“the Kingdom of God is to be built with them, for without them it would not be the Kingdom that God wants. The inclusion of those most vulnerable is the necessary condition for full citizenship in God’s Kingdom." 

The message of his Holiness Pope Francis for the 108th World Day of Migrants and Refugees is available in English | en Español and in other languages. Please take a moment to read and reflect on his insights and observations.

Feel free to use this prayer booklet, which features prayers used in past National Migration Week celebrations.



Webinar Invitation: Building the Future with Migrants and Refugees 

Tuesday, September 13 at 2 PM Eastern.

Drawing on the theme of the Holy Father’s message, this panel will examine some of the ways in which Catholics and Catholic organizations have taken Pope Francis’ vision to heart and are engaging migrants in unique and productive ways. Please join us to learn

more about these initiatives, share with us some of the work that you have been doing in this field, and ask questions that might clarify what we can do better. 

Join us for this event and please register for the webinar in advance. 

2022 World Day of Migrants and Refugees Celebration Resources from the Vatican

The Migrants & Refugees (M&R) Section is a pastoral office of the Holy See, personally directed by Pope Francis, working to help the Church worldwide to accompany vulnerable people on the move, including those who are forcibly displaced by conflict, natural disaster, persecution or extreme poverty, refugees and victims of human trafficking. For the 2022 WDMR celebration, this Vatican office created a dedicated page of material that by can be freely downloaded, published, used, and shared by Catholics worldwide. There are documents, videos, and visuals, many of which are available in multiple languages: 

Italiano | English | Français | Español | Deutsch | Português 

Special Mass for the 108th World Day of Migrants and Refugees

Misa para la 108ª Jornada Mundial del Migrante y del Refugiado

En la 108ª Jornada Mundial del Migrante y del Refugiado, el Obispo Mons. Mario Dorsonville celebrará una Misa especial en la Catedral de San Mateo Apóstol de Washington, DC.

La Jornada Mundial del Migrante y del Refugiado es una ocasión propicia para exteriorizar la preocupación que se tiene por las diferentes personas que son vulnerables y que se van desplazando; rezar por ellas, ya que han de hacer frente a incontables desafíos; y aumentar lo que se sabe sobre las oportunidades que ofrece la migración. El tema escogido por el Santo Padre para la 108ª Jornada Mundial del Migrante y del Refugiado (JMR) es “Construir el futuro con los migrantes y los refugiados“. El Papa Francisco pone énfasis en que a todos se nos pide asumir el compromiso de participar en la construcción de un futuro que acepte el plan de Dios, de modo que nadie quede postergado.

Invitamos a todos a acompañarnos el domingo 25 de septiembre a las 11:00 a.m. para celebrar esta Misa, que será transmitida en vivo por el canal YouTube​ de la Catedral de San Mateo Apóstol. Haga clic aquí para descargar el folleto de la Misa en Español.

Other 2022 World Day of Migrants and Refugees and National Migration Week Resources*

• The Archdiocese of Chicago, Rosario para la 108A Jornada Mundial del Migrante y del Refugiado 2022. The Archdiocese of Chicago has created a rosary that is based on Pope Francis' message for the WDMR. Leaders and parishes can use it during the week as a form of participating during NMW.

• The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph recently released a brief article and accompanying video that highlights the life of one DACA recipient. Her story is like many other DREAMERS who were brought here as young children, but unique in its own way. Please take a few minutes to read about her as a reminder of the importance of providing permanent protection for these populations.

• For the 10th anniversary of DACA, Bishop Dorsonville narrated a video in support of Dreamers, and a DACA recipient provided her personal story as a Dreamer and shared her hopes and fears as a young, undocumented immigrant. This video is also an appropriate resource for NMW 2022.

• Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Relief Services, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops/Migration and Refugee Services has long opposed the use of Title 42 as a form of immigration enforcement. As we approach WDMR/NMW, please take a few minutes to better understand what Title 42 is, why we oppose its use as a form of immigration enforcement, and the damage that it has done to local communities and vulnerable migrant populations. 

National Migration Week 2022 Events throughout the United States*

Thank you to the many supporters of migrants and refugees in Catholic dioceses, parishes, religious communities and JFI teams for organizing NMW 2022 events in their parishes and local areas. Below is a list of some of the NMW events created by these supporters that you can join if you are in the local area or, in some cases, view or participate in virtually. 

• An Interfaith Prayer Service Commemorating National Migration Week (online) in New York City will take place on September 20, 2022 at 7 PM Eastern. During this hour of prayer and storytelling you will hear prayers for our migrant sisters and brothers from the perspective of five different faiths. You will also hear four presenters tell us how they see the love of God reaching out to help migrants directly or through their advocates. Please join us.

• In the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Archbishop Jerome Listecki invited all parishes to use a series of bulletin ads available in Spanish and English, which our Hispanic Ministry Office and Catholic Charities Refugee Integration Services created. In addition the Archbishop shared the 2022 National Migration Week Toolkit.



• The Archdiocese of Baltimore will celebrate a bilingual Immigrants' Way of the Cross, September 22, 2022 at 6:30 PM, at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, 600 S. Conkling St, Baltimore, MD 21224. All are welcome to join.

• The Diocese of Norwich (CT) will host a forum, Building the Future with Migrants and Refugees, on September 24, 2022 at 9 AM. Join us to consider our future together in the company of immigrants, refugees, welcomers, advocates, and questioners of all kinds. The event will take place in the Johnson Room of the J. Eugene Smith Library at Eastern Connecticut State University, 83 Windham Street, Willimantic, CT. More event information and registration is online. 

• Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington (VA) will celebrate a World Day of Migrants and Refugees Mass on September 25, 2022 at 11 AM Eastern at St. Ann's Catholic Church. Join the Mass in person or via livestream.

* These are not comprehensive lists of events and resources. We only included information shared with us. Please send us other event information and materials you want to share.