Pray that the Lord would protect all migrants and refugees, and that all those who work with people on the move would be free to serve. 

Reflect 
As part of their duty to uphold the common good, civil authorities are responsible for ensuring public order, including by maintaining national borders.  At the same time, governments must respect the rights and dignity of all people, and the Gospel mandate that the Church serve all vulnerable populations, including migrants and refugees.  The Church has long sought to serve the needs of “people on the move,” from providing for basic needs, to assisting with resettlement, to offering legal services to help newcomers navigate the expectations of their receiving country.  However, Christian services have faced legal attacks, because the Church refuses to facilitate abortions for the children who come under our care, while in other places, state governments have passed or proposed laws that forbid “harboring” or transporting undocumented immigrants – even when the “harboring” is just providing a safe place to sleep, or the transporting is just a ride to Mass – which could essentially criminalize much of the Church’s ministry to immigrants. A nation that embraces the divine gift of freedom will respect the dignity of all people and allow the Church to carry out her mission to vulnerable people, including migrants and refugees. 

Act 
The USCCB’s Justice for Immigrants Campaign is an effort to unite and mobilize a growing network of Catholic entities and people of goodwill in support of migrants, refugees, and immigration reform.  To learn more about the Church’s work with migrants and refugees, get news, resources, and action alerts from Justice for Immigrants at justiceforimmigrants.org/ 

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