The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is celebrating National Migration Week from January 3-9, urging Catholics throughout the country to support policies that “welcome the stranger among us.”
The USCCB is using the theme of Matthew’s gospel – “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35) – as the foundation of the week’s celebration. Catholic parishes areurged to distribute bilingual prayer cards, to insert intentions into the Prayers of the Faithful during Mass which focus on human trafficking and the support and protection of migrants, and to use special prayers that focus on the struggles of migrants.
Regarding the case of the Syrian refugees, the bishops say:
The political and humanitarian crisis in Syria is a serious concern for the Catholic Church and the bishops of the United States…Pope Francis and the Catholic bishops have called on the U.S. government and the international community to provide support to both Syrian refugees fleeing violence and to countries that have been at the forefront of this humanitarian effort.
The bishops are urging “providing 100,000 annual resettlement slots for the most vulnerable refugees fleeing the Syria conflict,” and “designating an additional 100,000 refugees to be resettled in the U.S. from other countries.” ...
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