#justiceOPportunity Thursday: January 2, 2020

It’s #justiceOPportunity Thursday, and we are raising awareness for National Migration Week, January 5-11, 2020. 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, “Promoting a Church and a World for All” draws attention to the fact that each of our families has 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.

“No American institution does more for immigrants than your Christian communities. Now you are facing this stream of Latin immigration which affects many of your dioceses. Not only as the Bishop of Rome, but also as a pastor from the South, I feel the need to thank and encourage you.” —Pope Francis, Prayer with the Bishops of the United States of America, September 2015

Join us in raising awareness by community engagement and in lifting up the following petitions:

—For all bishops in our Church, that each may be encouraged by our prayers and support to lead God’s people in building a culture that respects the human dignity of all migrants, we pray to the Lord,

—For all Catholics, that God inspire them to act in their local communities to support and protect migrants and to advocate on their behalf, we pray to the Lord,

—For our neighbors, coworkers, friends, fellow Christians, and all people, that they may grow in their awareness of the issue of migration and become a voice in the public square calling for greater protections for these populations, we pray to the Lord,

—For migrants, refugees, and all other strangers in our midst, that they may find strength in our concern for justice and feel the warmth of our love, we pray to the Lord.

—For all refugees who are forced to flee from their homes, that God bring peace to them, their families and their country of origin, we pray to the Lord

#NMW2020 #justiceopportunitythursday #socialjustice #RefugeesWelcome #NMW

Photo Credit: Credit: CNS/David Maung