US Catholic Church begins National Migration Week

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National Migration Week 2018 takes place in the United States from January 7-13. This year's theme is: 'Many Journeys, One Family.'

Bishop Joe S Vásquez of Austin, chairman of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Migration said: "National Migration Week allows for reflection upon the biblical teaching concerning welcoming the newcomer and allows us to share the journey with our brothers and sisters who have been forced from their homes.

National Migration Week provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the contributions of migrants, including refugees, and victims of human trafficking in our communities.

With over 65 million people forcibly displaced from their homes globally, the world is increasingly affected by migration. National Migration Week offers a time to educate Catholic communities about migration and to come together to encounter immigrants and refugees in parishes, dioceses, and communities."

As part of the 2018 National Migration Week celebration, USCCB/MRS will be participating in an event at The Catholic University of America with the Institute for Human Ecology entitled 'On the Margins: At the Intersection of Catholic Thought and Migration' on January 11th. To register for the event in person, visit: https://theinstituteforhumanecology.com/event/margins-intersection-catholic-thought-migration/

To view livestream of the event visit: https://livestream.com/CatholicUniversity/events/8001597

Educational materials and other resources for National Migration Week are available for download at: www.justiceforimmigrants.org/take-action/national-migration-week.

Cardinal Daniel N DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, president of the USCCB said in a statement: "On Sunday, the Catholic Church across the United States will celebrate the beginning of National Migration Week. For nearly 50 years, this week has been a time of prayer and reflection on our history as a migrant Church and nation. In these five decades, the face of the immigrant may have changed - European, Asian, South American, and elsewhere - but their faces reveal a common desire to secure the great blessings of American opportunity.

Pope Francis, in his statement on the World Day of Peace on January 1, 2018, advises us that if we view the situation of migrants and refugees through the wisdom of our faith 'we discover that they do not arrive empty-handed. They bring their courage, skills, energy and aspirations, as well as the treasures of their own cultures; and in this way, they enrich the lives of the nations that receive them.'
This week, I invite everyone to reflect on the Holy Father's words as well as on your own family's immigration story. Please also join me in prayer for all families, as together, we 'Share the Journey. . . ' toward a better life."

This year's theme coincides with the Caritas Internationalis migration campaign entitled: 'Share the Journey.' For more information see: www.sharejourney.org