US & Canada

Mgr Kevin Sullivan, Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York writes: Today is St Patrick's Day - a day to honour the foremost patron saint of Ireland and to celebrate the rich legacy of Irish heritage in the United States. Mercy Sister Christine Hennessy is a Catholic Charities Community Services social worker and proud Irish American. She has two families: first, t... Read More

Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland gave this homily for St Patrick's Day, in St Patrick's Cathedral, New York. Saint Patrick was a pilgrim of hope and in this Jubilee year of Hope I'm honoured to be with you In New York as a pilgrim of hope and bring you greetings from Armagh, the home of Saint Patrick. Thank you, Cardinal Dolan for your kind invitation and... Read More

Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland writes: I am sending my Saint Patrick's Day message for the Jubilee Year 2025 from Saint Patrick's Cathedral in New York where I have travelled on a "pilgrimage of hope". Our patron, Saint Patrick, lived his life as a "pilgrim of hope". Despite being trafficked into slavery in Ireland as a young teenager, with all the pain... Read More

On the Memorial of St Oscar Romero, Monday, 24 March at 6pm, in San Jacinto Plaza in downtown El Paso, Texas, the Hope Border Institute, Bishop Mark J Seitz of the Diocese of El Paso and local community leaders and organizations will hold a March & Vigil in Solidarity with Migrants. The March and Vigil will take place against the background of the closure of the US-Mexico border to asylum seek... Read More

On 3 March, Pax Christi USA joined a national coalition of 124 civil society organizations - including refugee, human rights, and humanitarian organizations - in signing a letter to members of Congress urging the US government to restore its funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), in line with the forthcoming UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act ... Read More

More than two dozen Christian and Jewish organisations, representing millions of Americans, have filed a lawsuit to stop the Trump administration's policy of allowing ICE (Immigration and Custom Enforcement) raids at places of worship. Faithful America state: "This is the biggest legal action yet in an ongoing battle to defend religious liberty from Trump's Christian nationalist power grab. The Ep... Read More

The 'Ecclesia in America Network' recently hosted a theological Congress on Synodality in America, focusing on promoting dialogue on themes of human mobility; ecumenism and interreligious dialogue; and new theological scenarios. The Congress is part of the Network's efforts to respond to Pope Francis' desire for increased collaboration between North and South America. According to the organization... Read More

As leaders of the Passionist Congregation - We are deeply committed to keeping alive the memory of the Passion of Jesus Christ. In this spirit, we are compelled to respond to the new United States administration's executive orders on immigration. While we affirm the importance of secure borders and condemn the violence committed by any member of our society, we call for policies that reflect the... Read More

Hundreds of Jewish public figures in the United States have condemned President Trump's proposal to "take over" and redevelop Gaza, saying this would amount to the ethnic cleansing of millions of Palestinians. On Thursday, 13 February, more than 350 rabbis and other Jewish public figures took out a full-page ad in the New York Times and used it to condemn President Trump's proposal. The ad reads: ... Read More

Canadian Jesuits International (CJI) has launched an appeal for donations for the critical work of its two Jesuit partners who have been affected by the US government's unprecedented freeze on foreign aid spending on January 24, 2025. At least nine life-saving and life-sustaining projects run by Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) affecting more than 100,000 forcibly displaced people in nine countries h... Read More

(Editor's note: We did publish this yesterday as part of a report - See: Pope encourages US Bishops to support migrants facing Trump clampdown but several readers have asked us to publish it again as a separate piece.) The full text of Pope Francis' letter to the US Bishops follows: Dear Brothers in the Episcopate, I am writing today to address a few words to you in these delicate moments that y... Read More

Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago has welcomed Pope Francis' letter to US Bishops on migration and is taking to heart the Holy Father's call for Catholics to develop rightly formed consciences. In an interview with Vatican Media, the Cardinal expresses gratitude for the encouragement voiced by the Pope in his letter to the Bishops of the United States, in which he expresses his support for their ef... Read More

Pope Francis has written to the bishops of the United States, expressing his support for their efforts to protect the rights and dignity of migrants. In a letter dated 10 February 2025, addressed to his brothers in the episcopate, Pope Francis acknowledges the work of US bishops in standing alongside migrants and refugees, he expresses support for efforts to uphold the fundamental dignity of every... Read More

In a message to members, Pax Christi USA states: Over the past few days, we have watched in shock as members of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) - which was formed by executive order and not affirmed by Congress - have taken unprecedented and unauthorized steps to control personnel and financial information at the Department of Treasury, and have shuttered the US Agenc... Read More