On November 13, the feast of the patron saint of immigrants -- Mother Frances Cabrini -- some 50 events around the country will show Catholics supporting immigrants.
These events are a follow up to around 60 similar events that took place on October 22.
The wave is part of the “One Church, One Family” initiative, sponsored by the Ignatian Solidarity Network in partnership with numerous Catholic organizations, notably including the US bishops' conference.
The mission behind these events is simple. “We call on all Catholics, " the website reads, “to witness to the richness of our traditions and teachings on migration.”
While the individual events take many different shapes -- from silent witnesses to prayer vigils -- the vision remains the same:
As Catholics and people of deep faith, we reject the culture of fear and silence that dehumanizes, and we choose instead to stand with migrants. Together, our voices will send a powerful message in defense of the dignity of our neighbors, family members, fellow parishioners, classmates, coworkers, and friends. We are one church. One family.
Image of the Holy Family
“We are One Body, One Family” said one hand-made sign at an event in St. Louis, where about 200 people showed up to show their solidarity with immigrants. Parishioners attended Mass at their own parishes and then made a pilgrimage to St. Pius V, a parish with a large immigrant population, located in a business district with many immigrant-owned businesses. Participants held up welcoming signs, sang songs, and held a prayer service.
Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey, is a for-profit detention center that has a contract with ICE. Advocates say that with its profitability, it is known for its inhumane conditions. Some 150 Catholics gathered for a prayer vigil, including Bishop Manny Cruz who reminded participants that immigrant families are an image of the Holy Family.
“This is what we need to see,” he said, holding a depiction of the Holy Family as migrants, “to finally have compassion.”
Why Catholics support immigrants
Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso referred in a welcome letter about the “troubling escalation in immigration enforcement across the United States.”
He said, “I have witnessed the crushing strain that these enforcement practices have had on migrants and their families who live in my diocese. I have seen those whom I care about deported or leave out of fear that they will soon be detained, held in detention, and sent to another country.”
“The Catholic Church has long stood with migrants and refugees, affirming their inherent dignity and the sacredness of family unity,” Bishop Seitz continued. “Scripture commands that we welcome the stranger, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked. We cannot remain silent while members of our communities suffer. Now more than ever, we are called to be a voice of hope, mercy, and solidarity.”
"One Church, One Family" explains that there are over 10 million undocumented people in the United States. Many are related to U.S. citizens, are employed, pay taxes, and even own their own businesses. The threat of detention and deportation as well as the risk of exploitation, finances, and family separation is ever present.
According to "One Church, One Family,"
The Church has long supported a legalization process that would provide an opportunity for many migrants who are here in an irregular status to adjust and become legal residents. For this reason, policy advocacy is an important component in the effort to support migrant populations, but it is not enough.
It is also critical that Church leadership and the laity provide a visible and vocal witness to the inherent dignity of all migrants and provide accompaniment and support to them in their daily struggles. Extending an invitation for people of faith to draw nearer to the realities and walk alongside migrants — not as a one-time act, but as an ongoing journey of compassion.
Looking forward
Fr. Patrick Delahanty was in Washington, D.C., when Pope Francis visited and spoke about Dr. Martin Luther King.
“Dr. King's focus,” Fr. Delahanty explains, “in uplifting the socially and economically oppressed mirrors the commitment of Catholic Social Teaching to serve the vulnerable.”
One way Fr. Delahanty is asking local Catholics to live out Catholic Social Teaching is to participate in a Candlelight Vigil for Immigrant Justice on November 13 at Our Mother of Sorrows Parish in Louisville, Kentucky.
“Thus, we act to stand in solidarity with them as Jesus is in solidarity with them. Non-violent public witness fulfills a baptismal call to work for a just and compassionate society.”
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