Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe to be a Day of Prayer and Solidarity with Families of Immigrants
WASHINGTON—A Day of Prayer with afocus on the plight of refugees and migrants will take place across the UnitedStates on December 12, 2016, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It will be a time to place before a mercifulGod the hopes, fears, and needs of all those families who have come to the U.S.s
WASHINGTON—A Day of Prayer with afocus on the plight of refugees and migrants will take place across the UnitedStates on December 12, 2016, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It will be a time to place before a mercifulGod the hopes, fears, and needs of all those families who have come to the U.S.seeking a better life.
"As Christmas approaches andespecially on this feast of Our Lady, we are reminded of how our savior JesusChrist was not born in the comfort of his own home, but rather in an unfamiliarmanger," said Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, archbishop of Galveston-Houston andpresident of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). "To allthose families separated and far from home in uncertain times, we join with youin a prayer for comfort and joy this Advent season," Cardinal DiNardo added.
Prayer services and special Masses will be held in many dioceses across thecountry as the Catholic Church continues to accompany migrants and refugees seekingan opportunity to provide for their families. If you are unable to attend orthere is not one near you, Catholics are invited to offer prayers wherever theymay be. For example, the United StatesConference of Catholic Bishops' office of Migrant and Refugee Services (MRS) hasalso developed a Scriptural Rosary entitled "Unity in Diversity" that includesprayers for migrants and refugees at https://www.justiceforimmigrants.org/documents/Scriptural-Rosary-Eng.pdf.
"So many families are wondering how changes toimmigration policy might impact them," said Archbishop José H. Gomez of LosAngeles, vice-president of the USCCB. "We want them to know the Church is withthem, offers prayers on their behalf, and is actively monitoring developmentsat the diocesan, state, and national levels to be an effective advocate ontheir behalf."
In the coming days, the USCCB will be developingadditional pastoral resources, reflecting the active collaboration of various USCCBCommittees whose mandates touch on the concerns of migrants and refugees. These efforts will continue to follow thebasic principles contained in StrangersNo Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope, the 2003 pastoral letter issuedjointly by the bishops of the United States and Mexico. A pamphlet introducingand summarizing this document is available in both English (https://www.usccb.org/about/migration-and-refugee-services/national-migration-week/upload/Broch-Eng-15-31-04-2.pdf)and Spanish (https://www.usccb.org/about/migration-and-refugee-services/national-migration-week/upload/Broc-Sp.pdf).# # # MEDIA CONTACT: JudyKeane O: 202-541-3200 ----Keywords: U.S. Conference of CatholicBishops, USCCB, Day of Prayer, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Cardinal DanielN. DiNardo, Archbishop José H. Gomez, migrant and refugee services,Advent, mercy, unity, solidarity.
"As Christmas approaches andespecially on this feast of Our Lady, we are reminded of how our savior JesusChrist was not born in the comfort of his own home, but rather in an unfamiliarmanger," said Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, archbishop of Galveston-Houston andpresident of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). "To allthose families separated and far from home in uncertain times, we join with youin a prayer for comfort and joy this Advent season," Cardinal DiNardo added.
Prayer services and special Masses will be held in many dioceses across thecountry as the Catholic Church continues to accompany migrants and refugees seekingan opportunity to provide for their families. If you are unable to attend orthere is not one near you, Catholics are invited to offer prayers wherever theymay be. For example, the United StatesConference of Catholic Bishops' office of Migrant and Refugee Services (MRS) hasalso developed a Scriptural Rosary entitled "Unity in Diversity" that includesprayers for migrants and refugees at https://www.justiceforimmigrants.org/documents/Scriptural-Rosary-Eng.pdf.
"So many families are wondering how changes toimmigration policy might impact them," said Archbishop José H. Gomez of LosAngeles, vice-president of the USCCB. "We want them to know the Church is withthem, offers prayers on their behalf, and is actively monitoring developmentsat the diocesan, state, and national levels to be an effective advocate ontheir behalf."
In the coming days, the USCCB will be developingadditional pastoral resources, reflecting the active collaboration of various USCCBCommittees whose mandates touch on the concerns of migrants and refugees. These efforts will continue to follow thebasic principles contained in StrangersNo Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope, the 2003 pastoral letter issuedjointly by the bishops of the United States and Mexico. A pamphlet introducingand summarizing this document is available in both English (https://www.usccb.org/about/migration-and-refugee-services/national-migration-week/upload/Broch-Eng-15-31-04-2.pdf)and Spanish (https://www.usccb.org/about/migration-and-refugee-services/national-migration-week/upload/Broc-Sp.pdf).# # # MEDIA CONTACT: JudyKeane O: 202-541-3200 ----Keywords: U.S. Conference of CatholicBishops, USCCB, Day of Prayer, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Cardinal DanielN. DiNardo, Archbishop José H. Gomez, migrant and refugee services,Advent, mercy, unity, solidarity.
