The 110th World Day of Migrants and Refugees is celebrated on Sunday 29 September. Pope Francis’ message invites us to ‘see in the migrants of our time, as in those of every age, a living image of God’s people on their way to the eternal homeland’. For this reason, the encounter with the migrant, as with every brother and sister in need, “is also an encounter with Christ”. As Christians we are called to welcome the stranger and look for opportunities to welcome those are migrants, refugees or seeking asylum in our local communities.
Caritas Diocese of Plymouth will be holding an event in Exeter at Sacred Heart Parish rooms on Thursday 26 September from 6-8pm which will explore how we can create a culture of welcome. We are pleased to be joined by Yogi Sutton from the Catholic Association for Racial Justice. All are welcome to attend and you can register here.
We encourage all parishes to use Pope Francis’ prayer for refugees in his message this year and to consider his suggestions for a step-by-step itinerary on his chosen theme: God walks with His people.
Caritas Diocese of Plymouth initiated a Refugee and Migration Project in 2023 in response to the Love the Stranger document by the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales, which calls us to consider the individual behind every migration statistic and to see ourselves in every person leaving their homeland in search of a safer life. The aim of the project is to find ways to build on the great work already being done in many parishes across the Diocese to engage with people seeking asylum, those with refugee status and migrant workers, to open our hearts and share a culture of welcome. If you would like to report concerns, suggest actions or arrange a parish visit to talk about issues relating to the project, please contact Alex, Caritas Plymouth Refugee and Migration Project Lead, mailto:alexandra.miranda@prcdtr.org.uk