Migrants, Missionaries of Hope: a Catholic response to migration
Online event: recording available
“…I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” (Matthew 25:35)
Caritas Plymouth hosted an online talk for the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, celebrated this Jubilee year on 4-5th October 2025. We are living at a time of great international turbulence, with conflict, persecution, climate change and poverty leading to over 123 million people forced to migrate in search of safety and the chance to survive and thrive.
Reflecting the interconnectedness of migration, international aid and the work of welcoming communities, Alex Miranda from Caritas Plymouth, Richard Sloman from CAFOD’s Bangladesh Programme and the John Paul de Quay from The Ecological Conversion Group explored some of the reasons causing people to leave their homes in search of safety and security, and the dangers of exploitation facing them. The message, however, is one of hope: we as individuals have the power to make a positive impact, by making informed lifestyle choices, supporting organisations helping people to flourish in their homelands, creating welcoming parishes and communities.
Bishop Paul McAleenan’s message.
In his message for the Jubilee of Migrants, Bishop Paul McAleenan, Lead Bishop in the UK for Migrants and Refugees, said: “It is our obligation to try and understand why migrants appear among us; our duty is to care for those who seek refuge in our country.”
The Popes’ messages
Pope Francis chose the theme, Migrants, missionaries of hope, saying of migrants and refugees: “They bear witness to hope for the future despite difficulties. It is the hope of happiness beyond borders that leads them to entrust themselves totally to God.”
Pope Leo echoed this, reflecting that “…migrants and refugees are recognized as brothers and sisters, part of a family in which they can express their talents and participate fully in community life”, entrusting them “to the maternal protection of the Virgin Mary, comfort of migrants, so that she may keep hope alive in their hearts and sustain them in their commitment to building a world that increasingly resembles the Kingdom of God, the true homeland that awaits us at the end of our journey.”
Compassion is rooted in a regard for the dignity and sanctity of all human life, the foundation of Catholic Social Teaching. We are called to build bridges, not walls, as we remember that behind the statistics, each migrant has a name, a face, a story, hopes and dreams.
But what can I do?
Alex, John Paul and Richard would like to ask you how you will share the message of hope and welcome, and explore faith-inspired positive actions. Here are some ideas for you in your parish:
- Plan an international meal
- Organise a talk from a refugee charity
- Find out about befriending or hosting people seeking sanctuary
- Fundraise for a refugee charity
- Campaign for change with refugee charities: eg. Jesuit Refugee Service
- Ask local refugee charities if they need practical donations, eg food, toiletries
- Donate to and consider volunteering for CAFOD
- See if your parish could apply for the LiveSimply award
- Shop or bank ethically; check out https://thegoodshoppingguide.com
- Explore The Ecological Conversion Group’s ‘Building a Caring Community’
- Plan actions for the Feast of St Bakhita (Feb), Refugee Week (June), World Day of Migrants and Refugees (Sept)
- Share Caritas Plymouth’s newsletter items about refugees and migrants
- Hold a parish reflection on Caritas’ Jubilee action themes
- Pray for peace, care for creation, migrants and refugees
Caritas Diocese of Plymouth is here to help. Please contact Alex Miranda, Refugee & Migration Project Lead, at caritas@prcdtr.org.uk if you wish to discuss further how we can follow the call of the Bishops, the Popes and the Gospel to Love the Stranger.