World Day of Migrants and Refugees
We mark the World Day of Migrants and Refugees on Sunday, 26 September. We are urged to pray for and offer practical support to our neighbours around the world.
In his message for the 107th commemoration of the day, Pope Francis wrote on the theme “Towards an Ever Wider ‘We’”. The Pope encourages us to reject the temptation to create literal or metaphorical barriers with other people, and to instead recognise the barriers that exist due to individualism or nationalism.
“The truth however is that we are all in the same boat and called to work together so that there will be no more walls that separate us, no longer others, but only a single ‘we’, encompassing all of humanity”, Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis said the Holy Spirit “enables us to embrace everyone, to build communion in diversity, to unify differences without imposing a depersonalised uniformity”.
“In encountering the diversity of foreigners, migrants and refugees, and in the intercultural dialogue that can emerge from these encounters, we have an opportunity to grow as Church and to enrich one another.”
The Church in Australia is enriched by migrant communities, many of whom came to our shores as refugees across recent decades.
The World Day of Migrants and Refugees is also an opportunity for us to offer sincere appreciation for all those in our local Church communities who courageously deal with the issues that arise from their generous commitment to supporting migrants and refugees.
May we all pray for the generosity of heart that Pope Francis calls for as we seek the wider ‘we’.
Remember also the Holy Family - Mary, Joseph and Jesus - who were required to leave their home and flee to safety in Egypt.
Message from the Pope for the 107th commemoration of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees Sunday (PDF 227.3KB)
www.acmro.catholic.org.au