Pray For Refugees and Migrants

World Day of Prayer

For

Refugees & Migrants

“When I was a stranger, you welcomed me.”

Mt. 25:35

Many peoples around the world have left their homelands where they are oppressed, persecuted and live in fear for their lives and the lives of their families.  Join us in praying today for those children, women and families seeking asylum, safety and protection, especially those at our own borders. Let us pray and act on their behalf and for the restoration of our country’s practice of compassion, mercy and welcoming spirit.  Let us respond to the least, the lost and the last who come to our shores, to our borders.

Reflect with this PowerPoint:

Pray          

Let Us See

Dear God, our journey through life is long and hard.

We cannot make this trip alone; we must walk together on the journey.

You promised to send us a helper, your Spirit.

Help us to see your Spirit in those you send to journey with us.

In the refugee family, seeking safety from violence, Let us see your Spirit.

In the migrant worker, bringing food to our tables, Let us see your Spirit.

In the asylum seeker, seeking justice for himself and his family,

Let us see your Spirit.

In the unaccompanied child, traveling in a dangerous world, Let us see your Spirit.

Teach us to recognize that as we walk with each other, you are present.

Teach us to welcome not only the strangers in our midst but the gifts they bring as well: the invitation to conversion, communion, and solidarity.

This is the help you have sent, we are not alone.

We are together on the journey, and for this we give you thanks.

Amen.

Action

Five Ways To Help Stop Family Separation

1.   Pray: You can find a prayer for migrant children here.

2.   Speak Up:

·      Contact your senators and representative directly by phone to voice your concern. You can find the number for your representative here and your senators here.

·      Publish a letter to the editor or opinion piece in your local paper—It will help build political support and your MOC will see it.

3.   Take Action:

·      Contact your local Catholic Charities affiliate to learn about their material/volunteer needs.

·      Consider fostering an unaccompanied child.

·      Join the Share the Journey global solidarity campaign with migrants and refugees.

4.   Give: To support agencies that are helping families and children impacted by the crisis.

·      21 Catholic Charities agencies assisting unaccompanied children.

·      Help the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) protect families.

5.   Learn More:

·      Read JFI’s backgrounder on the Cost of Family Separation.

·      Visit JFI’s “Family Separation Resource Webpage".

·      Read the DHS/HHS Resource Sheet for Families.

·      See JFI’s list of quotes from Catholic Bishops.

·      View JFI’s  webinar to learn more about this issue.

Review this step by step checklist for social workers working with unaccompanied children.