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Migrant Welcome Project Builds on Meetings of Mediterranean Bishops

Source: Società per l’Informazione Religiosa

We are called to transform sorrow into hope, the Secretary General of the Italian Episcopal Conference said last week in presenting “Taking Care – A Family for Every Community”, a project aiming to involve the Bishops’ Conferences in the Mediterranean region in welcoming people on the move.

U.S. Bishops Propose Meeting with Administration on Migration

Source: Vatican News

U.S. Bishops have proposed meeting face-to-face with the president and vice-president to discuss immigration issues, the head of the U.S. Episcopal Conference said in a recent Italian TV interview. Archbishop Timothy Broglio also stressed the need for dialogue with legislators about policy reform.

Supporting Refugees Is “Ministry of the Church,” Say U.S. Bishops

Source: Catholic News Agency

Serving refugees “remains a work of mercy and ministry of the Church,” U.S. Bishops said about their decades-long partnership with the U.S. government’s resettlement program. Their 26 January statement noted that federal funding the Church receives covers only part of the costs of their support for refugees.

DRC: Mass Displacement and “Catastrophic” Humanitarian Situation

Source: Crux

Intense fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in recent months has displaced over 200,000 people, moving the Bishops’ Conference in the DRC to organize a day of prayer for peace together with the government. “The humanitarian situation is catastrophic,” said Msgr. Donatien Nshole.

Church in Mexico Vows to Continue Serving Migrants

Source: Catholic News Agency

The Church in Mexico will continue to assist and support migrants, the Episcopal Conference said in a statement in response to executive orders by U.S. President Donald Trump targeting immigration at the southern border. “We are convinced that, united, we can offer hope.”

U.S. Bishops Condemn Trump’s Immigration Orders

Source: National Catholic Reporter

U.S. Bishops condemned Donald Trump’s executive orders on migration, saying they will harm the most vulnerable. Measures like the closure of the southern border to asylum-seekers and attempts to end birthright citizenship “raise urgent moral and human concerns,” said migration lead Bishop Mark J. Seitz.

Spanish Bishop: Migrants Have Positive Impact on Host Societies

Source: ACI Africa

Migrants enrich and foster greater understanding in host societies, Bishop Fernando García Cadiñanos underlined in a recent public lecture in Cape Verde. A shift from a threat-based narrative to one of interculturality is needed, said the head of the Spanish Episcopal subcommittee for migration.

Israel–Hamas Ceasefire Is Chance to Save Lives, Restore Dignity

Source: OSV News

ICMC members in the region have welcomed news of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. “A chance to save lives and restore human dignity,” Caritas Jerusalem said, while the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land spoke of “a necessary step to meet urgent humanitarian needs.”

U.S. Bishops Issue Guidelines for Immigration Reform

Source: Catholic News Agency

The U.S. Episcopal Conference urged a humane approach to immigration reform, balancing border regulation with respect for human dignity. In guidelines issued on 6 January, the Bishops called for limiting detention, expanding legal migration pathways, and addressing drivers of forced migration.

Ethiopia: Displacement, Irregular Migration Mark Tigray Region

Source: The Irish Catholic

Hundreds of thousands of people displaced by war in Tigray in northern Ethiopia still are unable to return home two years after fighting ended, Bishop Tesfasellassie Medhin told the Irish Catholic. He lamented the lack of development funds to stop young people from migrating, at risk of trafficking.

Pope’s Prayer for January Focuses on Migrants’ Right to Education

Source: Catholic Review

Respecting the right of migrant children to an education benefits both migrants and broader society, Pope Francis said in a video with his monthly prayer intention for January 2025. He urged Catholics to pray with him that all children “regardless of their immigration status” could attend school.

U.S. Bishops Lament Racism, Xenophobia Towards Migrants

Source: Catholic Culture

U.S. Episcopal committees focusing on migration issues were among those that issued a recent statement condemning racism and xenophobia towards migrant communities and people of color. Such “sinful ideologies … are antithetical to these core teachings of our Christian faith,” the Bishops said.

EU Bishops Advocate Safe Return for Forcibly Displaced in Syria

Source: Vatican News

In an 11 December statement after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) called for internally displaced persons to be able to return safely to their homes. Earlier they reaffirmed their support for rebuilding efforts.

Syria: Catholics in Homs Support Forcibly Displaced from Aleppo

Source: Agenzia Fides

The Church in Homs, Syria, has set up two centers to receive people fleeing renewed attacks on Aleppo, Archbishop Jacques Mourad told Agenzia Fides. He said efforts were underway to secure food, bedding, and fuel for those forcibly displaced, who “are thirsty, hungry, cold and have nothing left.”

Irish Bishops Name Welcome for Migrants as Core Election Issue

Source: Catholic News Agency

In a statement ahead of Ireland’s elections on 29 November, Irish Bishops called for politicians to address pressing economic and social issues like housing and racism to ensure a more compassionate welcome for migrants. They said fair and more timely processing of asylum claims was also needed.

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ICMC provides assistance and protection to vulnerable people on the move and advocates for sustainable solutions for refugees and migrants.