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The Italian Episcopal migrant commission has joined forces with the NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans to rescue migrants in distress at sea. The first joint search and rescue mission with a support boat financed by the Bishops’ Conference left port on Friday with an intercultural mediator onboard.

The Episcopal migrant commission in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei met recently to explore ways to enhance the Church’s response to migrants and refugees. The event, which included a webinar organized by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, spotlighted the need for collaboration.

The Episcopal bodies of North America, Central America and the Caribbean focused on caring for people on the move will unveil a charter to guide the Church’s accompaniment of migrants and refugees at the local and regional level, the Bishops announced after the tenth meeting on human mobility.

Rising violence is forcing more and more people to flee Myanmar, but there is a severe funding shortfall for the global joint response, says the Catholic-inspired aid body CAFOD. Caritas Bangladesh is among the agencies providing essential services to Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar camps.

The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) Commission for Migrants introduced CCBI Mission 2033, a plan to engage parishes throughout the country in meeting the spiritual and social needs of migrants, at a recent seminar. The event focused on creating a society that welcomes migrant workers.

Many Catholics are among those forcibly displaced by the conflict in Sudan, the Adjunct General Secretary of the Sudanese Bishops’ Conference told Vatican News from South Sudan where he has sought refuge. Despite the challenging conditions, the local Church is striving to assist those on the move.

Bishops in England and Wales have condemned the “appalling” acts of violence against people on the move as anti-immigrant protests have rocked the country over the past week. Lead migration Bishop Paul McAleenan assured newcomers that the Church would continue to extend the hand of welcome.