Just as we are about to begin our year of welcoming the stranger, the Catholic bishops of the United States have designated today, December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, as a national day of prayer for migrants and refugees.

Below are excerpts from Archbishop Gomez’s statement of concern about impending immigration policies:

This day of prayer comes at a time of fear, unrest and uncertainty in our country – especially for our immigrant brothers and sisters who are undocumented, and their children and loved ones.

Everyone agrees that our immigration system is broken – and it has been for more than a decade. The blame cuts across party lines and we cannot find many examples of moral leadership or political courage to point to.

We are deeply concerned about the president-elect because of his drastic campaign promises regarding deportations.

 

Undocumented immigrants have become a kind of “scapegoat,” an easy target to blame for broader problems in our economy and society.

Many of our neighbors today rightly feel vulnerable and unprotected – they are worried about jobs, wages, the decline of their communities, the threat of terrorism, the security of our borders. We cannot simply dismiss their concerns or label them as nativists or racists, as some have. What our neighbors are worried about is real and we need to take their concerns seriously.

To read Archbishop Gomez’s entire article, click here.

For a collection of prayers for Migrants from the USCCB, click here.