At a Sept. 25 Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle marking the 108th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Washington Auxiliary Bishop Mario Dorsonville – the chairman of the Committee on Migration of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops – issued a call to solidarity, understanding, and assistance to people who are on the move and arriving in this country after being forced to flee their homelands as a result of wars, devastation by natural disasters, social violence, and human trafficking by criminal organizations.
Concelebrating the Mass were Metropolitan Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia; Msgr. John Enzler, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington; and Msgr. Ronald Jameson, the cathedral’s rector.
“We are all witnesses of the harsh realities that people coming to this country face in their search for peace, and for an opportunity to live with dignity for themselves and for their families. It is time to act out of love and in accordance with the teachings of the Gospel as Pope Francis has said. He exhorts us to commit ourselves to building a future that embraces God’s design, so that no one is left behind,” Bishop Dorsonville said in his homily.
He also emphasized that all Christians are called to be instruments of peace and that demonstrating solidarity with refugee families makes it possible to live in brotherhood.
“We cannot remain silent in the face of the drama that millions of people are going through in the world. Let us seize this opportunity to accompany those who come seeking refuge with our actions and prayers and help those who are looking forward to starting a new life in peace,” Bishop Dorsonville said.
The bishop said that when Pope Francis calls for “building the future with migrants and refugees,” he means that people must do their part to build a just and humane society where migrants and refugees are welcomed.
Before the end of the Mass, Archbishop Gudziak, offered a reflection on the dire situation that millions of Ukrainian citizens are going through as a result of the war with Russia, emphasizing that too many have lost their lives and many others have had to seek refuge in friendly countries.
“On behalf of my country I thank all of you for your prayers, your humanitarian assistance, and solidarity shown Ukrainians who have come to the United States. Here in Washington we have all witnessed the many stories of refugees, who are finding here a chance to get ahead. Let us always uphold the dignity of migrants. Let us continue to pray for refugees around the world,” Archbishop Gudziak emphasized.
He also had words of comfort for the people of Puerto Rico, Haiti, and several Caribbean islands that have recently been ravaged by hurricanes and floods.
Msgr. Jameson expressed gratitude to Ambassadors Francisco Campbell of Nicaragua and Alfonso Quiñones of Guatemala, as well as representatives from the Peruvian, Argentinian, and Honduran Consulates for attending the Mass on behalf of their respective countries.
“I am grateful for the presence of diplomatic envoys at this Mass to commemorate the 108th World Day of Migrants and Refugees. The Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle has its doors always open to welcome those who seek refuge and solace in the bosom of Mother Church,” Msgr. Jameson said.
Guatemalan Ambassador Quiñones and his wife Gabriela del Rosario Palacios Labbe, representing the Hispanic Diplomatic Corps accredited in Washington, were designated to carry the offertory gifts during the Mass.
Many families, especially from Latin America and Africa, were present at the cathedral attending the special Mass for refugees.
(Miguel Vivanco is the assistant editor of the Spanish-language El Pregonero newspaper and website of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, and this article for El Pregonero was translated into English for the archdiocese’s Catholic Standard website.)
