“Catholics must think about migrants and refugees with the mind of Christ, and not the way that we are trained to think about them: as a ‘problem,’ as a ‘political issue,’” said Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, during the Mass for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle on September 29, 2024.
The Mass was sponsored by the Office of Cultural Diversity and Outreach of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.
“We know how close to the heart of Pope Francis migrants and refugees are. So, let me assure you that the Holy Father is spiritually close to you also, as you celebrate the Eucharist together,” Cardinal Pierre said in his homily during the 110th celebration of the day of prayer and solidarity.
“With the mind of Christ, when we think of migrants and refugees, we remember that they are people who have God within them. As the pope says, they are ‘an extension of the mystery of the Incarnation,’ which means: they are God-with-us’”, Cardinal Pierre continued.
In the presence of hundreds of parishioners, as well as representatives from the clergy and the diplomatic corps, Pierre said that “because they are migrants and refugees- people who are away from home, moving through the world and seeking a new home - they represent all of us.”
The World Day of Migrants and Refugees, celebrated by the Church since 1914, offers an opportunity to express concern for vulnerable individuals on the move, to pray for them as they face numerous challenges, and to raise awareness of the opportunities that migration can bring.
“We are all away from our true homeland, which is heaven, and we are journeying through a world that holds hope but also many dangers,” Cardinal Pierre said. “This is the life of a migrant, a refugee; it is our life.”
This year, the day of prayer and reflection took place during the second session of the Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod on Synodality, scheduled in Rome Oct. 3-27. The synod views migrants as a representation of the Church on the move, under the theme “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission.”
The pope urged the Church to actively seek paths toward synodality, enabling everyone to journey together in genuine communion and fraternity. “When we don’t identify with migrants and refugees, we have forgotten who we are," said Cardinal Pierre.
“Meeting migrants, taking time for them, listening to them, will lead us to encounter Christ who lives in them. They teach us and help us, by bringing us back to the reality of who we really are: pilgrims on a journey, exiles from our true home, who are seeking a path that will lead to a loving welcome, to full belonging,” he noted.
Millions of people now live outside their home countries, many of whom have been compelled to do so, becoming a symbol of a Church in motion. In them, “we can encounter Christ” who walks alongside us.
“This is what we are doing in this Eucharistic celebration. When we talk about Christ’s presence in the Eucharist, we must open our eyes to the reality that he is present in each person who celebrates the Eucharist," the prelate added.
“We must recognize Christ in each other, especially in the poor, the migrant, the refugee, and the person who is treated as the ‘least.’ In that person, we will encounter Christ. In that person, we will also encounter ourselves. For we are all exiles. We are all on a journey. And we all need Christ and each other, to lead us to our true home,”’ concluded Cardinal Pierre.
Alongside Auxiliary Bishops Roy Campbell and Evelio Menjívar, the concelebrants of this Eucharist included Msgr. Juan Antonio Cruz Serrano, the permanent observer of the Holy See to the Organization of American States, and Monsignor W. Ronald Jameson, rector of the cathedral.
While thanking Cardinal Pierre for his participation, Bishop Menjívar said “your presence here to deliver this message about migrants and refugees is very significant,” adding that it “resonates with me, as I am also an immigrant.”
Jesús García, a Guatemalan usher at St. Bernard of Clairvaux and Our Lady of Fatima parish in Riverdale, Maryland, who attended the Mass at the cathedral, said that “as a parishioner and server, one feels supported, receives assistance from fellow parishioners, and fosters a sense of brotherhood, which makes integration into this society easier.”
He added, “We need to support newcomers, assist them in any way we can, and encourage them to attend our church."
García said that, as a Central American, he takes great pride in Bishop Menjivar’s consistent “sensitivity toward migrants… because he is one of us.”
Garcia’s companion, Jonathan Damaso, also from Guatemala, said that “as an immigrant, it’s comforting to realize that we are not alone and that we have the Church’s support to help us settle and achieve a dignified and prosperous life here, which is often challenging in our home countries.”
