EDUCATION

The Catholic Church has a longstanding tradition of welcoming the stranger and caring for the vulnerable. When it comes to immigration, the Church’s position has not wavered in recognizing people’s rights to migrate, alongside a country’s responsibility to protect its borders, and continues to insist that these realities be met with compassion, always upholding human dignity. We encourage the faithful to learn more about the Church’s rich teaching on immigration, including its roots in the long-standing tradition of the Church, and its relevance at this particular time in history.

“Together may we be pilgrims of hope in these challenging times, a voice for the silenced and a refuge for the vulnerable.” – Bishop Patrick Neary, C.S.C.

Bishop Patrick Neary shares multiple messages regarding  immigration with the faithful of the Diocese of Saint Cloud.

WATCH THE VIDEO MESSAGE FROM BISHOP NEARY TO THE LATINO COMMUNITY (2026) >>

WATCH THE VIDEO MESSAGE FROM BISHOP NEARY (2025) >>

 

The United States Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Office of Migration and Refugee Services works with immigrant and refugees as an official resettlement agency of the United States. Through the pastoral and legal experience of these resettlement efforts, they offer valuable resources regarding the Church’s legacy of welcoming and justice-seeking around immigration, rooted in the Scriptures and upheld in the rich tradition of the Catholic social teachings.

Learn more about Migration and Catholic Teaching

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Justice for Immigrants is a ministry of the US Catholic Bishops that invites the faithful into engaged learning, prayer and action around issues of immigration in the U.S. by providing resources from Papal teachings on migration, to resources to celebrate National Migration Week, to action alert sign-up’s. 

Visit the USCCB Justice for Immigrants website: https://justiceforimmigrants.org/

Take the Cabrini Pledge, an invitation to be keepers of hope in the current migration reality. 

 

“Migrants and refugees remind the Church of her pilgrim dimension, perpetually journeying towards her final homeland, sustained by a hope that is a theological virtue.”

—Pope Leo XIV, Message for the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees

We call upon all people of goodwill, to welcome the newcomers in their neighborhoods and schools, in their places of work and worship, with heartfelt hospitality, openness, and eagerness both to help and to learn from our brothers and sisters of whatever religion, ethnicity, or background.” (Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity, 2000)

In 2024, the 168 independent Catholic Charities agencies across the United States served more than 16 million people in need.  Learn more about several Frequently Asked Questions regarding CCUSA’s Migration Network and their work with migrants and the Gospel imperative behind their service.

 

The Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the Minnesota Bishops, offers resources on various issues important to our Church and the state in which we live, including issues and resources around migration. 

The current moment of immigration

As the needs of immigrants and the reality of our nation continues to change, Church leaders locally, nationally and globally have spoken on immigration and called for the response of the faithful as well as elected officials at this time in history.

The Catholic Church is committed to defending the sanctity of every human life and the God-given dignity of each person, regardless of nationality or immigration status.

Most Reverend Mark J. Seitz, D.D., Diocese of El Paso

“Attention must be called to the rights of migrants and their families and to respect for their human dignity, even in cases of non-legal immigration.”

Saint Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia in America