Just days ahead of Pope Francis’ Dec. 2-6 visit to Greece and Cyprus, both he and the Cypriot ambassador to the Holy See have issued statements highlighting, among other things, the urgency of the migration issue for the island nation and the broader Mediterranean region.
President Joe Biden officially raised the refugee admissions cap for the fiscal year that ends September 30 to 62,500, touting it as an essential — if currently unachievable — step for his administration to take.
Months ago, 11-year-old Romeo Cox in Italy secretly hatched a plan to somehow visit his grandmother Rosemary in England. Romeo and his granny hadn’t seen each other in a year and a half when the coronavirus pandemic struck. So, he repeatedly asked his parents if he could walk to see her because he missed her.
The chairman of the U.S. bishops’ migration committee told a House subcommittee Sept. 23 that any stimulus bill Congress is considering must include assistance for immigrant and refugee families and also make them eligible for past stimulus relief.
Millions of refugees fleeing conflict are facing the prospect of another disaster: The spread of COVID-19.
Pope Francis releases his message for the 105th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which is commemorated on Sunday, September 29, 2019.
The lowest number in the history of the U.S. refugee admissions program has been set for 2019 by the Trump administration.
In a video message two years ago marking the 35th anniversary of the Jesuit Refugee Service welcome center in Rome, Pope Francis spoke directly to refugees and said “Each one of you refugees who knock on our doors has the face of God and is the body of Christ.”
The U.S. has drastically cut the numbers of refugees it will accept, causing the reduction and closure of Catholic resettlement programs nationwide.
Pope Francis has kicked off a two-year “Share the Journey” campaign to encourage Catholics to break down barriers of fear and build bridges with migrants and refugees. In response, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is calling for a National Week of Prayer, Oct. 7-14.
