On September 29, 2024, the Church around the world celebrated the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, taking up Pope Francis' call to walk with our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters, in whose faces we recognize “the face of Jesus who became a guest and a pilgrim among us.”
Many dioceses on all continents organized marches, prayers and celebrations to be close to the most vulnerable and to witness that truly “God walks with His people!” Watch the video:
The Church has celebrated the World Day of Migrants and Refugees since 1914. It has always been an occasion to show concern for the different categories of vulnerable people on the move, to pray for them as they face many challenges, and to raise awareness about the opportunities offered by migration.
Pope Francis decided a few years ago that it should be celebrated on the last Sunday in September, and in 2024, 110 years after its creation, the World Day of Migrants and Refugees was celebrated on September 29, with the theme “God Walks with His People,” which is also the title of Pope Francis' message for the day.
The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development accompanied the launch and dissemination of this message with a special communication campaign: Pope Francis himself had invited all men and women of good will to “walk together, with the most vulnerable, with Jesus.” Watch the video:
To support the Holy Father’s “call to action”, the Dicastery has produced several materials in different languages: a handbook for organizing a step-by-step walk with migrants and refugees, World Day celebration kits, and images and in-depth videos, including two videos on the Atlantic and Central American migratory routes.
Dioceses around the world, bishops' conferences, and the different realities of the local churches responded to this call with enthusiasm and creativity, as can be seen in the video posted on the Dicastery's channels about a month after WDMR2024: some organized a marathon with migrants, others a prayer vigil, others a simple moment of conviviality.
Since the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Francis has been encouraging us to create “spaces of encounter,” occasions in which we can look our neighbor in the eye and recognize in his face that of Jesus... we hope that the World Day of Migrants and Refugees will increasingly become an opportunity to grow in fraternity!
If the World Day of Migrants and Refugees was also celebrated in your local community/diocese/church, please send photos/videos/testimonies to communication@humandevelopment.va, let's continue to “map” the fraternity!
