God walks with His people: Message of Pope Francis

Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2024

“God walks with His people”, is the title chosen by Pope Francis for his Message for the upcoming World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR), which will be celebrated on Sunday, September 29, 2024.

In this message, the Holy Father reminds us that all of us, God’s people, are migrants on this earth, on our way to the “true homeland”, the Kingdom of Heaven. Migrants are a contemporary icon of this people on a journey, of the Church on a journey, and at the same time, it is in them and in all our vulnerable brothers and sisters that we can encounter the Lord who walks with us.

For this reason, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (DPIHD) is promoting a communication campaign in preparation for the WDMR2024 in which it invites all people of goodwill to organize initiatives with migrants, refugees, vulnerable people... Here is the new video of the campaign, in which Pope Francis asks all of us to walk TOGETHER, with the most vulnerable, with Jesus:

As Fr. Fabio Baggio, undersecretary of the DPIHD, suggests in the video, the idea is to walk a piece of the road together, with our community, parish, and diocese, also involving all the inhabitants of the "existential peripheries" that Pope Francis encourages us to welcome. To this end, the DPIHD is preparing support material for these initiatives that can take the form of meditative walks, moments of reflection in stages, prayer vigils... the important thing is not to leave anyone behind.

All the material (post charts, step-by-step itinerary aids, WDMR celebration kits...), in several languages, will be available HERE:

download the materials

The Church around the world walks alongside the most vulnerable, alongside those in whom it encounters the Risen One. For example, the “Atlantic Hospitality” project consists of a network of more than 30 dioceses between Europe and Africa work together to accompany migrants and refugees.
Even in the Darien jungle (between Colombia and Panama) the situation is very critical, with people arriving daily in distress. The Church in Central America has organized itself to provide material and spiritual support to the migrants.
Watch the videos:

Presentation of the message

Pope Francis' message for the 110th World Day of Migrants and Refugees was presented on the morning of 3 June 2024 at the Holy See Press Office. The press conference was addressed by the Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Cardinal Michael Czerny S.J., the Executive Secretary of the International Union of General Superiors (UISG) and delegate to the XVI General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Sr Patricia MURRAY, I.B.V.M., the executive director of the Scalabrinian Agency for Development Cooperation (ASCS), Emanuele Selleri, and a survivor of trafficking, cultural mediator and president of ‘Weavers of Hope’, Blessing Okoedion.

I have chosen the theme “God walks with His people” for the #WDMR2024. Let us take our most vulnerable brothers and sisters by the hand, recognize in them the face of Jesus, and share a part of the road together! @vaticanIHD https://t.co/XhvsK93i4W
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 3, 2024