This annual observation serves as a poignant reminder of the millions of individuals and families forcibly displaced from their homes and the importance of durable protection mechanisms, such as the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, underscored the importance of refugee protection for the Catholic Church:

“On World Refugee Day, we reflect on the urgent need to promote the dignity and rights of refugees, as well as the positive contributions they make to our communities. As Catholics, we are called by the Gospel and Church teaching to embrace our brothers and sisters fleeing for their lives, offering them compassion, support, and solidarity. For generations, Catholics across the United States have embodied this through their commitment to refugee resettlement. In these efforts, we witness the resiliency of refugees, and we recognize in them a hope for new life, which resonates in the heart of every Christian. May this work of welcome continue to inspire within us a deeper awareness of our own journey toward everlasting life.”

Through its Department of Migration and Refugee Services (MRS), the USCCB is one of ten national resettlement agencies partnering with the federal government on USRAP. This is one of the ways in which the Catholic community in the United States answers Christ’s call to welcome the stranger and advances the Church’s concern for human life and dignity. 

For more information on World Refugee Day, please visit the Justice for Immigrants website. 

For more information on the USCCB’s work related to migration and refugee resettlement, visit www.usccb.org/migration.