Every year, the first Sunday of October is observed in the United States as Respect Life Sunday. This year, the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV has also designated the weekend of Oct. 4–5 as the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR) and the Jubilee of Migrants. This gives Catholics in the United States the opportunity to reflect on the fact that the situation of migrants and refugees is very much a life issue.

The primary theme for this year’s WDMR is “Migrants, Missionaries of Hope,” which highlights “the courage and tenacity of migrants and refugees, who bear witness daily to hope for the future despite difficulties” (Pope Leo XIV, World Day of Migrants and Refugees, July 25, 2025). In solidarity with the Holy Father, the Church in the U.S. observes National Migration Week from Sept. 22–28, 2025. This week will use the same theme as WDMR and will emphasize the ways in which this theme and its application to the migration question is important for the Church in the United States.

Since Oct. 4–5 is also Respect Life Sunday in the U.S., it gives us an opportunity in our context to reflect on the connections among the themes of hope, respect for the life of the unborn, and respect for migrants and refugees. Pope Francis taught that "Each human being is a child of God. They bear the image of Christ, and they have a dignity that is theirs, not because of what they have or do, but because they are human" (Dignitas infinita, no. 11).

Pope Leo XIV has published a beautiful message for the 2025 World Day of Migrants and Refugees. It is a brief letter that does a nice job of weaving together the themes of hope, migration, and mission. He points out that millions of people leave their homelands in search of refuge elsewhere, and the world needs to respond with a sharing of responsibility, multilateral cooperation, the pursuit of the common good, a spirit of solidarity, and a recognition of the dignity of all as children of God. This letter can be found online at www.vatican.va.

Pope Leo teaches that Catholic migrants and refugees can become missionaries of hope in the countries that welcome them. He says, “with their spiritual enthusiasm and vitality, they can help revitalize ecclesial communities. … Their presence, then, should be recognized and appreciated as a true divine blessing, an opportunity to open oneself to the grace of God, who gives new energy and hope to his Church.” Here in the Diocese of San Angelo, I find this to be very true. I am grateful for the presence of new immigrants in our parishes, and I encourage all parishioners to help our immigrant brothers and sisters to become fully integrated into the life of the community.

Although the WDMR typically occurs on the last Sunday of September, this year it will take place on Oct. 4–5 to coincide with the Jubilee of Migrants. Therefore, on the weekend of Oct. 4–5, 2025, I will offer two public Masses that will celebrate the theme of World Day of Migrants and Refugees:

• Saturday, Oct. 4, Mass at 5:00 p.m. at Holy Trinity Parish in Big Spring
• Sunday, Oct. 5, Pro-Life Mass at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Parish in San Angelo

Everyone is welcome to these liturgies, when we will observe the Jubilee of Migrants along with the universal Church. We will pray for a greater respect for the precious gift of life of all people, born and unborn, native and migrant.

There are many ways that any local parish can celebrate the Jubilee of Migrants on the weekend of Oct. 4-5. One simple way is to include prayers of the faithful focused on the theme of this Jubilee. More ideas and resources can be found on the USCCB Jubilee Year webpages, available in English at www.usccb.org/committees/jubilee-2025 and in Spanish at www.usccb.org/es/committees/jubileo-2025.

In preparation for this jubilee, individuals, families, and parishes could take the opportunity to study the lives of saints who intercede in a special way for migrants. These would include Our Lady of Guadalupe, who is known as the patron saint of the Americas, migrants, and refugees; St. Frances Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants; St. Josephine Bahkita, the patron saint for victims of human trafficking and modern-day slavery; and St. Toribio Romo, who is venerated as the patron saint of immigrants in Mexico.

This is also a good occasion for all of us to meditate personally on the words of Christ in Matthew 25:31–46. In this passage, Jesus teaches us that, in welcoming the stranger, we are actually welcoming Christ himself, who will say in the Last Judgment, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Mt 25:35). In the end, we will be judged according to how we have responded to the stranger in need.

As we prepare for the Jubilee of Migrants, it is helpful to review the fundamental principles of the Catholic Church regarding immigration. Here is a concise summary of our teachings:

1. Human beings have a natural human right to emigrate (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2241).

2. Immigrants ought to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying out civic burdens (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2241).

3. Every country has the right and responsibility to maintain the integrity of its borders and the rule of law. This includes the regulation of immigration.

4. Immigration should be an orderly process that respects the laws of each country involved — the sending country, the countries of transit, and the receiving country.

5. Those who enter a country, seek refugee settlement, or apply for immigration status, should be screened in order to protect the common good.

6. We do not advocate the breaking of the law. We do advocate for laws that respect basic human rights. Governments have a legitimate role in intercepting unauthorized migrants who attempt to enter. Governments should create laws which include both a secure border and a humane immigration policy.

7. Migrants should be protected against exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking.

8. Those who seek asylum should be given due process which respects their basic human rights.

9. The right of reuniting families should be respected and promoted (Holy See, Charter of the Rights of the Family, art. 12).

10. The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2241).

11. Nations should work together to address the root causes that lead to migration. Those countries that are losing their citizens to emigration need to address the injustices and violence that cause their people to despair and leave, so that people may have a chance to prosper in their own homelands and support their families with dignity and peace.

The Catholic Church is a worldwide faith which has existed since long before the establishment of modern nations. Membership in the Catholic faith does not require citizenship in any particular country. When a member of the Catholic faith comes to one of our parishes to pray or receive the sacraments, we do not ask them their immigration status. Such a matter is immaterial to their ability to receive God’s grace.

Many of our Catholic people in the United States have been impacted by a current climate of fear and intimidation caused by the implementation of a new Department of Homeland Security directive revoking the "protected areas" status of houses of worship. These policy changes send a chilling message to our immigrant communities and create an environment of fear that could prevent people from seeking the spiritual support they need and accessing their fundamental rights of religious liberty. Human beings have a basic human right to practice their religion according to the dictates of their own conscience.

A house of worship should be a place where people can come to pray and receive the sacraments without fear of intimidation or detention. The U.S. government’s longstanding policy of avoiding ICE arrests in protected areas such as churches — which included exceptions for national security reasons and extreme circumstances — has recognized the importance of these spaces for human well-being and community stability. I call upon government leaders at all levels to maintain respect of protected areas to ensure that immigrants and their families can access their rights, live without fear, and fulfill their basic needs, including the practice of religion.