“We come from distant lands; we have different traditions, skin color, languages and social backgrounds; we think differently and we celebrate our faith in a variety of rites. None of this makes us enemies; instead, it is one of our greatest riches.”
— Pope Francis
“Contrary to the vision of the Kingdom of God that Jesus proclaimed, many who seek to migrate are suffering and dying. Also, human rights are often abused, families separated and racist and xenophobic attitudes remain. The bishops seek to awaken their people to the mysterious presence of the crucified and risen Lord in the person of the migrant and to renew in them the values of the Kingdom of God as proclaimed by Jesus.”
— Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope (2003)
A pastoral letter concerning migration: Catholic Bishops of Mexico and the United States
“Every human being has the right to freedom of movement and of residence within the confines of his own country; and, when there are just reasons for it, the right to emigrate to other countries and take up residence there.”
— Saint John XXIII, Pope - Pacem in Terris, 1963 encyclical
“Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Second World War. This presents us with great challenges and many hard decisions. On this continent, too, thousands of persons are led to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunities. Is this not what we want for our own children? We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation.”
— Pope Francis, address to joint session of US Congress, September 24, 2015
Here are songs to follow Pope Francis’ call for inclusivity and a celebration of the richness of the Catholic church and society, especially in these times when there is so much division in our nation.
