Washington D.C., Jan 11, 2017 / 00:04 am
Catholics should be working to create a "culture of encounter" that shows charity and empathy to immigrants, said leaders of the U.S. bishops in a message this week.
"Our brothers and sisters who are forced to migrate suffer devastating family separation and most often face dire economic conditions to the point they cannot maintain a very basic level of living," said Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston and Archbishop José H Gomez of Los Angeles.
"Refugees flee their countries due to war and persecution which inspires them to risk everything for an opportunity to live in peace."
Cardinal DiNardo is the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Archbishop Gomez is the vice-president. Their message was released for National Migration Week, a time set aside for reflection on the struggles, benefits, and shared realities of migrant families.