We, the Roman Catholic Bishops in Michigan, write to offer our continued pastoral and prayerful support for migrant individuals and families who over the course of time have entered the country and today are making a living in this state. Our fraternal closeness to you and other immigrants, refugees, and those seeking humanitarian asylum is rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, where we find “I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me… Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:35,40).
We hear and empathize with families across the state who express anxiety and fear over mass deportations and harmful rhetoric that broadly demeans our immigrant brothers and sisters. As shepherds of our flocks, we pledge amid such uncertainty to promote through the Michigan Catholic Conference and in our respective dioceses unyielding support and respect for the human dignity of all migrant people in our midst.
We urge our elected officials to support policies that keep immigrant and undocumented families safe and united, and to protect those who arrived as children. We call on the Michigan congressional delegation to work for a humane immigration system that welcomes refugees and immigrants by providing a fair pathway to citizenship; one that also keeps borders safe and secure from criminal activity, including human trafficking and the smuggling of illegal drugs.
Mindful of the dire conditions from which many travel, oftentimes with children through great difficulty and despair, we encourage you, our migrant brothers and sisters, to be strengthened by our Lord’s words “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you… Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27). Never fail to keep your faith and hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, who promises a divine kingdom that we strive to inherit and together call our true home.
With abundant love and trust, we ask Our Lady of Guadalupe to hear the cries of the suffering and offer to her maternal compassion and protection all who seek her heavenly intercession.
In Christ,
Most Rev. Allen H. Vigneron, Archbishop of Detroit
Most Rev. Earl Boyea, Bishop of Lansing
Most Rev. Arturo Cepeda, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit
Most Rev. John F. Doerfler, Bishop of Marquette
Most Rev. Robert Fisher, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit
Most Rev. Robert D. Gruss, Bishop of Saginaw
Most Rev. Edward M. Lohse, Bishop of Kalamazoo
Most Rev. Jeffrey Monforton, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit
Most Rev. David J. Walkowiak, Bishop of Grand Rapids
Prayer for Migrants and Refugees Lord Jesus, when you multiplied the loaves and fishes, you provided more than food for the body, you offered us the gift of yourself, the gift which satisfies every hunger and quenches every thirst! Your disciples were filled with fear and doubt, but you poured out your love and compassion on the migrant crowd, welcoming them as brothers and sisters.
Lord Jesus, today you call us to welcome the members of God’s family who come to our land to escape oppression, poverty, persecution, violence, and war. Like your disciples, we too are filled with fear and doubt and even suspicion. We build barriers in our hearts and in our minds.
Lord Jesus, help us by your grace,
To banish fear from our hearts, that we may embrace each of your children as our own brother and sister; To welcome migrants and refugees with joy and generosity, while responding to their many needs; To realize that you call all people to your holy mountain to learn the ways of peace and justice; To share of our abundance as you spread a banquet before us; To give witness to your love for all people, as we celebrate the many gifts they bring. We praise you and give you thanks for the family you have called together from so many people. We see in this human family a reflection of the divine unity of the one Most Holy Trinity in whom we make our prayer: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.