Cardinal McElroy: See migrants as our neighbours

By Linda Bordoni

Celebrating Mass on Sunday for the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Cardinal Robert McElroy urged Catholics to stand in “sustained, unwavering, prophetic and compassionate” solidarity with immigrants and refugees who are facing what he described as “an unprecedented assault” in the United States.

Presiding at the liturgy in the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C., the Archbishop of Washington reflected on the theme of this year’s procession, Hope amidst adversity, and linked it to the Gospel call to recognise migrants and refugees as “our neighbours.”

A moment of profound suffering

Cardinal McElroy noted that for more than a century, the Church in the U.S. has gathered annually to pray for and support migrants and refugees. But, he said, “this year is different”, pointing to what he called a “comprehensive governmental assault” designed to “produce fear and terror among millions” of undocumented men and women.

He expressed particular concern for the impact on families, describing policies that separate parents from children and force young people born in the U.S. to choose between their parents and the only country they have ever known.

“Our Catholic community here in Washington has witnessed many people of deep faith, integrity and compassion who have been swept up and deported in the crackdown which has been unleashed in our nation,” he said, thanking parishes and faith leaders for their ministry of “consolation, justice and support” in this challenging time.

Faith and resilience in the face of adversity

Addressing undocumented members of the Archdiocese, Cardinal McElroy praised their witness of “faith and family, hard work and sacrifice, compassion and love,” describing it as a reflection of Gospel values and of the noblest aspirations of the nation.

He stressed that their resilience “is founded upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ, whose cross symbolises at its core suffering amidst injustice, and the recognition that in our moments of deepest hardship, our God stands with us.”

Catholic teaching and the reality of enforcement

While acknowledging that nations have the right to control their borders and ensure security — a principle affirmed in Catholic social teaching — Cardinal McElroy underscored that the current enforcement measures go far beyond legitimate aims.

“What we are facing,” he said, “is a comprehensive campaign to uproot millions of families and hard-working men and women who have come to our country seeking a better life and contributing to society.” He described the strategy as one that “relies on fear and terror at its core,” aimed at depriving people of peace so that “in misery they will ‘self-deport.’”

The Good Samaritan and the question of neighbour

Turning to the day’s Gospel, the Cardinal reflected on the Parable of the Good Samaritan, highlighting the Samaritan’s decision to reject societal norms and recognise the wounded man as his neighbour.

“In the very same way,” he said, “for us as believers and citizens, our obligation regarding undocumented women and men is to ask ourselves: Are they truly our neighbour?”

He posed a series of questions, inviting the faithful to see in the daily lives of migrants — mothers raising children, fathers whose sons serve in the military, caregivers for the elderly, parish volunteers — the face of their neighbour and, ultimately, the face of Christ.

Standing in solidarity

Cardinal McElroy concluded by calling the Church to a stance of consolation, peaceful solidarity, courage and sacrifice in response to the current situation.

“As citizens, we must not be silent as this profound injustice is carried out in our name,” he said, warning against indifference and fear.

Citing Jesus’ question at the end of the parable,  “Which of these was neighbour to the robber’s victim?” he affirmed that there can only be one response for Christians: