O Lord, the gospel and its long tradition require Your Church to promote and defend the human rights and dignity of people on the move, to advocate social remedies to their problems, and to foster opportunities for their spiritual and religious growth. We pledge ourselves to resist injustices against newcomers, to assist them in their need, and to welcome them into our nation and our community of faith as fellow pilgrims on the journey to the Father. Let it be our duty and our privilege to respond in this way to the biblical injunction: "The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself." (Leviticus 19, 34) Amen.National Conference of Catholic Bishops
