Our 111th World Day of Migrants Celebration took place on October 5 at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. It was a wonderful occasion to come together, and lift up our prayers and our voices for all those displaced by conflict, persecution, harsh economics, hunger, violence and more.
The celebration started with a procession around the cathedral, carrying banners calling for the humane treatment of migrants and refugees. As the procession entered the Cathedral, High School students read testimonies from migrants around the world.
Mass was presided by Archbishop Weisenburguer, who commended our efforts. expressed his heartfelt gratitude and shared his previous experiences as a bishop of Tucson, AZ working alongside immigrants at the Mexico-US border. The music was by the Ugandan Catholic Community of Michigan Choir, the Ste. Anne de Detroit Choir, the St. Gabriel Marimba Ensemble and the Sacred Heart Choir. Prayers of the faithful were read in Spanish, Italian, French, Gaelic and Luganda. The offertory included symbols from around the world, representing the ongoing struggles faced by migrants. At the end of Mass, Archbishop blessed our delegation heading to the bi-national gathering of immigration advocates at the Arizona-Mexico border.
Following Mass, we gathered in the cathedral courtyard to share food from diverse cultures and participate in meaningful one-on-one dialogues.
We are immensely grateful to everyone who participated and continues to support our mission. We are also extremely grateful to Archbishop Weisenburguer, for his blessing, support and his encouraging and affirming words.
“I’m deeply grateful for Strangers No Longer; yours is one of the extraordinary works both by the Church and for the Church”
- Archbishop Weisenburguer
Learn more about it at this the Detroit Catholic article here.
Comments are closed