BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//www.diocesepb.org//NONSGML kigkonsult.se iCalcreator 2.30.10// CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH UID:44826a5e-0437-41bf-8ff1-9565804c71f9 X-WR-CALDESC:From the USCCB Office of Public Affairs\n\nNational Migration Week Highlights “Overlooked Right” Not to Migrate\n \nWASHINGTON – The Cat holic Church in the United States will observe National Migration Week fro m September 18-24. Each year\, this week-long celebration culminates with the World Day of Migrants and Refugees\, established by the Holy See over 100 years ago and commemorated by Catholics across the globe. Throughout t his week\, the faithful and others of good will are encouraged to reflect on the challenges facing migrants\, refugees\, and others impacted by the complex phenomenon of forced displacement\, the ways these newcomers enric h welcoming communities\, and how we are each called to respond to them as members of the same human family. \n \nFor this year’s observance\, Pop e Francis selected the theme “Free to choose whether to migrate or to stay \,” underscoring the natural right not to emigrate from one’s homeland. Wh ile frequently overlooked within the U.S. immigration debate\, this right has long been an integral part of the Catholic Church’s social teaching on migration. Emphasizing the intersection between this right and the root c auses of forced displacement\, the Holy Father observed in his annual mess age: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/migration/docume nts/20230511-world-migrants-day-2023.html\n \n“The decision to migrate sho uld always be free\, yet in many cases\, even in our day\, it is not. Conf licts\, natural disasters\, or more simply the impossibility of living a d ignified and prosperous life in one’s native land is forcing millions of p ersons to leave.... Migrants flee because of poverty\, fear or desperation . Eliminating these causes and thus putting an end to forced migration cal ls for shared commitment on the part of all\, in accordance with the respo nsibilities of each.”\n \nAhead of National Migration Week\, Bishop Mark J . Seitz of El Paso\, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Migration\, issued the following statement: \n \n“For millennia\, people have been forced to flee their homelands\, seeking saf ety and security\, because of factors beyond their control. Pope Francis r eminds us that Sacred Scripture reveals the Holy Family’s own flight into Egypt was not the result of a free decision\, nor were many of the migrati ons that marked the history of the people of Israel. Through our belief in Jesus Christ\, we are compelled to respond with charity toward those who must uproot their lives in search of refuge\, but efforts to manage migrat ion—even when predicated on the common good—require that we also address t he coercive forces driving people to migrate. Only through collective effo rts to alleviate these forces and by establishing the conditions required for integral human development can people truly avail themselves of the ri ght to remain in their country of birth. May God\, through the intersessio n of Our Lady of Guadalupe\, sustain us in these pursuits and protect thos e whose lives depend upon their success.”\n \nVisit the Justice for Immigr ants website https://justiceforimmigrants.org/national-migration-week-2023 / for resources\, including a toolkit for National Migration Week to aid i n group discussions. Additional resources are available from the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. https://migrants-refu gees.va/world-day-of-migrants-refugees/\n \n###\n \nMedia Contact: \nChiek o Noguchi \n \nView this release on the USCCB website. https://www.usccb.o rg/news/2023/national-migration-week-highlights-overlooked-right-not-migra te\n \n \n X-WR-RELCALID:9a57f42260dc57d8c03ad90e53c422a7 X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/New_York BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:STANDARD TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20221106T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 RDATE:20231105T020000 RDATE:20241103T020000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20230312T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 RDATE:20240310T020000 RDATE:20250309T020000 END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT UID:0b2ed378-9356-4fb7-858f-3619e19ce8b1 DTSTAMP:20260504T135129Z DESCRIPTION:From the USCCB Office of Public Affairs\n\nNational Migration W eek Highlights “Overlooked Right” Not to Migrate\n \nWASHINGTON – The Cath olic Church in the United States will observe National Migration Week from September 18-24. Each year\, this week-long celebration culminates with t he World Day of Migrants and Refugees\, established by the Holy See over 1 00 years ago and commemorated by Catholics across the globe. Throughout th is week\, the faithful and others of good will are encouraged to reflect o n the challenges facing migrants\, refugees\, and others impacted by the c omplex phenomenon of forced displacement\, the ways these newcomers enrich welcoming communities\, and how we are each called to respond to them as members of the same human family. \n \nFor this year’s observance\, Pope Francis selected the theme “Free to choose whether to migrate or to stay\ ,” underscoring the natural right not to emigrate from one’s homeland. Whi le frequently overlooked within the U.S. immigration debate\, this right h as long been an integral part of the Catholic Church’s social teaching on migration. Emphasizing the intersection between this right and the root ca uses of forced displacement\, the Holy Father observed in his annual messa ge: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/migration/documen ts/20230511-world-migrants-day-2023.html\n \n“The decision to migrate shou ld always be free\, yet in many cases\, even in our day\, it is not. Confl icts\, natural disasters\, or more simply the impossibility of living a di gnified and prosperous life in one’s native land is forcing millions of pe rsons to leave.... Migrants flee because of poverty\, fear or desperation. Eliminating these causes and thus putting an end to forced migration call s for shared commitment on the part of all\, in accordance with the respon sibilities of each.”\n \nAhead of National Migration Week\, Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso\, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ ( USCCB) Committee on Migration\, issued the following statement: \n \n“For millennia\, people have been forced to flee their homelands\, seeking safe ty and security\, because of factors beyond their control. Pope Francis re minds us that Sacred Scripture reveals the Holy Family’s own flight into E gypt was not the result of a free decision\, nor were many of the migratio ns that marked the history of the people of Israel. Through our belief in Jesus Christ\, we are compelled to respond with charity toward those who m ust uproot their lives in search of refuge\, but efforts to manage migrati on—even when predicated on the common good—require that we also address th e coercive forces driving people to migrate. Only through collective effor ts to alleviate these forces and by establishing the conditions required f or integral human development can people truly avail themselves of the rig ht to remain in their country of birth. May God\, through the intersession of Our Lady of Guadalupe\, sustain us in these pursuits and protect those whose lives depend upon their success.”\n \nVisit the Justice for Immigra nts website https://justiceforimmigrants.org/national-migration-week-2023/ for resources\, including a toolkit for National Migration Week to aid in group discussions. Additional resources are available from the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. https://migrants-refug ees.va/world-day-of-migrants-refugees/\n \n###\n \nMedia Contact: \nChieko Noguchi \n \nView this release on the USCCB website. https://www.usccb.or g/news/2023/national-migration-week-highlights-overlooked-right-not-migrat e\n \n \n DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230918T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230924T235900 LOCATION: SUMMARY:National Migration Week END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR