Accompaniment and Pastoral Care
It is important that Church leadership support clergy, lay leaders, and parish communities in providing pastoral care and accompaniment to immigrants—whether ministering to those detained and their families navigating the immigration system or walking with farmworkers through practical, pastoral, and spiritual support that upholds their God-given dignity. Below are some suggested resources and activities you can use in your own dioceses to accompany migrants.
Become an Immigrant Advocate
Villanova’s Interdisciplinary Immigration Studies Training for Advocates is a 100% online interdisciplinary educational program that trains students to become immigrant advocates ready to serve migrants and refugees as they traverse the legal immigration process. Start your journey to become an immigrant advocate today!
Migrant Accompaniment Network
The JRS/USA Migrant Accompaniment Network is a growing movement of solidarity, rooted in faith and compassion. It invites Jesuit-affiliated organizations, religious congregations, churches, ministries, migrant-serving groups, and committed individuals to walk alongside migrants and asylum seekers as they navigate the challenges of migration and the legal system in a new land.
Immigrant Detention Ministry
In recent years, immigration detention in the U.S. has reached record levels.Along with numerous human rights organizations and advocacy groups, the U.S. Catholic church continues to demand that policy reforms take place in order to address major concerns with immigration detention. Learn more about immigrant detention and what you can do in response.
Catholic Volunteer Network
Catholic Volunteer Network fosters and promotes full-time domestic and international faith-based volunteer service opportunities for people of all ages, backgrounds, and skills. As the leading membership organization of Christian volunteer and mission programs, we support and enhance the work of our members through volunteer recruitment, training and resources, networking opportunities, and advocacy. Learn how you might engage CVN to recruit volunteers for your work with migrants.
A Model for Accompaniment and Pastoral Care
FAITH: Faithful Accompaniment in Trust and Hope
FAITH is a pilot project launched by Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, the San Diego Catholic Diocese, and San Diego Organizing Project. It is an ecumenical ministry Grounded in bearing witness, building trust and providing pastoral care for individuals and families during their immigration court hearing.
This program empowers priests, deacons, religious leaders, and lay persons of faith to accompany immigrants in this very vulnerable moment of their lives. As we know, many migrants showing up for court appearances have been arrested there at the court building. While we cannot change this reality, we can at least pray for them, stand with them, and accompany them. If pertinent to your diocese, please consider establishing a court accompaniment program to help migrants and their families during this process.
