Guest Column: On the Care of Migrants

By Guest

The column below was published in the latest Sunday bulletin of St. Oscar Romero Parish and reprinted with permission from the author.

Dear Friends,

“The family of Nazareth in exile, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, emigrants in Egypt and refugees there to escape the wrath of an ungodly king, are the model, the example and the consolation of emigrants and pilgrims of every age and country, of all refugees of every condition who, beset by persecution or necessity, are forced to leave their homeland, beloved family and dear friends for foreign lands.”

In his February 10, 2025, Letter to the Bishops of the United Sates, Pope Francis quoted the above from the Apostolic Constitution on the Care of Migrants, which Pope Pius XII promulgated in 1952.

This letter was heartily welcomed by many of my fellow Boston priests with whom I was recently on retreat. Many serve communities in our Archdiocese who are greatly concerned about the disruptive effect any potential mass migration effort could have on their families and communities.

While recognizing the right of a nation to secure its borders and remove those who have committed serious crimes, a well-formed conscience cannot disregard basic precepts of Christian charity and love.

Let us prayerfully reflect on the words of Pope Francis in his recent letter: “I exhort all the faithful of the Catholic Church, and all men and women of good will, not to give in to narratives that discriminate against and cause unnecessary suffering to our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters. With charity and clarity we are all called to live in solidarity and fraternity, to build bridges that bring us ever closer together, to avoid walls of ignominy and to learn to give our lives as Jesus Christ gave his for the salvation of all.”

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Tom Rafferty,

Pastor, St. Oscar Romero Parish

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