Catholic News

A Mass in recognition of all immigrants is celebrated at Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 23, 2025 / 17:59 pm (CNA).

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has launched the "Cabrini Pledge" intended to help Catholics in "witnessing to the God-given dignity of every person, including the migrants and refugees in our midst," as the Catholic Church in the U.S. observes National Migration Week. 

Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas, introduced the pledge in a video message, imploring U.S. Catholics to join the effort.

"With one voice, we proclaim every person, regardless of where they are born, is created in the image of God and has an inherent dignity that deserves respect," Seitz said, noting this sentiment guided the ministry of Mother Francis Xavier Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants. 

"By signing this pledge, you make an intentional commitment to living out the Gospel, not an abstraction, but through acts of solidarity that affirm the inherent dignity of every person," he continued. "Through prayer, encounter, and civic engagement, we can transform fear into compassion and create a world where no one feels less than human because of their immigration status."

"The history of the U.S. Catholic Church, like the history of the United States itself, is very much intertwined with the phenomenon of migration," the USSCB also stated.

In the "Cabrini Pledge: An Invitation to be Keepers of Hope," the bishops invite America's Catholics to follow the example of Cabrini, an Italian immigrant who "accompanied her fellow immigrants and others living on the margins of society with a great missionary zeal."

The pledge includes seven parts, including a promise to affirm the human dignity of every person regardless of immigration status or country of origin, to encourage civic dialogue about policymaking grounded in the Church's understanding of human dignity, and to join Pope Leo XIV in praying for all migrants and refugees. 

"As Catholics, we are called to recognize the face of Christ in each person we encounter, especially the poor and vulnerable," the bishops said. "The Gospel and the social teaching of the Church continually affirm the equal dignity of every person, irrespective of race, nationality, or immigration status."

"The Cabrini Pledge is both a reminder of our immigrant heritage and a call to deeper engagement with our faith in response to current events," the USCCB added.

While "political divisions and reasonable disagreements about immigration policy" pervade across the country, the bishops continued, "by witnessing to the God-given dignity of every person, including the migrants and refugees in our midst, we pave the way for an approach rooted in mercy, justice, and the common good."

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