Gambiaj.com – (WASHINGTON, DC) – The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington will hold a Reflection Procession and Mass on Sunday, September 28, 2025, to mark the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, an annual observance instituted by the Catholic Church to highlight the plight and resilience of those forced to leave their homes.
This year’s theme, chosen by Pope Francis — “Migrants, Missionaries of Hope” — invites the faithful to see migrants not only as people in search of safety and dignity but also as bearers of courage and renewal.
The program will begin with a pilgrimage at 2:30 p.m., starting from the Shrine of the Sacred Heart and concluding at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle, where Cardinal Robert McElroy, Archbishop of Washington, will lead the 5:30 p.m.
Mass. Organized in collaboration with the Jesuit Refugee Service, the procession seeks to lift prayers and solidarity for displaced communities worldwide.
But the observance comes at a time of intensifying debate and policy shifts on migration. Since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term in 2025, the United States has tightened enforcement at its borders, accelerated deportations, and expanded restrictions on asylum seekers.
While Trump has framed these measures as vital to national security and economic protection, faith leaders and human rights advocates argue they deepen the struggles of vulnerable people seeking refuge.
Globally, the situation is equally fraught. Conflicts in Sudan, Ukraine, and the Sahel have fueled fresh waves of displacement, while climate-driven migration from drought-hit regions in Africa, Asia, and Latin America continues to rise.
The United Nations estimates that more than 120 million people are now forcibly displaced worldwide — a record figure.
Against this backdrop, the Catholic Church’s annual commemoration takes on added urgency. “Migrants are not just victims of crisis,” said a Jesuit Refugee Service coordinator ahead of Sunday’s events. “They are also witnesses of resilience and hope, challenging us to reimagine our shared humanity.”
For the Archdiocese of Washington, the day is as much about prayer as it is about moral witness. By walking through the capital city in public reflection, the faithful will signal both solidarity with migrants and quiet resistance to the hardening of borders and rhetoric that define much of today’s migration politics.
