Pope urges International Catholic Migration Commission to care for displaced children

By Isabella H. de Carvalho

As nations struggle with humanitarian challenges and a decline in funding for international assistance, Pope Leo XIV said the Church must continue her mission to care for migrants and refugees, especially children.

The Pope made the call in a video message released on November 10 and to the Council of the International Catholic Commission for Migration (ICMC), as it holds its Plenary Meeting, taking place in Rome on November 10-12.

This year marks the ICMC's 75th anniversary, as it was founded in 1951 by Pope Pius XII, Cardinal Montini (later Pope Paul VI) and American layman James Norris.

 “I urge you to persevere in your noble and important mission of strengthening the Church’s services to welcome, protect, promote and integrate migrants, refugees and returnees,” he highlighted, adding that he prayed in particular that their efforts would “help find new ways to care for displaced children.”

Since the number of displaced children “tragically continues to grow, it is necessary to work with their countries of origin in order to remove the causes that compel them to flee, while also offering them protection and welcome in the countries of transit and destination.”

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The Council represents national Bishops’ Conferences and local Churches from countries across the world and it is meeting to reflect on the global situation of human mobility and the challenges the Church faces in responding.

In his message, Pope Leo encouraged the ICMC to continue advocating for the respect of migrants and refugees’ God-given dignity, while working with other faith-based organizations and civil society.  

Importance of fostering understanding, dialogue and solidarity

Pope Leo XIV recognized in his address that their meeting takes place during a difficult time period, as “wars, violence, injustices, natural disasters and widening social and economic inequalities are forcing millions of people to flee their homes and nations.”

This creates “humanitarian and social challenges” in countries of origin, transit and destination, which are also exacerbated by a decline in funding for international protection and assistance, he explained.

He thus insisted that this makes fostering the values of “understanding, dialogue and solidarity,” even more important and encouraged the ICMC in its mission.

Citing his Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi Te, the Pope recalled that “in every rejected migrant it is Christ himself who knocks at the door.”