‘Bless each act of welcome and outreach that draws those in exile into the “we” of community and of the Church,
Pope Francis
so that our earth may truly become what you yourself created it to be:
the common home of all our brothers and sisters.’
Latest News
I announce to you a great joy: We have a Pope!
The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Robert Francis Prevost, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, who has taken the name Leo the Fourteenth.
(OSV News) — The “urbi et orbi” blessing given by Pope Leo XIV after his election May 8, 2025.
“Peace be with you all!”
Beloved brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the Good Shepherd who has given his life for the flock of God. I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, reach your families, to all people, wherever they may be, to all peoples, to all the earth.
“Peace be with you!”
This is the peace of the Risen Christ, a disarmed peace and a disarming peace, humble and persevering. It comes from God, God who loves us all unconditionally. We still retain in our ears that weak but always courageous voice of Pope Francis blessing Rome!
The pope blessing Rome gave his blessing to the world, to the whole world, that morning of Easter Day. Let me follow up on that same blessing: God loves us, God loves you all, and evil will not prevail! We are all in God’s hands. Therefore, without fear, united hand in hand with God and each other — let us go forward. We are disciples of Christ. Christ goes before us.
The world needs His light. Humanity needs Him as the bridge to be reached by God and his love. Help us also, and then help each other to build bridges, with dialogue, with encounter, uniting us all to be one people always at peace. Thank you Pope Francis!
I also want to thank all my brother cardinals who have chosen me to be Successor of Peter and walk together with you, as a united Church always seeking peace, justice, always seeking to work as men and women faithful to Jesus Christ, without fear, to proclaim the Gospel, to be missionaries.
I am a son of St. Augustine, an Augustinian, who said, “For you I am a bishop, with you, I am a Christian.” In this sense we can all walk together toward that homeland that God has prepared.
To the Church of Rome, a special greeting! We must seek together how to be a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges, dialogue, always open to receive, like this square, with open arms. Everyone, everyone who needs our charity, our presence, dialogue and
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About Us
The Office for Pastoral Care for Migrants and Refugees (PCMR) facilitates the ecclesial integration and full participation of immigrants, refugees, migrants, and other ethnic groups in the life of the Church. The Archdiocese provides pastoral care to Catholics of diverse ethnic backgrounds through ethnic or personal parishes and through apostolates, which provide liturgical services and care to Catholics of various languages, cultures, and rites. In particular the office ministers to Asian, African, European, Caribbean, Brazilian, and Native American Catholics.
In the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, we have mass in 17 languages other than English or Spanish. The office currently supports Catholic immigrant and ethnic Church communities made up of people who come from the following countries: Brazil, Haiti, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, France, Italy, Ireland, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Francophone Africa, Liberia, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, China, Korea, Indonesia, and the Philippines. In addition the Office supports Native American Catholics and seafarers who temporarily stop in our shipping ports for their work. The Office is happy to collaborate with Priests, Religious, and lay people to address needs of communities who are newly arriving and may not currently not be supported by any ministerial outreach.
The main ministerial responsibilities for the Director are:
1. To make sure that each PCMR community has a priest that speaks their language and knows their culture and that each community has a parish to call home
2. To serve as a link between the Archdiocese and the PCMR communities to ensure that the communities are invited to, welcomed, and able to participate in any activity or ministry of the Archdiocese
3. To develop relationships with the PCMR priests, Religious Sisters, Deacons, lay leaders and community as a whole to know better their ideas, desires, and needs and how we can collaborate to bring them to reality
4. To create opportunities and space where the PCMR communities can share their talents, goodness, and gifts of faith and culture to build up the entire Church of Philadelphia
5. To act as a reference person for other social needs, linking people to needed services including immigration support and English and citizenship classes.
Latest News
- Through the 'Support for U' program, Ukrainian newcomers receive help with applying for Social Security cards, finding housing, and obtaining an employment authorization cards among other assistance.
- Under the new rules, Venezuelans who cross the border illegally are being be deported to Mexico, a move that will have "an immediate impact" on border communities, said Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso.
- Welcoming those fleeing their nations due to war, poverty, natural disasters and other risks is essential to loving God and neighbor, said retired Philadelphia Auxiliary Bishop Edward Deliman at an annual Mass honoring migrants and refugees.
- Sending migrants to out-of-state cities, as two governors have so far done, "destroys society and shows how low individuals can (stoop) for personal gains," said San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller.