The Philippine Catholic Church is marking 40 years of National Migrants’ Sunday on Sept. 27 with a renewed call to protect migrants and refugees from trafficking, exploitation and other abuses.
Bishop Socrates Mesiona of Puerto Princesa, chairman of the CBCP Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, said migration remains a continuing reality requiring sustained Church support.
“The Church’s ministry to migrants and itinerant peoples will continue to be an integral part of her mission,” Mesiona said in a message for the celebration.
He said tighter entry requirements in many countries have made legal migration more difficult, leaving more people vulnerable to irregular or undocumented migration.
Mesiona cited stateless children and migrants at risk of human trafficking among those facing serious dangers, adding that these are among the hardships and injustices migrants experience today.
“Therefore, we cannot simply relax as we celebrate this remarkable milestone in our ministry,” he said.
The bishop urged the Church to renew its commitment to “welcome, protect, promote, and integrate” migrants and refugees while defending their dignity and supporting their families.
The first National Migrants’ Sunday was celebrated in 1986 to raise awareness in the Church and Philippine society about the issues facing overseas Filipino migrants and their families.
The annual observance also highlights the Church’s efforts to help migrants and their families cope with the social and personal effects of labor migration.
National Migrants’ Sunday coincides with the Catholic Church’s annual World Day of Migrants and Refugees. Originally celebrated in January, Pope Francis moved the observance to the last Sunday of September in 2019.
