The Church has a rich heritage of hospitality and pastoral concern for immigrants, migrants, and refugees. During the celebration of National Migration Week which begins on Sunday, January 6, we remember and stand up for those in our midst who have come to the United States from other countries.
Focused on the theme From Many, One Family of God, this is an opportunity to better educate ourselves and others regarding the plight of those who seek refuge, safety, and a better way of life for their families when they immigrate to the United States.
This issue of To Teach provides ideas and strategies for understanding and implementing the Church’s call to welcome and walk with all, even the strangers among us.
Help your students better understand the plight of immigrants and refugees by using the text from the bulletin inserts called From Many, One Family of God in your morning or afternoon announcements.
Plan a school-wide liturgy or prayer service during the month of January. Use the ideas for liturgists and prayer leaders included in the From Many, One Family of God parish kit.
Distribute copies of We Are Called to Practice What We Teach to all staff and school board members. This brochure describes church teaching as it relates to helping refugees and the ways that communities can become involved.
Commit time to exploring the ways in which your staff and board can be more welcoming to children and families who are settling in your immediate area. Talk with your pastor and parish staff to find out how the school can support the parish’s efforts.
Send your board members a “thank you” for their service to the school using the Unity in Diversity note cards. These note cards featuring unique artwork on the theme of unity in diversity come in sets of eight cards with envelopes.
Post quotes on welcoming the stranger in our midst in your classroom on large sheets of newsprint so they are visible to all students. Begin each class day by discussing one of the quotes and its implications.
Distribute one copy of the Journey to Justice prayer card to your students. At the conclusion of each class session, invite the students to pray the prayer together.
Begin a Justice for Immigrants Campaign with your students. Download the campaign kit which is designed to unite and mobilize a growing network of Catholic institutions, individuals, and other persons of good faith in support of a broad legalization program and comprehensive immigration reform.
Invite a newly sworn-in citizen of the United States to speak to your class about the requirements for becoming a citizen.
Distribute copies of the Justice for Immigrants wristbands. Practice a short, one or two sentence response that the children can give when they are asked, “What is Justice for Immigrants?”
Invite your students to draw a picture or bring in a photo of their ancestors who immigrated to the United States. Using construction paper and other art supplies, create a “quilt” of the pictures to hang in the classroom. Ask the children to share stories of their ancestors’ experiences coming to the United States.
Ask your students to bring in pictures or stories from newspapers, magazines, or the Internet as local and national political candidates discuss the issue of immigration. Invite them to share the pictures or stories and highlight how the Church would respond to the candidate and his or her position. Use the Catholic News Service, Origins, and the USCCB's media relations office as resources for what the Church teaches on the subject.
As a family, locate biblical accounts of migration (e.g., Gn 20, Ex 13:17-14:31, or Mt 2:13-23) and discuss the challenges that these people of Scripture faced moving to a new land and new homes.
Research local agencies or organizations that provide support and services to immigrants and refugees. Consider volunteering as a family to help one of those agencies.
Write a letter from your family to your Congressional representative with your concerns regarding the government’s position on the issue of immigration. Review the tips for writing your representative.
Plan a cultural fair for your local neighborhood. Invite neighbors of various ethnic backgrounds to present games, dances, foods, stories, and cultural artifacts.
Have your family create a “bill of rights” by which they would want to live. Take the time to compare these rights with the rights (or lack thereof) for migrants, refugees, and immigrants in other countries in the news.
"Forming Adult Faith" is an ongoing feature of To Teach. It includes suggestions from the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults (USCCA) on how to promote ongoing faith formation among the adults in your school community.
Each chapter from the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults addresses an element of Catholic faith. The following chapters touch on different aspects of the theme, "Walking with Christ."
Chapter 23 Life in Christ—Part One
Chapter 24: Life in Christ—Part Two
Chapter 31: The Seventh Commandment: Do Not Steal—Act Justly
Chapter 34: The Tenth Commandment: Embrace Poverty of Spirit
"Compendium Corner" is provides a list of questions and answers in the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church that are related to this month’s topic. (The number before the question is the question number in the Compendium.)
Review the questions and answers in preparation for your class.
Consider how to use appropriate questions and answers as part of your lesson plan.
Develop learning activities that help youth and young adults learn this information by heart (memorization).
358. What is the root of human dignity?
367. What are the sources of the morality of human acts?
381. What is justice?
412. On what is human equality based?
413. How are we to view social inequalities?
414. How is human solidarity manifested?
509. What is the content of the social doctrine of the Church?
512. What would be opposed to the social doctrine of the Church?
The Church has a rich heritage of hospitality and pastoral concern for immigrants, migrants, and refugees. During the celebration of 
