Pope Francis Launches Share the Journey Campaign on Sept. 27

On Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017, Pope Francis launches a two-year worldwide campaign of Caritas Internationals in support of migrants and refugees. In the U.S., the campaign is being implemented by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Relief Services and Catholic Charities USA. Campaign organizers hope to raise awareness among Catholics about migrants and refugees and have targeted the week of Oct. 7-13 for prayer and action to raise awareness of this campaign. There are numerous ways to participate in this campaign during the targeted week of awareness, especially remembering migrants and refugees in prayer in a special, more focused way that week.

Go to https://www.sharejourney.org/ to learn more about this campaign, including finding ideas on how to implement the campaign in your personal and family life and in your parish, and to find prayer resources and statements by campaign organizers.  Also available on the home page of this website is a Toolkit for Leaders where Catholic leaders can find sample prayers, general intercessions, homily helps, bulletin insert, pulpit announcement and ideas to use to raise awareness of the “Share the Journey” global migration campaign at Masses celebrated on Oct 7-8 and to participate in the week of prayer and action, Oct 7-13.  Resources are available in English and Spanish.

Please consider posting any migrant and refugee awareness raising events your parish or school offers in the target week of October 7 -13 on social media, or sharing them in your newsletters and bulletins. Mention that you are “Sharing the Journey” with your brothers and sisters around the world who are migrants and refugees.  

From left to right, Dixie Shaw (Catholic Charities Maine), Nick Haskell (CCDOC), Netta McFaddin (CCDOC),
Jane Stenson (Catholic Charities USA), and Joe Purello (CCDOC) promoting the Share the Journey Campaign at the Saturday, September 23 Bishop Begley Conference on Appalachia in Hayesville, NC.