Catholicism celebrates mass in northern Mexico for World Day of Migrants and Refugees

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During the ceremony, prayers were offered for migrants who have lost their lives on their journey to the United States.

The Catholic Church in Mexico celebrated a special mass this Sunday in the cathedral of the border city of Ciudad Juárez, in the state of Chihuahua, as part of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees , a date promoted by Pope Francis to raise awareness in society about the situation of millions of people displaced by violence, poverty and natural disasters.

Amidst flags from different Central American countries, as well as candles at the foot of the church altar, the bishop of Ciudad Juárez, José Guadalupe Torres Campos, asked to be in solidarity with them and to accompany them as a church.

“Today we have this mass here in the cathedral. We are going to pray for them, for their families, that the Lord take care of them, protect them. They are walking, they suffer on the way. We are going to reach out to them in every way,” he said.

During the ceremony, prayers were offered for migrants who have lost their lives on their journey to the United States and for those who face adverse conditions in shelters and on migration routes .

Torres Campos recalled that Ciudad Juárez , due to its border location, is a key point in migratory transit and that the Church has assumed an active role in providing assistance.

The World Day of Migrants and Refugees , celebrated annually on the last Sunday of September, was instituted by Pope Pius X in 1914 , and in recent years has gained relevance under the pontificate of Francis , who has made the defense of migrants a priority of his ministry.

“Today is a very important day for immigrants from all countries. It is a very important day because we all do it for a dream, for a future for our family and to get ahead, especially in all the countries that are the most important, always for a future for the family, for everyone,” said Jorge Luis Osue, a migrant from Venezuela.

Ciudad Juárez, one of the most important cities on Mexico’s northern border, has been a hotspot for migration in recent years . Thousands of migrants from Central and South America, the Caribbean and other regions arrive in this city with the hope of crossing into the United States, which has generated an overload in care and shelter services.

“The road has been very difficult for me because I was kidnapped. I have had to deal with immigration and many other things, but thank God I was able to get here and I am calm here making my appointments and moving forward,” said Yonniel Acosta Carreño, another Venezuelan migrant.

On this border, where the faces of migration are an everyday reality, this day serves as a reminder of the urgent need for action and empathy in a global context where forced displacement continues to increase.