The Archdiocese of Cincinnati is joining with the other Roman Catholic dioceses in Ohio on a campaign to generate 10,000 letters to our congressional delegates, urging them to support the DREAM Act or similar legislation to provide a path to regularize the status of immigrants brought to the United States when they were very young.

The effort is part of a two-year, worldwide “Share the Journey” campaign to be launched by Pope Francis on September 27, inviting all to share the difficult journey of migrants and refugees through prayer and support (see our story here). The Archdiocese will collect letters between now and December 18, International Migrants Day.

“I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our solidarity with migrants and refugees in our Archdiocese,” said Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr. “The Church stands with these brothers and sisters of ours who have journeyed great distances to find life, security, and hope for the future in our own communities.

“Not only that, but we walk beside them, listening to their stories, helping bear their loads, and celebrating the gifts of culture and faith they bring to us. Through them, we are reminded of who we really are: pilgrims on a journey from this life to a greater Kingdom.”

The Archdiocese and related ministries have planned a number of “share the journey” programs over the next two months. These programs “will provide us with an opportunity to encounter our fellow travelers in our communities, appreciate their hopes and struggles, and advocate for their dignity,” Archbishop Schnurr said.

Share the Journey events here this week include:

• Multi-lingual Mass with migrants and refugees on September 27 at 7 p.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church (310 Allen St., Dayton, OH 45410);
• A presentation on the Catholic Church’s teaching on migration, titled “Restoring Order and Human Dignity” on October 1 at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph Church (101 W. Pearl St., Wapakoneta OH 45895);
• A presentation by Fr. Daniel Groody entitled “Passing Over: A Compassionate Response to Immigrants and Refugees” on October 5 at 7 p.m. (with a light dinner at 5:30pm) at St. Albert the Great Church (3033 Far Hills Ave., Kettering OH 45429).

Find ongoing opportunities for education and service to migrants and refugees by contacting Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio at (513) 241-7745, or https://ccswoh.org/, and Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley at (937) 498-4593. or http://www.cssmv.org/ .

For more information on any of these or other upcoming events, please contact the Catholic Social Action Office at (513) 421-3131, ext. 2660, or [email protected].

Where to send your letters:

Pam Long of the Catholic Social Action Office said there are two options for being part of the state-wide campaign:

• Send letters directly to your representatives (she recommends using their local offices, because mandatory scanning for anthrax means that letters sent to Washington are held up for several days), and let the Office know how many you sent by phone (513-421-3131, 2660, or[email protected].)
• Send letters to the Catholic Social Action Office (100 E. 8^th Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202), where they will be counted, sorted, and delivered in batches.

Letters can be sent at any time and will be collected through December 18.