ARCHBISHOP GOMEZ REFLECTS ON NATION’S IMMIGRANT HISTORY AND CALLS FOR PRAYERS FOR THE RENEWAL OF AMERICA’S FOUNDING VISION AS ONE NATION UNDER GOD
September 29, 2024  |  By:   |  Press Releases  |  

Thousands of Catholic faithful from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the Dioceses of San Bernardino, Orange, and San Diego united in prayer today for the annual Mass in Recognition of All Immigrants commemorating the Catholic Church’s observance of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees celebrating the beautiful tapestry of cultures that enrich our communities in the United States. The Mass was celebrated by Archbishop José H. Gomez and the auxiliary bishops and priests of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and Bishop Alberto Rojas of the San Bernardino Diocese and Auxiliary Bishop Felipe Pulido of the Diocese of San Diego.

“Many of us here this afternoon came to the Southland from some other place that is very far away from here. Some of us came here out of choice, others out of necessity,” said Archbishop Gomez during his Homily at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. “All of us came here with our gifts to give, to make a new home, to make a new life! That’s the story of America, which is a nation of immigrants, one nation formed out of many nationalities and peoples.” Please see the full homily below.

A vibrant pre-procession of parish and ministry leaders commenced the celebration in solidarity and support of immigrants. Civic and diplomatic leaders from across Southern California were also in attendance. During the Mass, ministry leaders and members of the Immigration Task Force were recognized for their outstanding work in supporting immigrant families and children. They were presented with a commemorative pin depicting a monarch butterfly, symbolizing the transformative journey of migration.

Relics of St. Junípero Serra, St. Toribio Romo, St. John Baptist Scalabrini, and St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, saints of great significance to the Catholic immigrant community, were venerated by the faithful after the Mass.

“Let’s pray today for the renewal of America’s founding vision of one nation under God, where people from every race and language can live as one, in equality, as brothers and sisters,” said Archbishop Gomez.

Since 1914, the Church has observed the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR) as an opportunity to show solidarity with vulnerable populations on the move. This annual event highlights the challenges migrants and refugees face, offering prayers for their struggles while raising awareness about the opportunities migration brings. Celebrated on the last Sunday of September, WDMR 2024 took place on September 29. This year, Pope Francis has chosen the theme, “God walks with His people,” emphasizing God’s constant presence in the journey of migrants and refugees.

OLPJ’s office of Immigration Affairs works with the community to address the concerns of immigrants and advocate for them, as the Gospel calls us to welcome the stranger among us. Through education, advocacy, prayer, resources, and service, OLJP promotes the sacredness of human dignity, the common good, and the reality that each person is made in the image and likeness of God to live in a relationship with Him and in community with others.

For more information and photos of the Mass, please visit lacatholics.org/immigration. The livestream of the Mass can be watched here. Photo credit: Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Archbishop’s Homily follows:

Homily – Mass in Recognition of All Immigrants[1]

Most Reverend José H. Gomez

Archbishop of Los Angeles

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

September 29, 2024

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

It is great that we gather today, once again, for our Mass in recognition of all immigrants.

We celebrate our journeys to this country, our traditions and cultures. We remember the lands where we were born today, our families and friends. And we share our hopes for the future.

Each year in this beautiful Mass, we celebrate the immigrant spirit of the city of Los Angeles, and the beautiful diversity of peoples that make up the family of God in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and in the Dioceses of Orange, San Bernardino and San Diego.

Many of us here this afternoon came to the Southland from some other place that is very far away from here. Some of us came here out of choice, others out of necessity.

All of us came here with our gifts to give, to make a new home, to make a new life!

That’s the story of America, which is a nation of immigrants, one nation formed out of many nationalities and peoples.

And the immigrant spirit is also the spirit of the Catholic Church, which is one pilgrim people, the family of God drawn out of every country, from the ends of the earth.

So, today in this holy Mass, we thank God for his graces and mercies, and we ask his blessings for our families and our communities.

We gather today because we believe in God and because we believe in the promise of this great country.

America has always been exceptional, because it has always been a home for peoples of every land.

This nation has been a beacon of hope, a refuge for peoples who have no place left to turn. America is a nation of nationalities, a nation of migrants and refugees.

So, we come to this altar today to thank God for his blessings on our families and our communities. We come also bearing our burdens, our sorrows, and our dreams. We lay everything down before Jesus on this altar today.

Let’s pray today for the renewal of America’s founding vision of one nation under God, where people from every race and language can live as one, in equality, as brothers and sisters.

In God’s plan of love, each of us has a part to play. We are called, each of us, to be an apostle. That’s what Jesus is talking about in our Gospel today.

Jesus tells us today that we can do even little things to serve him, like offering water to someone who is thirsty.

His words are beautiful: “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.”

God wants us to do beautiful things with our lives! He wants us to share our faith, share our love, share our traditions. This is how we build his kingdom on earth.

And Jesus is reminding us today that God does not demand grand gestures or big deeds and accomplishments.

We can serve God in our families, in our homes, in our neighborhoods. And we can serve God by even our littlest acts of kindness in our daily lives.

What’s important is that we do everything for Jesus, everything out of love for him, and out of love for others.

That is a beautiful attitude and approach to life. And we can express that in practical ways.

When we get up in the morning, we can offer our whole day to the Lord. Some people make a simple prayer to Jesus, “Lord let me serve you today in everything I do.”

Another practical thing we can do is to say a little prayer before we begin a task, asking Jesus to use what we do to spread his love and his kingdom.

If we carry out the duties of our daily lives with our hearts devoted to loving God and loving our neighbor, then we are doing God’s will and we are building his Kingdom of love.

And as Jesus tells us today, if we do everything with love, we will not lose our reward. And our reward is heaven, eternal life in the love that never ends! What a beautiful reward that is!

So, my dear brothers and sisters, as we celebrate our beautiful gifts as immigrants and as disciples, let us ask for the grace today to deepen our love for Jesus, and deepen our commitment to serving him.

Let’s keep praying for all the men and women, all the children and families, migrants and refugees all across the globe, who are forced to leave their homes by violence or poverty to search for dignity and a new life.

Let us pray for the leaders of nations, that they will open their hearts and work with sincerity and generosity to help those in need.

And let us ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to help all of us to know that united to her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, we are all one family, sons and daughters of God who loves us.

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