From the USCCB Website:

National Migration Week 2014: January 5-11

National Migration Week 2014 will take place January 5-11 with the theme, "Out of the Darkness." Migrants and particularly the most vulnerable migrants: children, the undocumented, refugees, and victims of human trafficking, often find themselves existing in a kind of figurative darkness where their options remain limited and their ability to live out their lives in its fullness severely restricted. Often at risk of violence or exploitation these vulnerable populations need to be provided the support needed so that they can thrive.

• Migrant Children are one of the most vulnerable migrant populations, open as they are to exploitation and abuse. Special protections should be given to them to ensure their safety and well-being. To learn more about what the Church is doing to support child migrants, please click here.
   
• Undocumented immigrants are often referred to as "living in the shadows." Their marginal status has led advocates for reform to call for a legalization process that will bring them out of the shadows and provide them with the opportunity to contribute to society and live out their lives in dignity. To learn how you can help the bishops pass comprehensive immigration reform, please visit the Justice for Immigrants website.
   
• All too many Refugees who are left mired in refugee camps around the world never have the opportunity to realize the full potential of their God-given skills and talents. Long term solutions need to be implemented so that refugees are not forced to remain in camps but can reintegrate into society and become contributing members of it. Click here to learn how you can support the refugee resettlement system in the United States.
   
• Enslaved and treated like objects for profit rather than as human beings, victims of human trafficking require liberation from their bondage and support to help them start anew. Those who enslaved them need to be brought to justice and punished accordingly so that they will not have the opportunity to hurt anyone else in the future. Find out more about Human Trafficking and what you can do to spread awareness during National Migration Week and beyond.
   

It is our call as the Church to bring the light of Christ to these populations, banish the darkness, and help to bring them from the margins of society to its center. Doing so will provide vulnerable migrants with a protected space in which they can flourish as human beings. This requires prayer for those who are marginalized, alongside an active presence in the public square to demand that protections are provided to those who need them most.

In the coming weeks we plan on providing a number of resources that reflect on the central theme for this year's National Migration Week. Please check back regularly to see what new resources are available for your use. Some of these items will be available for download only while others will be available in bulk for a nominal cost through the USCCB Bookstore. If there are resources that you think would be helpful for your ministry, please contact us and we will do what we can to meet your needs. To purchase National Migration Week materials, please visit the USCCB Bookstore on-line. You can also find links to order each of the 2014 National Migration Week materials below.

National Migration Week 2014 Prayer Card

National Migration Week Bulletin Insert

National Migration Week Bulletin Insert_Color 

During Poverty Awareness Month, join the U.S. Bishops and the Catholic Community in the United States in taking up Pope Francis' challenge to live in solidarity with the poor!

"I want a Church which is poor and for the poor."

- Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium)

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) is the official domestic anti-poverty program of the Catholic Bishops in the United States. Get engaged by visiting PovertyUSA and PobrezaUSA! And don't forget to follow us on social media!

Catholics Confront Global Poverty. . . is an initiative of the USCCB and Catholic Relief Services that calls on Catholics to defend the life and dignity of people living in poverty throughout the world, and to urge our nation to act in response to the many faces of poverty through advocacy and action. 

Resources

Below are some great resources to help you raise awareness about poverty in the United States.

Poverty Awareness Month logo (JPEG) 

Poverty Awareness Month Calendar - includes internet links

Poverty Awareness Month Calendar - printable, without links 

Poverty Awareness Month Activity Calendar - Use this new calendar with daily suggestions for reflection, learning and action about poverty. Re-post the daily Twitter-length suggestions on social media to help get the word out about poverty and its root causes. 

Poverty Awareness coincides with the One Human Family, Food for All Campaign. This Campaign to end hunger by 2025 is sponsored by the global Catholic confederation Caritas Internationalis.

For more information on how you can join the campaign, visit the website. . . | en EspaƱol. . .