Catholic Response to Global Refugee Crisis

Catholic Response to Global Refugee Crisis

With the rise of civil war and increasing conflict in the Middle East within the past five years, more than 50% of the Syrian populations has been forced to flee their country. Once seen as a beautiful and safe haven through which refugees from others countries could find passage, Syrians now run in fear and are forced to live in dire conditions in, and around, neighboring countries.It is the moral obligation of the United States through groups such as Catholic Charities and Catholic Relief Services to answer the call to action for those most in need.

Recently, Pope Francis has challenged “every parish, every religious community, every monastery, every shrine of Europe,” to welcome one refugee family. He encourages us to not merely “Take heart and be patient.” He implores us to act through Christ and be true neighbors of the world. During his visit to the United States, he told Congress, “Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude we have not seen since the Second World War.”

The crisis in Syria has reached its fifth year. During that time, 10.3 million Syrians have been displaced with 3.9 million fleeing Syria, altogether. It has become clear the conflict inSyria is not close to resolution. Most recently, images of Syrians trying to seek safer ground have flooded the media inciting a worldwide interest in a situation which has deep roots. Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of San Antonio, Inc. has the ability to assist Syrian refugees with the resettlement process. We stand ready, willing and able to welcome Syrian refugees into our community and provide them the services we extend to all those seeking refuge.

Through Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of San Antonio, Inc.’s Refugee Resettlement Program over 1330 people have been served during the last year. The Refugee Resettlement Program is responsible for airport reception, apartment set-up, medical and social service appointments, cultural orientation for adults and school aged children, employment services and counseling. Utilizing these services, Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of San Antonio, Inc. is prepared to aid an additional 200 and 500 individuals who are exclusively suffering from the Syrian crisis seeking refuge in the United States. These individuals will be amongst the 10,000 the government has been asked to direct to the United States. Catholic Charities has committed to these numbers based upon our knowledge of how many individuals we can serve with quality and dignity, love and respect, compassion and sensitivity.

For more than 4 years Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has been serving Syrian refugees in countries bordering Syria, including Lebanon and Jordan; to date CRS has spent over $85 million to help over 600,000 refugees in these countries. More recently CRS has begun to assist Syrian refugees in Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and Albania. CRS’ emergency relief work there has included supplying humanitarian relief kits at transit points, clean water, food, emergency living supplies, temporary shelter, and legal resources including translation and information re: refugees’ rights and options. In addition, upon request, CRS has agreed to help Caritas Germany with refugee re-settlement through training local volunteers and helping provide refugees with shelter, job opportunities, and early integration activities (including language classes) for adapting to their new communities.

CRS supplies U.S. Catholics with resources for prayer, learning, action and giving related to the Syrian crisis. For a fact-sheet, please see For a sheet on 7 ways to help – including by supporting Catholic Charities’ resettlement work for Syrian refugees here in the U.S., please see

CRS advocates with national governments on behalf of refugees and encourages citizen involvement to activate their government’s responses to this refugee crisis. Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) is in constant and direct dialogue with the US government. Locally, Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of San Antonio, Inc. communicates frequently, and consistently, with elected officials and state agencies in order to craft the timeliest, most effective and appropriate response.

Only by confronting the reality of persecution can we hope to build peace and allow Syrian refugees to return home and rebuild their lives. Until then, here at home through Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of San Antonio, Inc. and overseas through Catholic Relief Services we will continue to serve those affected by senseless, unjust aggression to find their next meal, their next home, and the next step for life.

“…immigrants are people, not mere problems or statistics or irritants. They are our sisters and brothers. This is not a U.S. problem. It is an international humanitarian crisis, and it cries out for all people of good will to strive for justice, fairness and equality. This rapidly changing, challenging phenomenon calls for compassion and common sense.”

- Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, MSPS

“Migration movements are now a structural reality, and our primary issue must be to deal with the present emergency phase by providing programs with address the causes of migration and the changes it entails, including its effect on the makeup of societies and peoples. Indifference and silence lead to complicity whenever we stand by as people are dying of suffocation, starvation, violence and shipwreck. Whether large or small in scale, these are always tragedies, even when a single life is lost.”

–Pope Francis