Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
It brings me special joy to greet you this Advent Season and express my solidarity with you in these uncertain times. You know all too well that our world is fraught with troubles that may cause feelings of stress and anxiety. Worry about the present and the future can indeed be overwhelming. Whether you recently arrived in the Archdiocese of Baltimore or you’ve been here for decades, please know that our common faith and shared hope binds us together. We are one family in the Lord. I wish you much peace, and I pray for you and your families.
Your presence in the Archdiocese is a blessing in so many ways. You bring a daily dedication to hard work and nurture the love and care that is so clearly evident in your families. Your lively celebration of Sunday Mass fosters great joy in our local Church. All of this and more shows your witness to the courageous and faith-filled spirit reminiscent of the generations of immigrant men and women who came before you.
From the founding of our nation, immigrant families like yours have been essential to this society’s growth, prosperity and wellbeing. In turn, our country deserves an immigration system that offers fair and generous pathways to full citizenship for immigrants living and working for many years within our borders. We must find a way as a nation to provide permanent relief for childhood arrivals, help families stay together and welcome refugees. The United States should protect vulnerable migrants and their families, many of whom have already been suffered great harm by criminal actors.
The Archdiocese of Baltimore will continue to stand in steadfast unity with our immigrant brothers and sisters. Through our many parishes, ministries and services, the local Church will walk with you, to assist you with basic needs, advocate for your wellbeing and provide you with opportunities for prayer and worship that nurture your faith.
May God keep you in His care, and may our Blessed Mother – the patroness of the United States of America whose Immaculate Conception we commemorate this day – watch over you always.
Faithfully in Christ,
Most Reverend William E. Lori
Archbishop of Baltimore