Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity Sister Kathleen Murphy reflects on Pope Francis’ Prayer intention for “migrants, refugees and those affected by war, that their right to an education which is necessary to build a better world, might always be respected.”
January is popularly known as the season for resolutions that will contribute to a better, fuller life. Pope Francis chooses this month to remind us of those around the world whose desire for a worthier way of life leads them to flee their homelands, face injustices and danger, and meet the challenges of entering a new culture. So, we consider the Holy Father’s intention: Let us pray for migrants, refugees and those affected by war, that their right to an education, which is necessary to build a better world, might always be respected.
We also continue to seek the intersections between our daily living and the challenge of our identity as pilgrims of hope. Finally, this month begins the year of celebration of the Canticle of Creatures within the Franciscan Family. So, let us delve into all these considerations!
In a Letter from Taizé, we read, If God is good and never changes his attitude nor forsakes us, then whatever difficulties may arise—if the world we see is far from justice, peace, solidarity and compassion—for believers this is not the definitive situation. Such biblical hope is often expressed by the notion of promise. When God enters into contact with human beings, generally this is accompanied by the promise of greater life.
Such hopefulness seems to motivate many who are migrants and refugees today. As Pope Francis notes, one support for this spirit of hope is the right to an education. The United Nations Refugee Agency lays out some basic thoughts about this right.
Education is a basic human right, enshrined in the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child and the 1951 Refugee Convention.
Education protects refugee children and youth from forced recruitment into armed groups, child labor, sexual exploitation and child marriage. Education also strengthens community resilience.
Education empowers by giving refugees the knowledge and skills to live productive, fulfilling and independent lives.
Education enlightens refugees, enabling them to learn about themselves and the world around them while striving to rebuild their lives and communities.
One government agency here in the United States that aims to meet this challenge is called the Migrant Education Program. Its goal is to ensure that all migrant students reach challenging academic standards and graduate with a high school diploma (or complete a HSED) that prepares them for responsible citizenship, further learning, and productive employment.
Who are the children this agency serves? “Children of the Road” they are called– the sons and daughters of parents who work at harvesting crops, preparing the soil, catching fish, cutting timber, feeding livestock, milking cows, plucking chickens…. The list goes on. But whether their parents cut stalks of asparagus, pick tomatoes, or process beef and poultry, all of these mobile children face the same barriers to education. Moving from school to school, from state to state, their schooling suffers repeated interruptions, immersion in unfamiliar surroundings, and constantly changing curriculum.
The first programs for migrant children were implemented in the Fall of 1967 with a total Federal allocation of $9 million. Today the Migrant Education Program serves as many as 300,000 children in 46 states. (From the website of the Migrant Education Program)
Another group that seeks to serve the needs of immigrants and refugees in Catholic Charities. Their website tells us, arriving in the United States as a refugee or immigrant can be confusing and overwhelming. Adjusting to new customs, navigating new systems, and learning new languages are all challenges that our clients face as they arrive into their new communities. Catholic Charities works with refugee communities to assist with integration needs. Our experienced immigration attorneys assist low-income immigrants and refugees with lawful status through U.S. Immigration.
If you wish to gain a better understanding of migrants, you may wish to view some of the videos at the following sites:
Teaching materials ages 15-18 | UNHCR Here you will find short animated videos defining refugees, migrants and asylum-seekers
Who is a Migrant? (youtube.com) Here you will find another short video defining/describing migrants and their lives
Teaching about statelessness | UNHCR US Learn about the challenges of the stateless
Now, how can we relate all of this to St. Francis’ Canticle of the Creatures? One connection to reflect upon might center on the many elements of creation and of our human life that Francis includes in his song. He sings of sun, stars, water, earth with its fruits and flowers, wind, fire, forgiveness and peace, among others. Are not these the very things that migrants and refugees search for as they take measures to gain safety and provide a better life for themselves and their children? These are also God’s children, so let us hold them in prayers. (Photo: Gémes Sándor/SzomSzed, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons; Zlatica Hoke (VOA), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)