Migration with Dignity
The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia will recognize Migration with Dignity on Sunday, February 8, announced Bishop E. Mark Stevenson. This is an opportunity to learn about and teach about Migration with Dignity principles which address the challenges of global migration in a new way while aligning with the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international laws and agreements.
At the 81st General Convention in June 2024, the Episcopal Church adopted a resolution calling for Migration with Dignity.
All congregations are encouraged to celebrate Migration with Dignity and to advance the vital work of justice in our communities every day. Resources are available in the toolkit.
“Our commitment to Migration with Dignity is a living expression of our baptismal covenant to strive for justice and peace among all people,” Bishop Stevenson said. “As we observe Migration with Dignity Sunday on February 8 in the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, we are reminded that to welcome the stranger is to welcome Christ himself. More than simply providing resources, this observance is an expression of our unwavering commitment to the systemic work of advocacy, and to championing the protections and inherent rights that reflect the divine worth of every human being.”
“As Episcopalians, we are called upon to affirm Migration with Dignity as a framework to guide ministry with migrants,” the resolution reads in part, “making urgent efforts to support arriving migrants’ immediate needs for shelter, food, clothing, legal assistance, work permits, healthcare, transportation…We are also urged to advocate for Migration with Dignity to local, state, national, and international governing bodies, exhorting them to enforce existing laws and policies that uphold these principles and to enact new laws and policies guaranteeing migrants welcome, protection, and integration into our common human journey.”