Cardinal Tobin: God walks with us, Pilgrims of Hope

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Vol. 6. No.13 

My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

As we enter into this holy season of Lent, the image of a spiritual journey is prominent in the Scripture readings and in the penitential practices of this liturgical season. Especially during this Jubilee Year, with the theme “Pilgrims of Hope,” we are conscious that we are moving together as a family of faith and that we have a common destination—our heavenly homeland.

This year, our Lenten pilgrimage takes place as we are confronted with the reality of millions of our sisters and brothers who are far from their homelands and whose future is uncertain at best. Pope Francis, who from the start of his pontificate has been a tireless, outspoken advocate for migrants, refugees, and displaced people, likens their situation to the Exodus of the people of Israel in the time of Moses (see selection below).

As the Holy Father observes:

Migrants often flee from oppression, abuse, insecurity, discrimination, and lack of opportunities for development. Similar to the Jews in the desert, migrants encounter many obstacles in their path: they are tried by thirst and hunger; they are exhausted by toil and disease; they are tempted by despair.

During Lent especially, the call to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving gives us opportunities to be one in heart and mind with those who are suffering from the fear and anxiety of this chaotic time. As fellow pilgrims, we must pray for one another, and especially for our migrant sisters and brothers. We should fast and thereby deny ourselves things that so many who are poor struggle to obtain for themselves and their families. And we should give generously to the charitable organizations that assist individuals and families who have had to flee from their native lands.

Lent reminds us that we are never alone on our life’s journey. God walks with us always—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So do our Blessed Mother Mary and all the saints. We are all members of God’s family, and the struggles and difficulties of other family members are shared by all of us.

As the bishops of the United States have consistently affirmed, the Church in our country will continue to accompany and serve migrants with every possible resource. Because we are not strangers, but sisters and brothers in Christ, we will continue to advocate for just treatment and human dignity for all immigrants regardless of their political or economic circumstances or their legal status

Let us thank God for the spiritual gifts that are so abundant during this season of grace. May they move us to act on behalf of others through our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving so that we can strengthen and support one another as pilgrims of hope and fellow travelers on the journey to our heavenly home.

Sincerely yours in Christ the Redeemer, 
Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R. 
Archbishop of Newark  

Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, and more than 35 religious leaders from various faiths gathered in Newark on Jan. 13 to oppose the anticipated mass deportations under the incoming presidential administration. The bilingual interfaith event, organized by Faith in New Jersey and Faith in New York, local federations of the national advocacy nonprofit Faith in Action, in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Newark, focused on the spiritual and practical steps religious communities are taking to resist policies that threaten family unity.

The event, held at St. Lucy’s Church, brought together Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim leaders who expressed deep concern for immigrant families at risk of separation and displacement. Among the faith leaders present were New Jersey’s Catholic bishops, including Newark Auxiliary Bishops Manuel A. Cruz, Elias R. Lorenzo, O.S.B., Michael A. Saporito, and Gregory J. Studerus; Camden’s Bishops Dennis J. Sullivan and Joseph A. Williams; Metuchen’s Bishop James F. Checchio; and Paterson’s Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney.

Cardinal Tobin was among the faith leaders who offered prayers and spoke out against policies that threaten to break apart families.

“We’re deeply concerned about the potential impact of mass deportation on children and families,” Cardinal Tobin said. “Within the Catholic tradition and other faith expressions represented here today, we’re able to see the humanity in everyone. We care for the most vulnerable — children, the poor, the orphans, and yes, the immigrants.”

The cardinal outlined four core actions that faith communities are taking to show solidarity with immigrants: encounter, accompaniment, prayer, and advocacy. These actions include listening to immigrant stories, walking with families in solidarity, welcoming them into faith communities, and advocating for policies that protect them from harm.

The incoming administration has signaled its intent to begin large-scale deportations, a move that many fear will lead to widespread family separations and heightened anxiety within immigrant communities. According to Faith in Action, four out of five undocumented people in the U.S. have been in the country for more than 15 years, with nearly 9 million people deeply rooted and invested in their communities. In response, religious leaders from across the country are vowing to defend human dignity and stand in solidarity with immigrants.

During the gathering, Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ migration committee, emphasized the Church’s commitment to protecting families and opposing harmful policies.

“The Catholic Church will work to protect our families, witness human dignity, and defend religious liberty,” he said. “We will work for immigration reform and good laws, pour cool water on embers of hate, preach the Good News, and oppose mass deportations.”

The event also featured speeches from two migrants, who discussed the terror and uncertainty faced by immigrant families. Elsa, a community leader from Faith in New York, said many live in constant fear of detention.

“Parents in my community fear doing basic daily tasks like taking our kids to school or our neighborhood parks because we worry about being detained in front of the children,” she said. “We fear reporting crimes to the police because they could collaborate with ICE. We even worry about going to hospitals because we don’t feel safe.”

Rabbi Mordechai Liebling, also present at the event, emphasized the shared immigrant experience in both the Jewish and Christian traditions.

“The face of God is seen in the immigrant,” he said. “We have to honor that face of God by honoring the immigrant… That is the true test of our humanity. That is the true test of our faith.”

The event also called attention to the importance of protecting “sensitive locations” — places such as schools, churches, and hospitals — from immigration enforcement actions. The faith leaders present urged their communities to stay vigilant and advocate for the preservation of these protections, which are at risk under the new administration.

“Intimidating God’s people in their temples, schools, and hospitals would not be a good use of the law. It would be destructive to the common good,” Bishop Seitz said. “If it should come to pass that the new administration overturns sensitive location policy, then we should oppose this with our prayer and our fasting. We have to raise our voices to oppose it.”

The gathering included an interfaith service in which representatives from various religions each offered a prayer. As part of this ceremony, all were invited to write down the first names of immigrants they know and place them on a collection of rocks, a tribute that comes from the Jewish tradition. Those gathered then prayed that those immigrants will find peace during this period of uncertainty.

Cardinal Tobin concluded the event by thanking attendees for standing in solidarity with immigrants. He reminded all that this is not the end of the issue. “We must show our love and respect for our immigrant brothers and sisters,” Cardinal Tobin said. “That is what we are modeling today for our communities across the region and country. We hope they are encouraged to care for immigrants during these challenging times.”

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A Message from Pope Francis: Words of Challenge and Hope

(A selection from the Message of Pope Francis for the 110th World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2024)

God walks with his people

Dear brothers and sisters!

It is possible to see in the migrants of our time, as in those of every age, a living image of God’s people on their way to the eternal homeland. Their journeys of hope remind us that “our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil 3:20).

The images of the biblical exodus and of migrants share several similarities. Like the people of Israel in the time of Moses, migrants often flee from oppression, abuse, insecurity, discrimination, and lack of opportunities for development. Similar to the Jews in the desert, migrants encounter many obstacles in their path: they are tried by thirst and hunger; they are exhausted by toil and disease; they are tempted by despair.

Yet the fundamental reality of the Exodus, of every exodus, is that God precedes and accompanies his people and all his children in every time and place. God’s presence in the midst of the people is a certainty of salvation history: “The Lord your God goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you” (Deut 31:6).

Many migrants experience God as their traveling companion, guide, and anchor of salvation. They entrust themselves to him before setting out and seek him in times of need. In him, they find consolation in moments of discouragement. Thanks to him, there are good Samaritans along the way. In prayer, they confide their hopes to him. How many Bibles, copies of the Gospels, prayer books and rosaries accompany migrants on their journeys across deserts, rivers, seas and the borders of every continent!

God not only walks with his people, but also within them, in the sense that he identifies himself with men and women on their journey through history, particularly with the least, the poor and the marginalized. In this we see an extension of the mystery of the Incarnation.

For this reason, the encounter with the migrant, as with every brother and sister in need, “is also an encounter with Christ. He himself said so. “It is he who knocks on our door, hungry, thirsty, an outsider, naked, sick and imprisoned, asking to be met and assisted.” The final judgment in Matthew 25 leaves no doubt: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (v. 35); and again “truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me” (v. 40). Every encounter along the way represents an opportunity to meet the Lord; it is an occasion charged with salvation, because Jesus is present in the sister or brother in need of our help. In this sense, the poor save us, because they enable us to encounter the face of the Lord.

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My Prayer for You  

Please join me in praying with Pope Francis:

God, Almighty Father, we are your pilgrim Church journeying towards the Kingdom of heaven. We live in our homeland, but as if we were foreigners. Every foreign place is our home, yet every native land is foreign to us.

Though we live on earth, our true citizenship is in heaven. Do not let us become possessive of the portion of the world you have given us as a temporary home. Help us to keep walking, together with our migrant brothers and sisters, toward the eternal dwelling you have prepared for us.

Open our eyes and our hearts so that every encounter with those in need becomes an encounter with Jesus, your Son and our Lord. Amen.