People fleeing home due to the impact of climate change do not qualify for refugee status or protection under international law. As such, Catholic Relief Services is urging Congress to fund U.S. international assistance that addresses the impact of climate change.
Fr. Leo O'Donovan, former president of Georgetown University, confirmed to NCR that he had accepted the invitation to offer the prayer Jan. 20, which will mark the election of the nation's second Catholic president.
With communication and access to Ethiopia's Tigray region cut off, Catholic relief and other humanitarian agencies are having difficulty responding to those in need there and in refugee camps in neighboring Sudan.
Commentary: Jesuit Frs. Arrupe and Delp, born in 1907, were both political prisoners during World War II whose examples offer teachings we can apply this Advent.
A senior official of Jesuit Refugee Service called for a humanitarian corridor in Ethiopia's semi-autonomous region of Tigray as the armed conflict between the Ethiopian army and the region's forces continued to escalate, killing hundreds and forcing thousands out of their homes.
"A Biden-Harris administration will restore America's historic role in protecting the vulnerable and defending the rights of refugees everywhere," said President-elect Joe Biden about raising the annual refugee admission target to 125,000.
The Rio Grande Valley is underserved by hospitals to begin with, and immigrant detention facilities are showing signs of being affected by COVID-19. Catholic agencies are striving to serve people who are losing jobs and facing other challenges amid the pandemic.
Social service and emergency care providers are pressed to find new ways to address people's needs in a time of health care crisis around the world. How will the pandemic change the way the church's social mission is perceived — and supported — in the future?
