Prayers for Refugees and Migrants
A Prayer for Refugees
Compassionate God, make your loving presence felt to refugees, torn from home, family and everything familiar.
Warm, especially, the hearts of the young, the old, and the most vulnerable among them.
Help them know that you accompany them as you accompanied Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in their exile to Egypt.
Lead refugees to a new home and a new hope, as you led the Holy Family to their new home in Nazareth.
Open our hearts to receive them as our sisters and brothers in whose face we see your son, Jesus. Amen.
© A Prayer for Refugees, United States Catholic Conference. Used with permission.
The God Who Moves
Holy God,
You are a God on the move.
You move in the world and in our lives.
You shape and direct Creation, and us.
Your people have always been on the move.
Moses led your people out of slavery in Egypt.
The Holy Family fled to Egypt with Jesus to escape the murderous King Herod.
Today, people continue to move.
War, poverty, oppression and injustice drive people from home and country.
We pray you will move with today's refugees, forced migrants, and internally displaced people. Comfort and save them.
We pray for the work of the International Catholic Migration Commission
We pray for all those who serve those forced to move in our world.
Holy, moving God, hear our prayer
For the sake of your own uprooted son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
© The God Who Moves by John Newbury, International Catholic Migration Commission. All rights reserved.
A Prayer for Refugees and Migrants
Sisters and brothers, let us pray with confidence to God, our Father, who has promised through the words of Jeremiah the prophet: "When you will invoke me I will listen to you. I will gather you from all countries where you have been scattered and you shall return from the land of your exile."
For the refugees and migrants' countries of origin, as well as for the host countries: may they rid themselves of all violence and racism, and promote communion and solidarity. We pray to the Lord: Protect, Lord, all refugees and migrants.
For respect for minorities: may each person experience true equality of rights and duties in the school, at work, and in every other field. We pray to the Lord: Protect, Lord, all refugees and migrants.
For foreign workers: may they not be seen as competitors, but as qualified co-workers in building a more open and inter-ethnic society. We pray to the Lord: Protect, Lord, all refugees and migrants.
For migrant children: may they become instruments of communion among the various cultures, and the first fruits of a reconciled and brotherly society. We pray to the Lord: Protect, Lord, all refugees and migrants.
For elderly and lonely migrants: may they find the warmth of a family and a homeland which will give them not only assistance but a reason for living and hoping. We pray to the Lord: Protect, Lord, all refugees and migrants.
All powerful Lord, send your holy angel to go forth and accompany all the children of misery and labor scattered throughout the world.
As you have looked after the Family of Nazareth, exiled to the land of Egypt to avoid the sword of persecutor, renew the miracles of your mercy. Heal the wounds, forgive the offenses, restore the dignity which has been taken away. Help migrants to be ministers of communion and to work together for the creation of a new world. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
© "A Prayer for Refugees and Migrants" from The Scalabrinian Pilgrim's Prayer Book, published by Scalabrinian Missionary Priests and Brothers — Rome, Scalabrinian Missionary Sisters — Rome, and the Secular Institute of the Scalabrinian Missionary Women — Solothurn. All rights reserved.
