Waking up every morning and checking what features on the news feed has, in many ways, become a dreaded exercise. Despite a genuine desire to find out what has happened overnight, both at home and in faraway places, there is often a sense of hesitation as I scroll down, wondering what new calamity I have woken up to. From new conflicts to further acts of invasion, from natural disasters to wars declared somewhere else… At the heart of these events lies the stark and ever more raw suffering experienced by millions of people, and a growing number of them are seeking refuge in other countries.
The UNHCR stated that, by mid-2025, there were 36.4 million refugees worldwide – a number that continues to rise as conflicts, and environmental and economic crises, force people to flee their homes. Yet behind this gloomy backdrop and these statistics, we find the real stories of men, women and children. Stories often woven into new realities as they cross borders and integrate into new communities. And it is precisely this that is highlighted and celebrated during Refugee Week around the world: the recognition that welcoming the stranger has the power to transform both the lives of those seeking refuge and the communities that receive them.
Refugee Week this year, from 15th to 21st June 2026, has taken the theme ‘Courage’. ‘For refugees around the world, courage is often a daily necessity. It is the courage to face unknown journeys, learn new languages, navigate unfamiliar systems or simply to wake up each morning and step into an uncertain world’ (Refugee Action, 2026). Refugee Week affords communities the opportunity not only to celebrate the contributions refugees make to the communities they live in, but it is also an invitation to local communities to find their own courage: the courage to encounter real people and to advocate for the rights and dignity of those seeking sanctuary.
This year, under the theme of Courage, a series of simple acts have been listed and recreated through animated cartoons. It is an invitation to start small but make a significant difference in the lives of those who have been forced to flee and who have had the courage to embark on a journey to safety. See the resources at Simple Acts | Refugee Week.
In this same spirit of reflection, Pope Leo XIV has chosen ‘Even Just One of These Children’ as the theme for the 112th World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2026, referring to the Gospel of Matthew 18:5: ‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.’ In this way, the message of Refugee Week and the theme for this year’s World Day of Migrants and Refugees converge: both point us towards a deeper attentiveness to the human dignity of every person, for this is the ‘dwelling place of God’, and to the transformative power of genuine encounter and welcome.
The Columban Missionaries in Britain continue to support refugees, migrants and people seeking sanctuary across Birmingham through a number of partnerships and initiatives, including their long-standing involvement with Fatima House and Hope Garden. As part of Refugee Week, Columban Lay Missionary Nathalie Mrytsch recently delivered a craft workshop for Restore, a project of Birmingham Churches Together which welcomes and supports refugees and people seeking sanctuary through befriending, social activities and training opportunities. Nathalie assisted participants in creating banners and flags for a community event taking place in the city to conclude Refugee Week and which aims to demonstrate solidarity with refugees and migrants while celebrating the courage and resilience they show in rebuilding their lives.
Through partnerships such as these, the Columbans seek to accompany those on the margins, foster belonging and promote a culture of welcome and encounter within local communities.
A prayer for Migrants and Refugees
In today's deeply troubled and unstable world, look with mercy and compassion on your children who are forced to leave their home, their family and all that is precious to them.
Guide and accompany them on their journeys into strange places and into uncertain futures.
Grant them courage and commitment, patience and perseverance to overcome the many obstacles on their paths.
Bless all those whom they encounter along the way. May they have the heart of the Good Samaritan.
Grant wisdom, courage and compassion to political and religious leaders that they might address the root causes of forced migration and promote the common good of all peoples.
May we learn to live in harmony with one another, collaborate with one another, share our blessings with one another, and give thanks together for the gift our Common Home, planet Earth.
We ask this through the same Jesus who is our Compass and Companion.
Amen.
Fr. Tim Mulroy
