Dear friends — Peace of Christ!

In his address to the World Meeting of Families in 2022, Pope Francis reminded us that the family is the first place we learn to love.

For many, this truth is woven into the fabric of our daily lives; we are shaped and strengthened by those we call family.

Yet for countless refugee families living in Canada, this fundamental human experience remains heartbreakingly out of reach.

The Refugee Family Reunification Campaign — a collaborative effort between many refugee organizations that includes the Jesuit Refugee Service Canada and the Archdiocese of Montreal — brings this injustice to light. Their short but powerful video offers a glimpse into the lived reality of separated families and the hope that sustains them.

While immigration processes are necessary, we must look beyond rigid structures. At its heart, this is a matter of compassion and human dignity.

Global challenges continue to deepen division and escalate conflict; nevertheless, as people rooted in the example of Jesus Christ, we are called to respond. We must become active agents of reconciliation in a world longing for connection.

Rooted in the Ignatian tradition, we are called to love and to listen deeply. We are not called merely to welcome, but to accompany; not simply to give, but to grow together.

Jesuit Refugee Service lives this mission with humility and resolve. Inspired by the example of Christ, JRS accompanies and advocates for refugees and displaced persons. Their work is not transactional; it is transformative. It helps those who have been uprooted to heal and to shape their future with dignity.

As Provincial of the Jesuits of Canada, I express my deep gratitude for the inspiring work of JRS Canada and for all those committed to this cause. Please continue to reflect — and act — through the steps outlined in this campaign.

We must not grow indifferent. Instead, let our gratitude for the gift of family move us to act. For many, the right to family still feels distant; however, it need not remain out of reach.

With gratitude —