Refugee Family Reunification Campaign

💔 A story that touches us all

Close your eyes for a moment. Imagine having to say goodbye to your child, without knowing when you’ll see them again.

Imagine this “goodbye” lasting four, five years… sometimes more. This is the reality faced by thousands of refugee families today.

“My daughter was four when I held her in my arms for the last time. She’ll be ten when she’s allowed to join me in Canada. I’m missing half her childhood” – a refugee father.

This story is not unique. It’s repeated in hundreds of homes, every day.

🎥We’ve created a 3-minute video – that gives these families a voice. Jesuit Refugee Service Canada and the Archdiocese of Montreal have joined forces to ensure that these stories don’t remain in the shadows.

💭 Let’s ask the real questions

Do you remember the last hug you gave your child? Probably this morning, before he left for school. Or last night, before he fell asleep. For us, it’s only natural.

What does family really mean to you?  For us, it’s much more than a word. It’s the laughter of our children echoing through the house. It’s sharing a meal together after a long day. It’s being there when they need us.

It’s exactly what these families are looking for. Not a privilege. Not a luxury. Just the right to be together.

🤝A reality that concerns us all

We live in a country where family is a fundamental value. We celebrate reunions, we protect our children, we build together.

So why do we accept that other families – families who have left everything behind to find security – remain broken for years on end?

❤️Because humanity knows no borders

These stories remind us of a simple truth: behind every immigration file, there are human beings. Parents who dream of being reunited with their children. Children who are still drawing pictures of the mom or dad they haven’t seen for so long. How can we not be touched? How can we close our eyes to this silent suffering?

🌟Together, we can make a difference

Each of us has the power to make a difference. We don’t have to be politicians or activists. We just have to be human. By sharing these stories, we break the silence. By talking to those around us, we raise awareness. By writing to our elected representatives, we speak for these families. Because deep down, if it was your family that was separated, you’d want someone to fight for you, wouldn’t you?

These faces, these voices, these stories are not statistics. They’re our neighbors, our future colleagues, our children’s friends. They are part of our community, even when part of their heart still beats elsewhere.

Their struggle can become our struggle. Their hope can become our commitment.

Norbert Piché
Service jésuite des réfugiés – Canada
npiche@jesuites.org

Alessandra Santopadre
Archidiocèse de Montréal
asantopadre@diocesemontreal.org