Denver Parishes Invited to Walk with Immigrant Families in a Time of Uncertainty

Catholic retreat focuses on prayer, accompaniment and human dignity 

Hundreds prayed in solidarity with migrants in a November 2025 Stations of the Cross around the ICE Detention Facility in Aurora. (Photo by André Escaleira, Jr.)

In a time when conversations around immigration are often marked by tension and fear, the Church continues to offer a different path — one rooted in prayer, encounter and the unwavering belief in the dignity of every human person. 

On Saturday, January 24, the Catholic Committee for the Pastoral Care for Migrants, together with Denver Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodríguez, will host a parish retreat for the pastoral care of immigrant families at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Denver. The retreat will be offered in partnership with Centro de los Trabajadores in Denver. The retreat will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is open to clergy, parish leaders and parishioners seeking to respond faithfully to the needs of immigrant families in their communities. 

Grounded in Catholic Social Teaching, the retreat will focus on prayer, accompaniment and solidarity — three pillars that guide the Church’s pastoral response to migrants and refugees. Rather than engaging in political debate, the day is designed to help parishes reflect on how they can walk with immigrant families who are experiencing uncertainty, fear and isolation, especially amid shifting policies and heightened public rhetoric. 

The gathering will include time for prayer, formation and practical training, as well as collaborative planning among parishes. Participants will explore concrete ways to support immigrant families spiritually and pastorally, remaining faithful to Church teaching while responding with compassion to real human needs. 

Catholic teaching, most recently summarized in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) special pastoral message on immigration, consistently affirms the right of nations to regulate borders while also insisting on the moral obligation to welcome the stranger, protect families and uphold human dignity. This retreat offers a space to hold those principles together — not as abstract ideas, but as lived expressions of the Gospel in parish life. 

The retreat reflects the Church’s call to encounter Christ in the poor and vulnerable. By gathering parishes together, the day emphasizes that this work is not meant to be carried out alone but shared across the local Church. 

As Colorado’s immigrant families navigate growing uncertainty, this retreat offers an invitation to pause, pray and plan — trusting that the Holy Spirit continues to guide the Church’s response with wisdom, courage and love. 

For more information and to register, click here.