A Franciscan Invitation to Welcome

One of the great gifts of our Franciscan vocation is that it is always bigger than ourselves. We are called into fraternity—not only with those who gather with us each month, but with the poor, the excluded, and the stranger at our door. This is why I recently reached out to Strangers No Longer, to see how our fraternities in the Divine Mercy Region might walk with them.

Catholic Roots and Mission

For anyone unfamiliar with Strangers No Longer, let me offer a bit of background. The name comes from the 2003 pastoral letter Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope, written by the Catholic bishops of the United States and Mexico. That letter called on the Church to see immigrants not as problems to be solved, but as brothers and sisters to be welcomed.

Out of that vision, Catholic leaders and parishes in Detroit came together to form what we now know as Strangers No Longer. It is a network rooted in the Church, working with parishes, schools, and Catholic organizations across the lower peninsula. Its Circles of Support always begin with prayer, Scripture, and the recognition that Christ is present in each person.

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✦ A Note on Strangers No Longer

Some may wonder if Strangers No Longer is truly Catholic. The answer is yes. The movement’s name comes directly from the bishops’ pastoral letter, and its work is firmly grounded in Catholic social teaching—especially the dignity of every human person.

Circles of Support open with prayer, are led in collaboration with Catholic parishes, and flow out of the Church’s call to accompany immigrants and refugees. When we Franciscans walk with Strangers No Longer, we are not stepping outside the Church. We are standing firmly within her, living the Gospel in the spirit of Saint Francis.

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Why It Matters for Franciscans

For us as Secular Franciscans in the Divine Mercy Region—with fraternities spread across the lower peninsula and Toledo—this connection is very natural. Our Rule calls us to be peacemakers (Art. 13), to respect cultural diversity and work for justice (Art. 19), and to collaborate with all people of goodwill for human dignity (Constitutions 18.2).

By participating in Strangers No Longer, we are not taking on “one more program.” We are living what our Rule already asks of us, in communion with the wider Church.

A Call to Fraternity

Saint Francis himself lived as a pilgrim and stranger, finding Christ in the leper, the poor, and the outsider. When we join hands with immigrants and refugees today, we walk the same path.

Our Region is blessed with many gifts and wide reach. Together, we can help make real the words of St. Paul: “You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Eph. 2:19).

In the end, this is not about politics or programs. It is about fraternity—seeing Christ in the faces of those who arrive among us, and letting them see Christ in us.

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A Franciscan Blessing

May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May He make His face shine upon you, especially in the faces of the strangers who become friends.
May He give you courage to welcome, patience to listen, and joy in walking together as brothers and sisters.
And may the peace of Christ, which Francis carried into every place, guard your hearts and guide your steps.

Peace and all good.

Mike

Email: mikeofs@ofsmike.com