in photo above, Pope Francis poses with a group of children during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Nov. 20, 2024. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

WASHINGTON – “Together, we must speak out on behalf of the ‘huddled masses yearning to breathe free’ and ask our government to provide fair and humane treatment for our beloved immigrant brothers and sisters.” In solidarity with immigrants, Most Rev. Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso and chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, and Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento, chairman of the board for Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) issued a statement of pastoral concern.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) is announcing the annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection, scheduled in parishes throughout the Diocese of Sacramento on the weekend of Dec. 7-8.

In 2023, parishioners contributed $171,542.40 to the collection. From this collection, the Congregation of the Passion and New Clairvaux Abbey received a combined total of $116,275.32 in financial support made possible by the Retirement Fund for Religious.