08/07/2026
Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller Issues Pastoral Letter Calling Faithful to Solidarity with Migrants
Read the press release below or online: https://archsa.org/archbishop-gustavo-garcia-siller-issues-pastoral-letter-calling-faithful-to-solidarity-with-migrants/
We Will Come to You: United in Solidarity with Our Brothers and Sisters in Migration offers roadmap of dignity, welcome, and hope for the local Church
SAN ANTONIO — Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, has issued a new pastoral letter, We Will Come to You: United in Solidarity with Our Brothers and Sisters in Migration, released August 3 at San Fernando Cathedral. Addressed to the more than 1 million Catholics of the archdiocese and to all people of good will, it offers a pastoral roadmap grounded in human dignity and the Gospel call to welcome the stranger.
He released it on the 100th anniversary of San Antonio’s elevation to a metropolitan archdiocese, as the nation marks 250 years of independence. Amid widespread fear among immigrant families and unprecedented immigration enforcement, he calls for renewed discernment and pastoral accompaniment.
“Families we know by name are now afraid to come to the sacraments. Like the Good Samaritan who drew near to the wounded, we cannot walk past them,” said Archbishop Gustavo. “I write to console the suffering, to awaken the indifferent, and to confront injustice with the courage the Gospel demands.”
The letter outlines four pillars:
- Human Dignity: every person, regardless of legal status, bears the image of God and an inviolable dignity.
- Encounter with Christ: in welcoming the migrant to welcome, protect, promote, and integrate — we meet Christ Himself.
- A Church That Goes Forth: parishes and families are called to accompaniment, from Know Your Rights formation to ministry with the detained.
- The Common Good: an appeal to civic leaders on the non-negotiable principles of dignity, family unity, and due process.
Parishes, Catholic schools, and campus ministries will receive a reflection guide and liturgical resources, with emphasis on September’s World Day of Migrants and Refugees.
Availability and Resources:
The full text is available in English (https://archsa.org/we-will-come-to-you/) and Spanish (https://archsa.org/regresare-a-ustedes/), with a reflection guide, a video reflection from the archbishop, and liturgical resources, with emphasis on September’s World Day of Migrants and Refugees.
