Pope Francis’s prayer intention for the month of January reflects one of the main themes of his pontificate: his concern for migrants and refugees. His video message, produced by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network in collaboration with JRS, illustrates this by underlining that some 250 million children worldwide are not attending school due to migration and displacement.

The educational process for children and young people who migrate or are displaced by war is severely disrupted by the need to flee their homeland and the lack of adequate educational resources in refugee camps and conflict areas.

Moreover, when they move to other countries, their migrant status frequently becomes a barrier to accessing education, significantly affecting their opportunities for a better future.

“We are grateful to join Pope Francis in inviting people all over the world to pray that education aspirations remain at the heart of the life journey of migrants, refugees and all displaced persons. In all our projects worldwide, we witness how education offers refugees access to security, hope, and economic opportunities. It protects their sense of self, fosters agency, and promotes their integral development,” said Br. Michael Schöpf SJ, JRS International Director.

Full video transcript:

“Today we’re experiencing an “educational catastrophe.” This is no exaggeration. Due to wars, migration, and poverty, some 250 million boys and girls lack education. All children and youth have the right to go to school, regardless of their immigration status. Education is a hope for everyone – it can save migrants and refugees from discrimination, criminal networks, and exploitation. So many minors are exploited! It can help them integrate into the communities who host them.

Education opens the doors to a better future. In this way, migrants and refugees can contribute to society, either in their new country or in their country of origin, should they decide to return. And let’s never forget that whoever welcomes the foreigner, welcomes Jesus Christ.

Let us pray for migrants, refugees and those affected by war, that their right to an education, which is necessary to build a more human world, might always be respected,” Pope Francis.