Pax Christi International, based in Brussels, has awarded its 2025 peace prize to Bishop Mark Seitz of the Diocese of El Paso, Texas, in recognition of his years of work protecting the rights of migrants along the US-Mexico border and beyond.
Bishop Seitz has made it clear that the commitment of the Catholic Church in the United States is to defend and protect immigrants, and to highlight the values and contributions that immigrants bring to our country, beginning with their deep faith: “There is a prophetic dimension to this work… Our solidarity must be visible… The way of love cannot be hidden under a bushel basket. It must be embodied, incarnate and public.” [from the Pax Christi International announcement]
In addition to Bishop Seitz, Pax Christi International is giving special recognition to three organizations which work in the border region, defending and supporting the rights of migrants: Annunciation House, the Hope Border Institute and the Las Américas Immigrant Advocacy Center.
The award ceremony will be held in Florence, Italy during Pax Christi International’s World Gathering 2025, to be held Nov. 5-9.
In the press announcement, Pax Christi International writes: “The peacebuilding action of Bishop Seitz and of the organisations working in the area cannot be fully understood without the broader context of a global phenomenon which, according to a 2024 report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), affects nearly 125 million people. Forced displacement, often leading to forced migration, has doubled in the past decade, and the number continues to grow each year due to the impact of violence and war, climate change, and food insecurity.
“For many decades, the U.S.–Mexico border has been a place of dramatic encounter, set within the context of an exponential increase in global migration. The drama of migration and forced displacement, and the dangers faced along the journey, are further aggravated by systemic racism, violence against Indigenous and Afrodescendant peoples, and the destruction of the environment they inhabit in the places they are forced to leave behind.
“Today, the Diocese of El Paso, recipient of the 2025 Pax Christi International Peace Award, offers a remarkable example of inspiring witness in the protection and defence of migrants and their families, within a context marked by violence and policies that have often targeted representatives of the Catholic Church and other churches for their mission of universal welcome.”
Pax Christi USA is thrilled with this announcement, and sends our warmest congratulations to Bishop Seitz, the Diocese of El Paso, and the good folks at Annunciation House, Hope Border Institute, and the Las Américas Immigrant Advocacy Center. Thank you for all you do to care and advocate for our immigrant community.
Use this link to read the announcement from Pax Christi International.
Comunicado de prensa completo aquí
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