Churches Mark International Migrants Day 2025

By E. Maestro

For the first time, the Diocese of New Westminster of the Anglican Church of Canada at its Diocesan Synod passed a resolution encouraging the parishes in the diocese to mark December 18, or the nearest Sunday (December 14), as International Migrants Day (IMD) in their churches. The Rev. Expedito Farinas, the congregation at St. Mary the Virgin South Hill Church and its Migrants Ministry have been marking this day liturgically for several years.  

Check out these events at St. Mary the Virgin South Hill Church. 

• Migrante Mass, December 14. Rev. Expedito Farinas welcomes everyone  to its Migrante Sunday church service and the fellowship with food and hot drinks after mass. Service starts at 10:30 am at 808 E 50th Avenue, Vancouver.

• Christmas Parol Parade, December 14, 10:30 am. Colourful Christmas lanterns (parol), made by the children and members of the Congregation at the Parol Making Workshop, will be offered and displayed at the church.

• Art Exhibit, December 14-18.  The church invites the public to the exhibit of several murals of Filipino community artists, in close collaboration with Migrante BC and the PANCIT Art Collective. Exhibit viewing is from Dec 14 -18 at 10 am to 4pm.

• Taize Worship, December 18 at 7pm.  All are welcome to songs and short prayers to honour migrants.  Refreshments and hot drinks will be served.

• Zero Remittance Day, December 18. St. Mary the Virgin South Hill church supports the call of Migrante Canada and other Filipino migrants and progressive organizations across Canada and around the world for Zero Remittance Day on Dec. 18^th. With this global action of not sending remittances FOR THAT ONE DAY, Filipino migrants everywhere assert their political and economic power against the corruption and billions of stolen funds, exploitation, and systemic neglect that continue to characterize the Philippine government’s labor export program. 

Some people may scoff at this ZRD on December 18 but this one day is certainly a preview of what can happen if migrants decide not to send remittances for two days, a week, even a month! 

International Migrants Day highlights not only  the contributions of migrants but also the problems and challenges in their  living and working conditions everywhere. Why December 18th?  The date coincides with the United Nations adoption in 1990 of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. The Convention sets out the responsibility of countries to protect the rights of migrants in their territories.Canada has not ratified this Convention, as with other migrant-receiving states in Western Europe or North America. Canada has also NOT ratified the International Convention concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers adopted in 2011. I know what you are thinking: Bakit hindi? Why not?

If you go to Sunday worship at your local church, ask if  they can participate to mark IMD. It can be through hosting a cultural event, supporting grassroots migrant organizations like Migrante, engaging in discussions to learn more about migrants and their issues, opening the church doors to migrants to share their stories and break bread with them, and dedicating the church Sunday service to all migrants and maybe in the languages of the migrants in the area, e.g. Tagalog, Ilokano, Spanish.

On IMD, migrants highlight their contributions and their worth. They also demonstrate their power, their rightful place in society, and their resistance to exploitation and injustice.

A warm and militant International Migrants Day to everyone.