April 25, 2025 - Statement of Archbishop Henning

Fifty years ago, on April 30th 1975, South Vietnam fell to communist forces. That tragedy turned hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese people into international refugees. Many thousands of those people sought refuge in the United States where they were able to build new lives as Americans. Catholic dioceses and parishes were instrumental in assisting many of the refugees to resettle. The goal at the time was to assist those in need. The result has been a great richness from those refugees as they have become such an integral and productive part of our society and a gift to the Catholic Church with their deep faith tested in the fire of war and suffering.

While the anniversary date commemorates a tragedy, I invite us to give thanks to God for the gift of those immigrants and new Americans who have contributed so much and so generously to our nation. As we do so, I invite us to pray for all those who continue to suffer oppression and injustice and to pray for the refugees and immigrants of our own day. May our parishes and our nation be a place of welcome and refuge.