On World Refugee Day, we honor the strength, courage, and resilience of people who have been forced to flee their homes to survive. As wars and political violence continue throughout our world, it’s more important than ever to acknowledge the growing number of individuals with refugee status. Let us continue to pray for peace, and do our best to create a more compassionate world society.
From the beginning, part of Maryknoll’s mission has been to bring compassion, hope, and relief to those on the fringes of society. Refugees are one of these disadvantaged groups, pushed to the fringes because of violence and oppression. Maryknoll has worked with many refugee groups, including the hundreds of thousands who fled violence in southeast Asia between the 1970s and 1990s. Fathers, Brothers, Sisters, and Lay Missioners began this work in Thailand, which eventually came to include Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
Maryknoll Sr. Joyce Quinn in Cambodia
Former Maryknoll Lay Missioner Vicki Armour-Hileman giving school supplies to refugees in Thailand
The Maryknollers served both in refugee camps and in settled communities, helping to organize agricultural, medical, and educational projects. As the work expanded, the challenges grew. As Fr. William O’Leary said in 1988, “These refugees are not seeking asylum in a third country but are really waiting for the combat conditions inside Kampuchea [a region of Cambodia] to cool down so they can return to their villages and farms. But the situation of war has gone on for about 10 years now and the camps just don’t seem to go away. Rather they have become like big cities with unbelievable poverty.”
As time went by, the Maryknollers and their friends could see hope on the horizon. As Fr. Tom Dunleavy said in 1996, “After decades of fighting in Cambodia the guns are silent. People are returning to their lands but it will take time to clear the land mines and make the people feel secure. Now is the time for Maryknoll to move into Western Cambodia to help in all areas of development.” In honor of World Refugee Day, we thought we would share some images of Maryknollers working with these communities. In the Maryknoll spirit, we encourage you to keep all refugees in your thoughts on this day.
A Pope’s Prayer for Immigrants
Merciful God, we pray to you for all the men, women and children who have died after leaving their homelands in search of a better life.
Though many of their graves bear no name, to you each one is known, loved and cherished.
May we never forget them, but honour their sacrifice with deeds more than words. We entrust to you all those who have made this journey, enduring fear, uncertainty and humiliation, in order to reach a place of safety and hope.
Just as you never abandoned your Son as he was brought to a safe place by Mary and Joseph, so now be close to these, your sons and daughters, through our tenderness and protection.
In caring for them may we seek a world where none are forced to leave their home and where all can live in freedom, dignity and peace.
Merciful God and Father of all, wake us from the slumber of indifference, open our eyes to their suffering, and free us from the insensitivity born of worldly comfort and self-centeredness.
Inspire us, as nations, communities and individuals, to see that those who come to our shores are our brothers and sisters.
May we share with them the blessings we have received from your hand, and recognize that together, as one human family, we are all migrants, journeying in hope to you, our true home, where every tear will be wiped away, where we will be at peace and safe in your embrace.
Fr. Tom Dunleavy MM visiting a refugee community in Thailand
Sr. Anne Reusch and Sr. Molly Mertens talking with refugees on the outskirts of Hong Kong
Msgr. George Carroll giving US supplies to Refugees, Seoul, Korea
Interested in learning more about Maryknoll?
You can contact the Archives at:
Maryknoll Mission Archives
PO Box 305, Maryknoll, New York 10545
Phone: 914-941-7636
Office hours: 8:30 am-4:00 pm Monday-Friday
Email: archives@maryknoll.org
Website: www.maryknollmissionarchives.org
References:
Dunleavy, T. (2014, January 2). Unbroken bonds of love. Maryknoll Magazine. https://www.maryknollmagazine.org/2014/01/unbroken-bonds-of-love/
Father William T. O’Leary, MM. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2014, April 22). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/?deceased-fathers-bro=father-william-t-oleary-mm
Home. Maryknoll Lay Missioners. (2025, January 27). https://mklm.org/
Home. Maryknoll Sisters. (2025, May 23). https://www.maryknollsisters.org/
Missionaries of the Catholic Church: Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers. Maryknoll Society. (2025, December 9). https://maryknollsociety.org/
Prayers for Immigrants and refugees. Jesuit Resource. (n.d.). https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/immigrants-and-refugees
Sister Joyce Quinn, MM. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2014, April 29). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/deceased-sisters/sister-joyce-quinn-mm/
*Original content comes from the blog post, “World Refugee Day”, which was published on June 20, 2018. This version was edited by Meagan Cairns.
