NEW YORK – In a letter to Pope Francis on behalf of the U.S. bishops, Archbishop Timothy Broglio said they join the Holy Father in praying that the government will continue to help those in need.

“We all turn to the Lord in prayer that families suffering from the sudden withdrawal of aid may find the strength to endure,” Broglio, archbishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, wrote in the letter. “With you, we pray that the U.S. government keep its prior commitments to help those in desperate need.”

Broglio’s letter, published Feb. 11, was written in response to a letter Pope Francis sent to the U.S. bishops earlier that day on immigration, in which he spoke about the “major crisis that is taking place … with the initiation of a program of mass deportations.” In the letter, Pope Francis also commends the U.S. bishops for their efforts to work closely with migrants and refugees.

The archbishop thanked the pontiff for his prayerful support.

Broglio also had a message for the faithful, asking them to support the national collection this Lent for Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. bishops’ international humanitarian arm, as well as local Catholic Charities organizations. Both entities already are and could further be greatly impacted by the domestic and international federal aid cuts initiated by the Trump administration.

To close, Broglio asked Pope Francis for his continued prayers for the nation.

“As we struggle to continue to care for the needy in our midst and the desire to improve the situation in those places from which immigrants come to our shores, we are ever mindful that in them we see the Face of Christ,” Broglio wrote in the letter.

“In this Jubilee Year, may we build bridges of reconciliation, inclusion, fraternity,” he said. “Boldly I ask for your continued prayers so that we may find the courage as a nation to build a more humane system of immigration, one that protects our communities while safeguarding the dignity of all.”

Follow John Lavenburg on X: @johnlavenburg