Columban missionaries, together with volunteer doctors and nurses bring life-saving care and compassionate support to migrants seeking safety and healing. Photo: Fr Alvaro Martinez SSC
In Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, a Columban group has chosen to accompany migrants arriving in the city, many hoping to cross into the United States, but all in search of a better future. Despite Juárez's sometimes overwhelming needs, the missionaries affirm that their work is guided by the Spirit of Jesus. It is based on the “See, Judge and Act” method of pastoral discernment.
This method was formulated in the twentieth century by the Belgian priest Fr Joseph Cardijn. Within the Social Doctrine of the Church, it invites us to observe reality objectively (see), analyse it in the light of the Gospel and ethical values (judge) and finally commit ourselves to concrete actions to transform situations of injustice (act). Adopted by various movements after the Second Vatican Council, this approach continues to be relevant in pastoral and social contexts.
Inspired by this method, the Columbans have concentrated their efforts on providing comprehensive care to migrants in Juárez. Since November 2018, among many other responses to migrants' various needs, they have started offering basic medical services. In 2025, with support from the Diocese of Juárez, a small clinic was established near the Cathedral to provide physical, mental and dental health services and care for complex chronic diseases.
This work is carried out with the help of volunteer doctors and nurses, as well as social organisations. Currently, the clinic serves more than 40 people each week, mostly migrant women and children, along with almost 70 individuals suffering chronic diseases from different Latin American countries. They receive medical support, self-care advice, medications and assistance with clinical study payments.
The clinic also aims to help migrants integrate into the Mexican legal and social systems by improving access to education, health and food. Although this effort may seem small given the great need, the missionaries believe that the transformative power of love in solidarity is vital because every act of shared love adds to the ocean of hope that the Gospel embodies for those who migrate in difficult circumstances.
Listen to "Opening a clinic for migrants in Juarez"
Related links
- Read more from The Far East - January/February 2026
