Refugee sponsorship is a ministry where a parish community welcomes and supports a newcomer family or individual for their first year in Canada. This includes financial support, settlement help, and building relationships of care and hospitality.
Miriam Ghitale
Coordinator of Refugee Applications
refugeeinfo@archwinnipeg.ca
Parish Connection
- While many sponsorships begin as parish ministries, others begin with requests for support from individuals or organizations.
- Sponsored newcomers do not need to attend the parish or be Catholic. This is a ministry of welcome, open to all.
- Sponsorship means offering hospitality and settlement support in both parish (if desired) and wider community life.
- Every sponsorship also provides parishioners with a way to connect with others in need of support, to learn alongside newcomers, and to deepen their own faith through this shared journey.
Funds Raised by Parish
- Parishes raise or coordinate the required settlement funds.
- Fundraising can be parish-led, community-wide, or supported by organizations.
- Family-sponsored fundraising is now discouraged to ensure fairness and sustainability.
- All sponsorship funds flow through parish accounting (fundraising in, disbursement out).
Shared Responsibility
- The parish provides financial and settlement support.
- The Archdiocese (as SAH) oversees applications and reporting and provides guidance.
1. Discern & Commit
- Speak with parish leadership.
- Ensure parishioners are ready to commit time, energy, and fundraising.
- Ensure potential applicants have verified refugee status before starting an application.
2. Form a Refugee Ministry Group
- Build a group of parishioners and supporters to plan, pray, and prepare for sponsorship.
- Designate two parish sponsorship leads to ensure timely responses if one is unavailable.
- Recruit settlement volunteers closer to the arrival date; long-term (multi-year) commitments are not realistic, though parishes can build awareness and interest early.
3. Contact the Archdiocese SAH Office
- Email refugeeinfo@archwinnipeg.ca to discuss next steps.
- Submit your request.
4. Prepare & Submit Application
- The SAH office will guide you through the required forms and timelines.
5. Welcome & Support
- Commit to at least 12 months of financial and practical support.
- Help newcomers integrate into parish life if they wish, and into the wider community.
- Sponsorship offers parishioners the opportunity to walk alongside newcomers, learn from their experiences, and grow in their own faith and understanding.
The BVOR program connects Canadian parishes and community groups with refugees identified by the UNHCR and referred through the Government of Canada. This shared‑support model combines six months of government financial assistance with six months of parish or community support, reducing fundraising needs while making sponsorship more accessible. With faster processing times—often just 1 to 4 months—and no requirement for a prior personal connection, BVOR offers a practical, streamlined path for parishes seeking to welcome refugees quickly and meaningfully. Learn more.
- Costs vary by family size and composition, covering:
- Housing
- Food
- Transportation
- Clothing
- Household items
- Contingency funds
- Use the Minimum Financial Support Calculator for detailed estimates tailored to your sponsorship case.
Peer Parish Mentors: Some parishes are willing to offer practical advice or walk alongside another parish. Contact the Archdiocese office to be connected.
Refugee Sponsorship Training Program RSTP Minimum Financial Support Calculator IRCC: Private Sponsorship of Refugees