Author: jprcdow

THE CATHOLIC VISION OF WORK – SATURDAY 22ND MAY 11.00AM-1.30PM

You are invited to join us on Saturday 22nd May for the next Westminster Social Justice & Peace Forum, hosted by Bishop Nicholas Hudson and Bishop Paul McAleenan.

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Westminster Social Justice and Peace Forum gathers people from across the Diocese of Westminster and beyond to discuss topical issues and share matters of concern. This forum on The Catholic Vision of Work provides an opportunity to examine work and unemployment in the light of the pandemic and aims to present a vision of hope and practical direction for the year ahead.

Speakers include:

Dr Pat Jones – social justice theologian, on the theology of work.

Vincent Fernandes – social entrepreneur from St Michael and St Martin’s, Hounslow, discussing the challenges facing West London parishes around Heathrow as a result of the pandemic.

Kathy Margerison – Head of programmes for Caritas Westminster SEIDS (Social Enterprise Ideas Development) project.

Fr Chris Vipers – Director of the Agency for Evangelisation, leading us in a reflection on St Joseph, the patron saint of workers, in this year dedicated to him.

Summariser: Daisy Srblin – Director of Million Minutes

There will be an opportunity for discussion and shaping feedback to the Archbishop’s Council.

We hope to see you there!

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Bishop calls for end to the violence engulfing Holy Land

Source: CCN / Independent Catholic News

Bishop Declan Lang, Chair of the Bishops’ International Affairs department has repeated calls for an end to “the occupation, discrimination and human rights violations that propagate violent attacks on civilians, standing in the way of a stable and peaceful future for Palestinians and Israelis.”

In a statement, Bishop Lang who is also Chair of the Holy Land Coordination of bishops which – before the pandemic usually visits the Christian community in Israel and Palestine once a year, says:

‘As people of peace, we pray for an end to the airstrikes, shooting, missile attacks, and communal violence engulfing the Holy Land.

Pope Francis reminds us that: “Every act of violence committed against a human being is a wound in humanity’s flesh; every violent death diminishes us as people.”

The local churches have clearly stated that peace requires justice. We echo their calls for an end to the occupation, discrimination and human rights violations that propagate violent attacks on civilians, standing in the way of a stable and peaceful future for Palestinians and Israelis.

We reaffirm our commitment to the internationally recognised status of Jerusalem, the Status Quo of its holy sites, and the equal rights of Jews, Christians and Muslims in the city.

At this critical time let us also offer our support to those humanitarian organisations working tirelessly to save lives and alleviate suffering.’

Testimony to Oasis of Peace – a Prototype for Israel-Palestine

Oasis of Peace – Neve Shalom / Wahat al Salam

Open Letter from Dr David Toorawa, Lead Commission Member for Israel-Palestine

Dear Friends,

Some of you may have caught the interview today on BBC Radio 4 “Broadcasting House ” with Paddy O’Connell,  where two friends from an Israeli village spoke about the madness which has overtaken two peoples yet again.

One was an Israeli Jew, the other an Israeli Palestinian. The village is Oasis of Peace ( Neve Shalom / Wahat al Salam).

I was privileged to visit and stay at Neve Shalom  in 2013 in order to explore why a Catholic priest, Fr Bruno Hussar,  should wish to found a community where Jews & Arabs could live in peace. He did so on land donated by the Trappist monastery of Latroun, a magical place. The story is likewise magical, but not accomplished without a great deal of prayer & hard work.

It was a revelation to sit in English classes for the children of both “communities” , where  they were taught by a teacher moving with equal facility from Hebrew to Arabic  to English. 

The atmosphere at Neve Shalom  needs replication throughout the Holy Land. Fr Bruno’s vision has yet to be tried beyond the original village….

Fr Bruno, who died in 1996, is buried in the village, overlooking the Ayalon valley . Also  – see Joshua 10.v 12

Please take some time to visit the Oasis of Peace website and “Broadcasting House”….. the interview was circa 0930hrs

What we do | British Friends Of Neve Shalom – Wahat Al-Salam (oasisofpeace.org.uk)

History | British Friends Of Neve Shalom – Wahat Al-Salam (oasisofpeace.org.uk)

BBC Radio 4 – Broadcasting House, 16/05/2021

NJPN/Pax Christi Open Letter to Cardinal Nichols on Jerusalem

Source: Independent Catholic News

Wednesday, 12th May 2021

Your Eminence,

Those at the AGM of the National Justice and Peace Network, meeting on Saturday, were deeply shocked to hear of the attack by Israeli Police on Palestinians at prayer in the Al Aqsa Mosque on Friday evening. Palestinian worshippers have been denied access to the Al Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan and this, along with the police and military incursions into this holy place, the use of stun grenades, rubber coated steel bullets and water cannons on those at worship, all contravene international law.

All of this is made worse by that fact that this is one of the most important times of the Muslim Year. Saturday’s attacks took place at Laylat-al-Qadr, the most holy day in the Muslim month of Ramadan, a time when Palestinians from all over the West Bank would attempt to pray in their most Holy Place. It followed the aggressive violence of armed Israeli settlers invading the communal Iftar meal of families in Sheikh Jarrah, upturning their tables, invading their homes and attacking women, men and children.

This excessive violence has continued since then and several Palestinian children are among the hundreds wounded. The violence has been described by some of the worst seen in Jerusalem for many years.

Palestinians are suffering the daily loss of their fundamental human rights, are constantly under threat of forced removal from their homes as in the Sheikh Jarrah district of occupied East Jerusalem.

Many news outlets are describing these incidents as ‘clashes’ and so inferring that these are incidents between equally armed sides. This is, of course, not the case. Unarmed worshippers were attacked by heavily armed police and at other times by even more heavily armed military.

We urge you and the Bishops of England and Wales to answer the call of the Heads of Churches in Palestine who say:

‘We call upon the International Community, the Churches and all people of goodwill to intervene in order to put an end to these provocative actions, and to continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We join in prayer with the intention of the Holy Father Pope Francis that “the multi-religious and multi-cultural identity of the Holy City might be respected and that fraternity might prevail.”

We further ask you to:

– Tell our Sisters and Brothers in Palestine, and all those who are working for peace in Palestine and Israel, that we stand in solidarity and prayer with them in this on-going Nakba;

– Call for a day of prayer, in England and Wales, on Saturday 15th May for peace and justice in Palestine, and in particular in Jerusalem, as Palestinians recall the Nakba (the Day of Catastrophe);

– Publicly denounce the violent attacks on worshippers that have taken place in Sheikh Jarrah, the Al Aqsa Mosque and Haram al Sharif;

– Call on the Israeli Government, through the Israeli Embassy in London: to halt all forced evictions in Sheikh Jarrah, which if they proceed, will violate Israel’s obligations under international law; and to end the violence against worshippers and enable full access to all places of worship in keeping with international law.

Yours in solidarity,

Paul Southgate (Chair, National Justice & Peace Network)

Ann Farr (Chair, Pax Christi)

Care of Creation Volunteer Sought for Justice and Peace Office Team

Care of Creation Online Briefings, London & South East

We are looking for a second volunteer to assist with planning and promoting our Care of Creation events and help link the Justice & Peace Commission to other environmental groups.

You will ideally be able to attend the Care of Creation meetings which take place every Monday in 2021, 1.00-1.45pm and a half hour Justice & Peace team meeting on Thursday afternoons (time to be arranged around you.)

We are looking for someone with good communications skills and a passion for the environment .

Tasks:
To create website and social media content on the environment.
To assist with hosting and taking notes at the Monday Lunchtime Care of Creation Briefings.
To help the Co-ordinator with events and media for London Climate Action Week (26 June – 4th July) and the Season of Creation (1st Sept – 4th October).
Support the Justice & Peace Commission in climate campaigning leading up to COP26.

Experience creating website materials would be an advantage, although training can be given in this.

Minimum commitment – 4 hours a week for 4 months.

There is the option to work entirely remotely or to use the volunteers office at St John Vianney Church, N15.

Please visit our Facebook page to make an online application:

https://www.facebook.com/jobs/job-opening/138642578111271/?source=job_ats

Alternatively, email the Co-ordinator colettejoyce@rcdow.org.uk and answer the following questions: Why would you like to volunteer for this role? What is the best way to contact you? When are you available to start? Please provide the names of two referees.

If you would like to find out more about volunteering with Justice & Peace before applying you are very welcome to call Colette on 07593 434905 for an informal chat.

Please apply by 31 May 2021.

Young Adult Volunteers (18-30) Sought for Justice & Peace Office Team

We have an opening for one or two young adult volunteers (18-30) to join our small office team to assist with promoting peace and justice issues in the Diocese of Westminster as Communications & Outreach volunteers.

We are especially looking for people who want to help across a range of issues but with a particular interest in one or more of the following: racial justice, homelessness, migrants & asylum seekers, climate justice or Israel-Palestine.

Tasks:
Monitor newsfeeds for latest developments on your chosen area(s) of interest.
Help prepare website materials, social media posts and briefings for the Co-ordinator.
Attend meetings on behalf of Justice & Peace and report back to the Co-ordinator.

Experience using social media or creating website materials would be an advantage, although training can be given in this.

Minimum commitment – 4 hours a week for 4 months.

Ideally, you will be able to attend a team meeting on Thursday afternoons (time to be arranged around your availability.)

There is the option to volunteer entirely remotely or to use the volunteers office at St John Vianney Church, West Green N15 3QH.

Please visit our Facebook page to make an online application:

https://www.facebook.com/jobs/job-opening/1189038641556806/?source=job_ats

Alternatively, email the Co-ordinator colettejoyce@rcdow.org.uk and answer the following questions: Why would you like to volunteer for this role? What is the best way to contact you? When are you available to start? Please provide the names of two referees.

If you would like to find out more about volunteering with Justice & Peace before applying you are very welcome to call Colette on 07593 434905 for an informal chat.

Please apply by 31 May 2021.

Mass for Migrants 2021 Recording

Screenshot
Screenshot of Mass for Migrants at St William of York, Forest Hill

Source: Independent Catholic News

The contribution of migrants to the UK Church and society was highlighted by the lead bishop for Migrants and Refugees at Saturday’s annual Mass for Migrants in South London. Bishop Paul McAleenan said migrants “are vital and essential”, with many being casualties in the course of their frontline work during the pandemic in health, care homes, and transport. They have also provided leadership in such areas as education, politics, and technology. He felt the Church in England and Wales too “has been rejuvenated by migrants” who are “gifts to us.”

Watch the 2021 Mass for Migrants on St William of York Facebook page

Bishop Paul pointed out that Pope Francis has urged that we welcome, protect, promote and integrate refugees. He criticised recent attempts to put migrants into different categories depending upon how they arrive in the UK. “The Church will resist that,” he said, “and any attempt to introduce what is divisive needs to be resisted by the Churches.” He described society as being at the crossroads and, “post-pandemic we must build a better, recognising everyone’s contributions including those from overseas.”

He mentioned that past Masses before the pandemic have been held in overflowing cathedrals with several thousand participants, processions of migrant community banners, Chinese dragons held aloft in the aisles, and colourful Offertory processions danced by African and Asian communities. Yet, this celebration in 2021 remained significant.

Four priests concelebrated and Fr Dominic Robinson SJ, Chair of Westminster Justice and Peace said afterwards: “The annual Migrants’ Mass on or around the Feast of St Joseph the Worker is an exciting event now firmly established in the London Catholic calendar but for me this year’s was especially poignant. Beginning to emerge from this dreadful pandemic, we came together around the altar as a representative group of migrant communities to celebrate how our Catholic faith is rooted in such a wonderful diversity of ethnic communities and cultures. The Church in London in its ethnic diversity is clearly still vibrant, resilient and strong in its universal witness to the power of faith.”

The Mass on 1 May was organised by the Justice and Peace Commissions of the London Dioceses of Southwark, Brentwood and Westminster, in honour of St Joseph the Worker. Citizens UK, which has been involved in all 16 Migrants Masses over the years, gave the official welcome and thanked the Catholic Church for its “moral authority” in calling for the dignity of migrants to be recognised. The venue was St William of York at Forest Hill in Southwark where Fr Habte Ukbay, chair of the Justice and Peace Commission for Southwark, is parish priest. He welcomed ethnic chaplains present and pointed out that the Patron Saint of Migrants, St Francis Xavier Cabrini, was a worshipper at the church. A small number of invited guests were present, all wearing masks and distancing, but many more joined the live-streamed service online.

A strong international flavour included a ‘Lord have mercy’ from Brazil in Portuguese, a Gospel Acclamation from Cameroon with drums and shakers in full swing, and a ‘Lamb of God’ from the Philippines. The children of St William of York Primary School sang the Our Father in Swahili. They also led bidding prayers in French, Spanish, Igbo, Twi, Romanian and English, calling for workers to “find just conditions of labour and be paid a proper living wage to meet the needs of their families” and for remembrance of “refugees and victims of war, especially children who have lost their lives”. They prayed for the people of London, that the city, “may continue to be a place of hope, opportunity and belonging”. People suffering in Myanmar, Syria and Hong Kong received particular mention.

Pax Christi Call to Urgent Action for Palestine

Source: Pax Christi England and Wales, Independent Catholic News

You’ve probably all seen the shocking scenes from Jerusalem over the last few days. The violence in Jerusalem by heavily armed Israeli police, military and settlers, has escalated drastically in the last few days. Families in the Sheikh Jarrah district of occupied East Jerusalem have been the focus of excessive violence in which many have been traumatised when their homes were invaded and they were physically attacked and injured.

About 500 people are under threat of forced eviction from their homes so that a group of Israeli settlers can take them over. Last week as the families sat down to break their fast at a communal meal in the street outside their homes, they were interrupted by armed Israeli settlers who rampaged throughout the area, upturning the tables, attacking women, men and children and invading their homes. Many were injured and seriously traumatised.

During Ramadan, many Palestinians Muslims have been prevented from getting to the Al Aqsa Mosque, their most sacred place of worship. Last Friday and over the weekend, people at prayer in the Mosque were subjected to violent attacks by the Israeli Police and Military during which stun grenades, rubber coated steel bullets, tear gas and water cannon were used against them. Since then the violence has escalated and more worshippers have been attacked whilst at prayer and others on the courtyard area outside.

The Heads of Churches in Jerusalem have issued a statement calling on us all to take action: www.cbcew.org.uk/latin-patriarchate-reacts-to-recent-violence-in-jerusalem/ and say:

“We call upon the International Community, the Churches and all people of goodwill to intervene in order to put an end to these provocative actions, and to continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We join in prayer with the intention of the Holy Father Pope Francis that “the multi-religious and multi-cultural identity of the Holy City might be respected and that fraternity might prevail.”

Pax Christi, England and Wales is responding to that call by asking our members and friends to join with us in the following urgent actions:

Urgent Actions:

Prayer:

Please join in our Pax Christi International call to prayer in ‘Circles of Silence’ on or near Saturday 15 May, as Palestinians recall the Nakba (catastrophe);

Light a candle each day/night and pray for peace with justice in Palestine and Israel;

Ask your parish/community to include prayers this weekend for the Peace of Jerusalem, and an end to the violence and forced evictions of Palestinian families from their homes.

Write to your local Church Leaders asking them to:

  • Call the local community to prayer for peace with justice in Palestine and Israel;
  • Speak out publicly to condemn the use of military force against people at prayer in the Al Aqsa Mosque and the forced evictions of Palestinians from their homes;
  • Send messages of solidarity and prayer to our Sisters and Brothers in Palestine.

Write to your MP/Elected Representative:

Please send them the CAABU statement (below) and ask them to:

  • speak out publically and call on the Israeli Government to immediately withdraw all troops from the area of the Al Aqsa Mosque;
  • end the violence against Palestinian protestors;
  • halt all planned evictions of families in the Sheikh Jarrah area of occupied East Jerusalem which, if carried out, would violate international law.

Caabu statement – www.caabu.org/news/news/uk-must-take-action-stop-israeli-war-crimes-occupied-east-jerusalem-save-sheikh-jarrah

Information for your networks, elected reps and faith leaders:

Pax Christi International statement – https://paxchristi.net/2021/04/27/pax-christi-international-calls-on-un-to-oppose-sheikj-jarrah-silwan-evictions/

World Council of Churches calls for end to violence, urges respect of status quo of holy sites in Jerusalem: www.oikoumene.org/news/wcc-calls-for-end-to-violence-urges-respect-of-status-quo-of-holy-sites-in-jerusalem

UN statement – https://unsco.unmissions.org/statement-un-special-coordinator-tor-wennesland-surge-tensions-and-violence-occupied-west-bank

Eye-Witness account from worshipper in Mosque attack: www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-aqsa-raid-eyewitness-account

The history of the Sheikh Jarrah area of occupied East Jerusalem: www.facebook.com/hiddenpalestine/

Footage of the Israeli military entering Al Aqsa mosque while Muslims attend worship for the end of Ramadan – https://twitter.com/arwaib/status/1390800051887345669

Here’s what our governments have been saying:

Irish government – www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210503-ireland-calls-on-israel-to-respect-international-law/

UK government – www.gov.uk/government/news/statement-by-france-germany-italy-spain-and-the-united-kingdom-on-israeli-settlements

Pax Christi England and Wales

https://paxchristi.org.uk/register-you-interest/

Tags: Palestine, Pax Christi, Sheikh Jarrah, Al Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem

Westminster Justice and Peace among signatories of letter to Priti Patel urging rethink of the government’s New Plan for Immigration

Source: Independent Catholic News

A coalition of faith groups and faith leaders have written to to Home Secretary Priti Patel urging her to rethink the government’s proposed New Plan for Immigration, which they say ‘lack humanity and respect for human dignity.’

Signatories include the Jesuit Refugee Service, Caritas, Welcome Churches, the Salvation Army, Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network, UK Welcomes Refugees, the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the United Free Church of Scotland and many others.

The full statement follows:

On 24 March 2021, the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, announced the government’s New Plan for Immigration (NPFI), which was launched alongside a consultation on the proposals. Following the closure of the consultation on 6 May 2021, the government is planning to introduce a bill to enshrine the proposals into UK law.

As a coalition of Christian faith groups and faith leaders brought together by the St Vincent de Paul Society (England & Wales), we believe these proposals lack humanity and respect for human dignity. We believe it would be wrong to create a system in which the way people enter the UK will impact how their asylum claim is processed and the status they might receive.

Many people who are forced to flee their homes in desperate circumstances simply have no choice but to cross borders informally to reach a safe haven; to penalise them for this is to abandon the very principle of international protection. Moves to criminalise and penalise undocumented entry to the UK set out in the NPFI mean it will effectively be impossible for most people to claim asylum in the UK because safe and legal routes for claiming asylum in the UK are extremely limited, and could never feasibly be made available to all who need them. We cannot ignore their plight and reduce it to a statistical act of bureaucracy.

This nation has a long history of welcoming people from all over the world. People who have arrived in our communities through the asylum system are our neighbours, members of our congregations and valued members of our neighbourhoods. We should recognise our common interests of family, community and faith, and embrace the diversity which makes our communities dynamic and vibrant. We call for a rejection of hostility towards people seeking asylum and an end to punitive measures aimed at people who are seeking sanctuary in our country.

We welcome the government’s commitment to resettlement through the new UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) and look forward to the announcement of resettlement targets for the years to come, but this must not be at the expense of an asylum system that strives to offer protection to those who need it.

We urge the Home Secretary to embed principles of welcome, protection and integration into the government’s policies. We must treat individuals and families seeking sanctuary on our shores as our brothers and sisters and valued members of our communities. How we respond to those in need has profound implications for who we are as a society. Recognising our obligations to those who seek sanctuary is fundamental to building a just and flourishing nation.

Signed by

Elizabeth Palmer – CEO St Vincent de Paul Society

Ben Gilchrist – Chief Executive of Caritas Shrewsbury

Lizzie Reynolds – Ordinand on placement at Ripon Cathedral

Sarah Teather, Director, Jesuit Refugee Service UK

Emily Holden – Acting CEO at Welcome Churches

Anne-Marie Tarter – Member of the congregation of Ripon Cathedral

Rev Dr Simon Cartwright – Vicar at Walbrook Epiphany Team

Sister Margaret Barrett – Director of Mission, Daughters of Charity Services

Naomi Bennett and Danielle Wilson, Co-CEOs at Red Letter Christians UK

Carmelite Prior of Aylesford in Kent

Barbara Forbes, Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network

Rev Will Leaf, Vicar at St Mark’s Kensal Rise

Claudia Holmes – UKCEN Founder

Sally Smith, Sanctus St Mark’s, Diocese of Lichfield Sally Smith

Catherine Gladwell, Chief Executive, Refugee Education UK

Rev Ian Rutherford, City Centre Minister, Methodist Central Hall, Manchester

Mauricio Silva, Coordinator at Fatima House

Ben Bano & Phil Kerton, Co-Directors – Seeking Sanctuary

Ros Holland, Chief Exec, Boaz Trust Ros Holland

Rev Gerard Goshawk, Six Ways Erdington Baptist Church, Birmingham

Revd Jon Scamman, Vicar of St Thomas’ Church Lancaster

Reynette Roberts MBE, CEO of Oasis Cardiff

Nadine Daniel BEM, Campaigns and Communications Coordinator, UK Welcomes Refugees

Rev Ian Dyble, Priest in Charge, The Weybourne Group of Churches (CofE)

Hugh McLeod, Derby Quakers Hugh McLeod

Sr Margaret Walsh, Patron and Trustee, St Chad’s Sanctuary

Domenica Pecoraro, Kent Refugee Project Officer, Diocese of Canterbury

Patrick Coyle, Chair of Cytûn: Churches Together in Wales

Mark Wiggin, Director of Caritas Diocese of Salford

Julian Prior, CEO, Action Foundation

Church and Peace, Britain and Ireland Region

National Justice and Peace Network

Barbara Kentish, Committee member of Westminster Justice and Peace

Paul Southgate, Chair of National Justice and Peace Network

Christians Aware

Vicar is David Tomlinson, St Paul’s in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Paul Parker, Recording Clerk, Quakers in Britain

People Not Walls UK

Revd. Lynn Green – General Secretary, Baptist Union of Great Britain

Fr Michael Hartley

Rev Maureen Priddin, Chaplain for Justice and Peace Derby Cathedral, Member of the Derby City of Sanctuary network

John O Fulton, Moderator of the General Assembly, United Free Church of Scotland

Bishop Nolan, President of Justice and Peace Scotland, commission of the Catholic Church in Scotland

David Moore, Easton Christian Family Centre

Rev Canon Simon Gatenby, Christ Church Brunswick, Manchester

South Lancaster Refugee Welcome

Natalie Williams, CEO, Jubilee+

Jo Simister, Derby City Deanery

Lancaster Quakers

The Church at Carrs Lane, Birmingham (Methodist and United Reformed Church)

Fr Dominic Robinson, Chairman Westminster Justice and Peace Commission

Rev’d Carol Backhouse, Christ Church, Lancaster (Church of England)

Rev Alton Bell, Movement for Change and Reconciliation

Fr Peter Hughes SSC, Regional Director of the British Region of the Society of St Columban

Community Church Harlesden

Carolyn Lawrence, Vice President of the Methodist Conference

The Rt Rev Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly, The Church of Scotland

Rev Clare Downing and Mr Peter Pay, Moderators of General Assembly, United Reformed Church

RC Southwark archdiocese

National Board of Catholic Women

Fr Habte Ukbay, JPIC Southwark

Jo Watters, Father Hudson’s Care based in the Archdiocese of Birmingham

Derby City of sanctuary network, Chaplain for Justice and Peace Derby Cathedral

Dean Pallant, Lt Colonel, The Salvation Army

Dr Edie Friedman, Executive Director, The Jewish Council for Racial Equality (JCORE)

Rabbi Aaron Goldstein, The Ark Synagogue

Rabbi Dr Margaret Jacobi

Rabbi Sybil Sheridan – Executive Director, Lyons Learning Project

Rabbi Sylvia Rothschild

Rabbi Kath Vardi

Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers, Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue

Rabbi Dr Barbara Borts, Associate Lecturer, Dept of Music, Newcastle University and Honorary Research Associate, Dept of Anthropology, Durham University

Rabbi Daniel Lichman

Clifton Road interfaith committee

Bishops Letter of Concern to Home Secretary on the government’s New Plan for Immigration

Bishop Paul McAleenan at the memorial to migrants at Dover in 2020

Source: CBCEW

Bishop Paul McAleenan, Lead Bishop for Migrants and Refugees, and Bishop William Nolan, Chair of the Scottish Bishops’ Commission for Justice and Peace, have written to the Home Secretary about the government’s New Plan for Immigration.

The Bishops echo concerns expressed by Catholic charities including the Jesuit Refugee Service and the Santa Marta Group in their responses to the government consultation. In particular they express strong opposition to the proposed creation of a two-tier asylum system and warn that plans for tougher border security could drive more people into the hands of traffickers.

They also call for clear resettlement targets and proper support for civil society groups welcoming refugees through community sponsorship.

Drawing on Pope Francis’ recent message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, the Bishops end with an appeal that we continue to make room for people who seek safety and a home among us in the UK.

Full Letter

Joint Letter: New Plan for Immigration-070521

Dear Home Secretary,

We write on behalf of the Catholic Church concerning the New Plan for Immigration and the consequent implications for the human dignity of people seeking sanctuary in the UK.

In his message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, released this week, Pope Francis calls on each of us to move ‘towards an ever wider we’, drawing on the deep interconnectedness of humanity and recognising that all refugees and migrants are made in the image of God. He urges us to ‘break down the walls that separate us and build bridges that foster a culture of encounter’.

This year, being the 70th anniversary of the UN Refugee Convention, it is especially pertinent to reflect on our history of welcoming, protecting, promoting, and integrating refugees. It is also a time for action to ensure that our asylum system embodies the values Pope Francis speaks of and provides a generous response to those driven from their homes by the many challenges facing our world today, such as poverty, conflict, or the climate emergency.

We cannot ignore our own role in this displacement, particularly through making significant cuts to the aid budget, which are falling upon the world’s poorest people, and our status as one of the largest exporters of arms, which fuel conflicts around the world. As Pope Francis reminds us, all of humanity is interconnected.

Across the UK, Catholic organisations such as Caritas, the Jesuit Refugee Service, St Vincent de Paul Society, and the Santa Marta Group, as well as many smaller groups of volunteers, are supporting our refugee sisters and brothers. They speak from a position of experience, drawing on their daily encounters. We share the concerns they have expressed about the New Plan for Immigration and encourage you to thoroughly consider submissions they have made to the accompanying consultation.

In particular we would like to draw your attention to three areas:

The creation of a two-tier asylum system

Creating arbitrary divisions based on people’s method of entry will have profound implications for those who need our support most. We know that many families and individuals have no choice in the route that they take and to penalise them on this basis dangerously undermines the principle of asylum. We oppose any move to treat differently those forced to risk their lives or make difficult journeys to reach safety and those who are selected for organised resettlement routes.

Community Sponsorship and resettlement

Pope Francis has called on Catholic communities to host refugee families and in response
parishes across the UK have been at the forefront of welcoming people through Community
Sponsorship. We are encouraged by the government’s commitment to a new UK
Resettlement Scheme and ensuring that more people can enter through the Community
Sponsorship route. However, we also recognise that the impact will be limited without
ambitious targets or proper support for civil society groups and urge you to incorporate
these into resettlement policy as it is developed.

Human trafficking

There are many shortcomings in our society’s response the evils of human trafficking, not
least in identifying victims, providing them with the right support, and prosecuting those
responsible for exploitation. However, these will not be solved by tougher border security
and a less generous asylum system, measures which risk driving more people into the hands
of criminals. We believe in tackling trafficking through combining a strong response to
organised crime, with the opening of more safe and legal routes to sanctuary, while
ensuring that victims are never criminalised.

How we respond to those in need has profound implications for our society. We must keep
in mind that welcoming successive generations of refugees has greatly enriched our
communities. It is therefore imperative that we continue to make room for people who seek
safety and a home among us in the UK.

With our prayers and best wishes.

Yours Sincerely,

Bishop Paul McAleenan
Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, Lead Bishop for Migrants and Refugees,
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.

Bishop William Nolan
Bishop of Galloway, Commission for Justice and Peace, Catholic Bishops’
Conference of Scotland.