Archbishop John Wilson gave the following homily at today’s London Migrant Workers Mass at St George’s Cathedral, Southwark.

It’s wonderful see everyone here today. And I hope you all feel at home. Maybe you could turn to the person behind you or in front of your or beside you and if you don’t know them just say “I’m glad you’re here.” … I’m glad you’re here… its OK they don’t need your life story – we can do that afterwards..”

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we honour St Joseph with a specific title: St Joseph the Worker. And we know from the Gospels that he was a carpenter.

He was the husband of Our Blessed Lady, and the foster father of the Lord Jesus. And it’s good to remember, and it’s in the Catechism if you want to look it up, that for most of his life before he began his public ministry, the Lord Jesus lived a life like most of us, like most people in history. A daily life kind of hidden. No evidence of greatness at that point. And a life of manual labour. A life of work. Like his foster father Joseph, the Lord Jesus was a worker a carpenter.

He would of course become a miracle worker. And the worker of our salvation.

But it’s right today as we gather, that our celebration focuses on the dignity and the importance of human work.

There’s a story told – and you may have heard it before – but please laugh at the end anyway – whether you’ve heard it or not. During a parish retreat the parish priest invited a group of priests from different religious orders to take part. And in preparation they went in to the church to pray. And as they began to pray – the lights went out.

And so the Benedictines – they prayed from memory. The Jesuits had a discussion about whether if there was no light did they have to pray. The Franciscans composed a song, praising God for the gift of darkness. The Dominicans restarted their debate about how light is sign of the transmission of faith. The Carmelites just became silent. Eventually up gets the parish priest, and goes to the hallway, replaces the fuse and the lights come on.

Now prayer is important. Our spiritual life is vital. But so is work. So is work. And the Catholic social tradition teaches that work is both a duty and a right. It’s through work that we collaborate with God our creator. That we exercise an authentic stewardship over the earth’s resources. That we provide for ourselves and our families and our communities and especially for the weakest and the poorest. It’s through work that we recognise and harness the gifts and the talents given by God to each person. All different. All needed. It’s through work that we grow in virtue. Not least patience and perseverance . It’s through work that we grow in holiness, uniting our work to the great work of salvation in Christ.

St John Paul II said that work helps us to be more human, (I don’t know what you think about that – do you agree?) Work helps us to be more human. And just as we need work we also need rest. We need to recreate, humanly and spiritually, honouring God’s own rest at the end of creation.

Work is part of God’s plan for us. It helps us understand our identity. And fulfil our mission. So many people in the past and today have come here to seek and to provide essential work for our nation.

Recent information shows that foreign-born people make up nearly one fifth of the working population in the United Kingdom. That surprises me. That’s a big number.

Many highly educated migrant workers are over-qualified for the jobs they do here in the United Kingdom. Significant numbers of workers from overseas support the UK in the hospitality sector, in transport, in communications and in information technology.

And here’s a really amazing statistic which is true: almost one fifth of the NHS in England are people of nationalities other that British.

The contribution of migrant workers to the United Kingdom is immense. So much so – that we wonder how could we survive without them. But the decision to leave one’s homeland – which many of you have taken – to leave one’s family sometimes as well and to search for work here – that’s not an easy decision to take. It demands courage and sacrifice.

So how important it is to today to say thank you. To say thank you to everyone here and by extension to say thank you to everyone who had migrated to our country to work here in the United Kingdom. Because that’s you and thank you. Generously sincerely thank you.

It’s important that you know that our life together is better because you’re here. That our life together is better because of the skills and the service and the contribution that you give. That our life together is better because of the diversity of cultures that you bring to our and your communities We are better in our country because you are here.

The Catholic Church in the UK has always been a migrant church long before any of us were born. Members coming from across the world . Our parishes or schools, our chaplaincies, not least across London in our three dioceses, are a beautiful mosaic of people from all nations who find here in the Church a home. We are proud of this as a Church in our country. We are proud that our doors are open and there is a welcome for everyone. We celebrate our diversity of nations with joy. The blessing of our unity in Christ gives witness in the Church to the harmony of humanity and this is a precious sign which we send out to our country – not least to those who would argue otherwise!

Catholic Social teaching upholds the dignity and the rights of workers. It condemns all forms of injustice toward working people whatever their country or origin or status in life. The human person is always more important than the product they produce. The human person is always more important that the service they provide.

Work is for the person. Not the person for work. Employment should never use a person, placing on them intolerable burdens and unacceptable conditions. Rather work its a noble calling to share the life of our Creator.

Work enables the human person to flourish in their families and in society. And while work contributes to our fulfilment we must remember we must never forget that every person is more than their job. First and foremost every person, each of you, is a son or daughter of God. Valuable and respected for who you are. Not for what you achieve or what you do.

Today dear friends the Church points us to St Joseph for encouragement. He’s a model for us who work. A model who provided dedication and protection for his family. Who was faithful to what God asked of him.

And so today we ask the prayers of St Joseph. We ask him to pray with us for the protection of workers and their rights. We ask St Joseph to pray with us for respect for the dignity of human labour. And we ask St Joseph to pray with us for an increased appreciation of the valued role of workers from overseas in our communities. That they, that you, are treated honourable and properly.

Like our Church in this country the history of humanity is a history of migration, of movement, of shifting people across land and sea through time.

The history of our faith is a history of migration from Abraham to the people of Israel, From the Holy Family to the countless asylum seekers, refugees and migrants of our own day.

The experience of being a stranger in a strange land is somehow woven into the fabric of our human existence, therefore we must be people of welcome. We must be people of welcome and in welcoming our we encounter in them the face of Christ. In listening to their story we begin to understand their unique identity. In offering refugee and asylum and the opportunity to work we build a better future together.

My brothers and sisters, the foster child of St Joseph the Worker the carpenter’s son is the Word made Flesh.

The Lord Jesus our brother, our friend, our Saviour, himself learned to work as a carpenter. And that prepared him for the work of salvation on the wood of the Cross.

The Lord Jesus gives us a commandment that has no exceptions. To love God to love our neighbour as we love ourselves.

May the example and the prayers of St Joseph the Worker inspire us to go from here renewed with a mission of welcome of solidarity and of justice. So that the gifts of all may rise in the service of all. Amen

(ICN transcript)

Watch a recording of the Mass here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpLXBwrBiCE

Bishop Paul McAleenan, Lead Bishop for Migrants and Refugees, has joined with leaders of the other churches to renew their commitment to caring for the most vulnerable, as legislation to enable asylum seekers to be deported to Rwanda was approved by Parliament.

In a joint statement with leaders of the Church of England, Methodist, Baptist, Quaker and United Reformed Churches, they pay tribute to all those who “live out Jesus’s call to feed and clothe the poor, and to welcome the stranger, at times in the face of opposition and prejudice.”

The statement voices concern that asylum seekers and refugees have been used as a “political football” and speaks of people fleeing war, persecution and violence having been “unjustly maligned by some for political reasons.”

Read the full statement:

We retain deep misgivings about the Safety of Rwanda Bill, passed in Parliament last night, for the precedent it sets at home and for other countries in how we respond to the most vulnerable. This includes victims of modern slavery and children wrongly assessed as adults, whom we have a duty to protect.

As leaders in Christian churches we wish to express our profound gratitude to those who live out Jesus’s call to feed and clothe the poor, and to welcome the stranger, through their work with asylum seekers and refugees, at times in the face of opposition and prejudice.

We note with sadness and concern the rise in hostility towards those who come to these islands seeking refuge and the way in which the treatment of the refugee and asylum seeker has been used as a political football.

We are disappointed that the kindness and support offered by churches and charities to the people at the heart of this debate – those fleeing war, persecution and violence trying to find a place of safety – has been unjustly maligned by some for political reasons.

In their response to the tragic attack in Clapham earlier this year, some former Home Office ministers, MPs and other commentators sought to portray churches and clergy as deliberately facilitating false asylum claims. It was for this reason, at the request of Anglican leaders, that representatives of our Churches met the Home Secretary in February. When asked, neither he nor officials could provide evidence to support the allegations of widespread abuse. Home Office Ministers have since confirmed this in a written parliamentary answer, and on questioning by the Home Affairs Select Committee. Follow-up meetings have since been agreed to promote closer cooperation and co-working between the churches and the Home Office.

Like so many in this country, we seek to support a system that shows compassion, justice, transparency and speed in its decisions. We grieve the appalling loss of life in the Channel today.

There may be differences between our churches and Government on the means by which our asylum system can be fair, effective and respecting of human dignity, but we do agree that borders must be managed and that vulnerable people need protection from people smugglers. We have pledged to continue to work with the Home Office, and we do so in good faith.

Bishop Paul McAleenan, Lead Bishop for Migrants and Refugees, CBCEW
Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby
Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell
Bishop of Southwark, Christopher Chessun
Revd Lynn Green, General Secretary, The Baptist Union of Great Britain
Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson, United Reformed Church General Assembly Moderator
Revd Gill Newton, President of the Methodist Conference

The Archdiocese of Southwark is hosting the annual London Migrant Workers Mass at St George’s Cathedral on Monday 6 May.

Migrants make a valuable contribution to life in the UK. The annual Mass is a celebration of how communities have been enriched by migration and the difference migrants make to wider society.

The Mass will be led by Archbishop John Wilson, with bishops from the Diocese of Westminster and Brentwood in attendance.

Speaking ahead of the Mass, Archbishop John said:

“Each and every person is a gift from God. Each and every person has gifts to offer to God and to others. That is why it is such a blessing people from across the globe have made their home here. It is this diversity, which has enriched our lives immeasurably, that we will be celebrating, and for which we will be giving our thanks to God.

“Our faith demands that we love our neighbour. This means we must serve those without a place to call home, especially those seeking refuge. As one family of humankind, united in love, we can – and we must – welcome our brothers and sisters who are suffering and help them to feel at home in our communities.”

The Mass takes place on the Feast of St Joseph the Worker and is a collaboration between the Archdiocese of Southwark, Diocese of Westminster and the Diocese of Brentwood. It is supported by the Justice and Peace Commissions and the Ethnic Chaplaincies.

People are encouraged to attend in their national dress as part of the celebrations, with a banner procession taking place at the beginning of Mass.

The Migrants Mass has been celebrated since 2006, when it was initiated by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, then-Archbishop of Westminster. The Archdiocese of Southwark and dioceses of Westminster and Brentwood host it in turns, this year being in St George’s Cathedral, Southwark.

The Mass will be celebrated on Monday 6 May at 12.30pm at St George’s Cathedral, London SE1 6HR. People are encouraged to arrive early as it is expected to be a full Mass.

Diocese of Southwark

Not casting stones

We come here month after month, to pray for asylum seekers and to mark the deaths of those whom the system has failed. We pray, like the importunate widow, each time, for justice for refugees, for a welcome for these strangers. What more can we be doing that we are not already doing?

I thought about today’s reading, and the woman who apparently deserved stoning, and Jesus’s reluctant conclusion: ‘Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.’

I wonder if there is a danger that we can look as though we are blaming government for all the ills of the asylum and immigration system. Yet we have a tiny part to play.

We are here as Christians, but also as citizens, who have a degree of freedom of speech, the right to assemble, the right to share our views, although we know that all of these cannot be taken for granted. And a vote. We have an election coming up, probably in the Autumn.

Our message, month after month, is surely that a politics of compassion must be applied to the whole asylum system. This system is national, European and global, and the crisis of people on the move needs to be seen as a huge humanitarian crisis. This was done after the Second World War, but also after the Vietnam war, when more than 1.3 million people were resettled.

I looked up some suggestions for policy, and found on Amnesty International site the following eight pointers:

Safe routes to sanctuary
2) Resettle most vulnerable
3) Save lives
4) Crossing borders: allow people to cross borders without papers, as they flee from danger.
5) Stop trafficking
6) Stop blaming refugees for domestic problems
Governments need to stop blaming refugees and migrants for economic and social problems, and instead combat all kinds of xenophobia and racial discrimination.
7) Start funding an impoverished UN, which has not even enough money to deal with the famine crisis in the Sudan for instance.
8) Asylum is a human right
The world has a very short memory. In the aftermath of World War II, most countries agreed to protect refugees through the 1951 Refugee Convention, and through UN agencies like the UNHCR.

Barbed wire fences and chronic underfunding have left that vision of a better world in tatters. By ignoring the warning signs, world leaders have allowed a huge, global humanitarian crisis to unfold. Ultimately, it will be resolved by ending the conflicts and persecution that forced people to flee in the first place.

But no one knows when that will be. Meanwhile, we need radical solutions, visionary leadership and global co-operation on a scale not seen for 70 years. That involves setting up strong refugee systems: allowing people to apply for asylum, treating their refugee claims fairly, resettling the most vulnerable of all, and providing basics like education and healthcare.

None of these eight solutions are impossible to achieve, if politicians listen to the millions of people saying “refugees welcome”, and put solidarity and compassion above petty wrangling over who should host a few thousand refugees’.

My own thoughts on the local domestic level are obvious:

– stop throwing money at walls and fences and spend it instead on improving the claims system, using the money to enable the – Home Office to deal with the huge backlog of applications.
– Stop putting people in detention for indefinite periods, treating them like prisoners, and instead let them go out to work, including while they await a hearing of their applications.

As Simon Jenkins of the Guardian says:

‘Our plight is rich in absurdity. The UK needs new workers and people want to come here. The real problem is populist politics’.

In other words, the fears planted in people about invasion by strangers is simply a tool of a party faction using biased media, and should be dealt with as such.

But overall, as Clive Myrie, of the BBC says: ‘we need international cooperation to solve a global crisis’.

Which brings me to the central idea behind all of these measures: Compassion and humanity. The theme for Refugee Week this year is Compassion.

What we are doing here in Marsham Street is praying for an international politics of compassion. And whatever we are getting involved in, whether hospitality, campaigning, accompaniment or befriending, we are praying that the umbrella idea over all of it, is compassion, not numbers, not expediency, identity politics or anything else. The alternative is the deaths we have just heard read out. It does not have to be like this.

With a general election coming up, might we think of doing our part, and coming up with a sort of Charter of Compassion for refugees, Might we do our own writing on the ground, as to what to put forward on how we might address this global crisis, and not be accused of simply casting stones at the Government?

The things we pray for, Lord, give us the grace to labour for!

List of the Dead, March 2023

At the Vigil we prayed for all those who died in the month of March 2023 while trying to seek sanctuary in Europe. Please remember them also in your prayers. You might like to download or print this sheet for your own daily memorials.

The next Vigil will take place on 15th April 2024.

Prayer Booklet for the Home Office Vigil – March 2024

A monthly Memorial Prayer Vigil for refugees and asylum-seekers takes place on the 3^rd Monday of every month outside the Home Office, SW1P 4DF, 12:30pm to 1:30pm.

Praying for

• Those who died trying to reach the UK
• Victims of current wars
• Those in detention and who are homeless
• The UK to be a more welcoming nation

Sign up to receive email news & alerts of changes or cancellation at: homeofficevigil@gmail.com

Co-sponsored by Westminster Justice and Peace Commission
London Catholic Worker and
London Churches Refugee Fund

https://www.jrsuk.net/news/advent-service-2023/

Monthly Memorial Prayer Vigil for refugees and asylum-seekers On the 3^rd Monday of every month Outside the Home Office SW1P 4DF 12:30pm to 1:30pm

Praying for

• Those who died trying to reach the UK
• Victims for current wars
• Those in detention and who are homeless
• The UK to be a more welcoming nation

Sign up to receive email news & alerts of changes or cancellation at: homeofficevigil@gmail.com

Co-sponsored by Westminster Justice and Peace Commission
London Catholic Worker and
London Churches Refugee Fund