Bishop Nicholas Hudson has added his support to JRS UK’s Welcome the Stranger campaign by signing a postcard at St Boniface House. The campaign calls for the right to seek asylum to be protected and for people seeking sanctuary in the UK to be treated with dignity.
The Bishop was joined by Diocesan Trustees and members of the Caritas Plymouth team. His signing follows a hand-in at Number 10 Downing Street on September 21st, when hundreds of postcards from communities across the country were delivered to the Government.
Simon Giarchi, Head of Caritas Plymouth, represented the Diocese at the hand-in alongside members of the Jesuit Refugee Service UK, Caritas Social Action Network, the St Vincent de Paul Society and Caritas Brentwood.
Speaking after signing the postcard, Bishop Nicholas said:
“I’m proud to add my name to this campaign, and I’m grateful to the parishes across our Diocese who have already taken part. I was delighted that Caritas Plymouth could join our partners in taking those voices to Downing Street.
“At a time when migrants are being so wrongly demonised, we must remember the person behind every asylum claim. Each has an innate dignity that cannot be set aside. The Gospel calls us to welcome the stranger, and that call must shape how we speak about and respond to people seeking safety.”
The postcards call on the Government to restore the right to asylum and to end immigration detention. The campaign takes its name from Christ’s words in Matthew’s Gospel: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me”, and it seeks to put dignity and protection at the heart of the asylum system.
The campaign is continuing, and parishes and individuals can still take part. Further information is available from the Jesuit Refugee Service UK website.