On Monday 21st September, Caritas Plymouth joined representatives from CSAN, SVP, JRS UK and Caritas Brentwood in responding to the Welcome the Stranger campaign. They delivered hundreds of postcards from parishes, schools, religious communities and local groups across the UK to Number 10 Downing Street, calling on the Government to restore the right to asylum and place dignity and protection at the heart of the system.
Parishes from across the Diocese of Plymouth have sent in hundreds of campaign cards alongside Bishop Nicholas Hudson and senior clergy to send a clear message to the Government that the right to seek asylum must be protected, and people seeking sanctuary must be treated with dignity and love.
The campaign comes at a time when people seeking sanctuary in the UK face increasingly restrictive government policies and the increased use of immigration detention.
Simon Giarchi, Head of Caritas Diocese of Plymouth attended the hand in at Number 10 and said: “The bible is full of God’s call to ‘love the stranger’ and this is such a big part of our great spiritual tradition. We must always remember Jesus and the Holy family were refugees themselves. This was no accident and this fact will speak to Christians and indeed humanity for all time.”
Jesus tells us in the Gospel how we will be recognised as his disciples:
‘I was a stranger and you welcomed me… Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’ (Matthew 25: 35-40).
This truth compels us to act and Catholics from across the Diocese have acted together to raise their voices to defend our sisters’ and brothers’ right to asylum and the great Christian traditions of this country which have welcomed many people fleeing war and oppression over the centuries.
There’s still time to add your voice and to organise the campaign in your parish or school. Click here to find out more and get involved in our campaign to defend asylum or email: uk.outreach@jrs.net for support or to order resources.
Every postcard helps witness to the strength of our Christian faith and our support for an asylum system rooted in dignity and compassion.
Our thanks go out to all the parishes and their communities who have already taken part in the campaign.
