Posted on 09/29/2015 2:30:23 PM PDT by NYer
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While watching the movie The Good Lie about refugees from Sudan last weekend, I couldn’t help thinking about how vulnerable one must be as a refugee; to have absolutely nothing, not even the basic necessities of life. It is not even to be dependent on another for these necessities, but to be looking for another to give them to you. It was poignant to see the depiction of Sudanese children surviving amidst death all around them, hunger, disease and unspeakable violence.
This reflection was, of course, very relevant since I live in Europe and that is all we hear about on the news these days. There are thousands of refugees pouring into Europe, more than 332,000 having arrived this year. They come from terrible conditions and terrible things happen to men, women and children on their journeys.
There is a natural tendency to protect oneself and to only help when you are in conditions to be able to help. British prime minister David Cameron’s talk about building a wall with France has sparked intense debate. Hungary and Austria invest in soldiers to shut their borders while Germany imposes more controls. Croatia closes its roads.
Yet, who could reject a refugee? They come from countries torn with war and genocide. They have seen their family members murdered. They are operating on the basic instinct of trying to protect themselves and their families. There is talk that some could be terrorists, but mainly they are trying to escape terrorism.
In Europe and the US we, live in highly “comfortable” societies. Of course, there is a more masqueraded genocide called abortion and corrupt leaders that skew values and morality to please our sinful natures, but there is no war. People aren’t being slain in the street. On the contrary, obesity and consumerism plague the US and Europe.
Being Catholic is understanding that strength comes in vulnerability. It is recognizing Christ’s open arms on the cross and the vulnerability of love. To love means to open oneself to true communion, but also the possibility of getting hurt. Christ and his Church have always valiantly defended the poor, the widow, the orphan…the refugee!
Pope Francis has said time and time again that the refugees in Europe are to be welcomed. Not in soup lines far away from our houses, or in distant camps, but into our neighborhoods, our parishes. That is counter-cultural.
Therefore, before the upcoming Jubilee of Mercy, I make an appeal to parishes, religious communities, monasteries and shrines of all Europe, that they give expression to an application of the Gospel and welcome a family of refugees. A concrete gesture in preparation for the Holy Year of Mercy.
That every parish, every religious community, every monastery, every shrine of Europe welcome one family, beginning with my Diocese of Rome.
I address my brother bishops of Europe, true pastors, so that in their dioceses they back my appeal, remembering that Mercy is the second name of Love: “What you have done for the least of my brothers, that you have done for me.”
The two parishes of the Vatican will also in the coming days welcome two families of refugees. (Pope Francis Angelus Address 9/6/15)
Pope Francis again touched upon the issue of refugees during his recent apostolic visit to the US when he addressed the Congress, saying “Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Second World War”. He appealed to the Golden Rule, reminding us to
Let us seek for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves. Let us help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves. In a word, if we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities. The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us.
As the Year of Mercy approaches, let us not harden our hearts to the most vulnerable. Let us not sit on the high horses of our political agendas and merciless stereotypes, but instead let God open our eyes and see the world as He sees it.
Pope Francis doesn’t say what the “left” would like him to say or what the “right” would like him to say, but let’s instead let him be the leader of our Church. Let God teach us how to see current events in a greater picture of salvation history and how to love our most vulnerable brothers and sisters, near and far.
... Born and raised in a small Christian village in Syria, Reverend Alaa Issa grew up in the Catholic minority and felt called to the priesthood. He entered seminary in Lebanon, but war broke out and disrupted his studies. Assisted by his local bishop, Fr. Alaa completed his education in Washington, D.C. and served in the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn, an Eastern Rite church. In December 2012, he returned to Syria for his ordination, giving light and hope to locals. Shortly thereafter, he traveled back to the U.S. to better his English, continue his training and serve parishes. He is currently a pastoral administrator in Tequesta, Fla., where he has increased his parish community from 30 to nearly 80 families and recently dedicated a new church.
May our Lord bless him on his journey. Welcome, Fr. Issa!
Catholic ping.
Ping to the good news!
Actually, there are tons of immigrants in there, according to a friend who visited recently.
Stereotypes exist for a reason.
Also, I don't think Christianity, Roman Catholicism or otherwise, enjoins someone to welcome an invasion of that person's country or continent or community.
Argentina is 97% white!
I guess they need about ten million Muslim men, aged 17-40, then.
Really? “Tons?” Exactly how many? Permanent residents, not temporary.
Wiki: “Vatican City (is a walled enclave within the city of Rome. With an area of approximately 44 hectares (110 acres), and a population of 842, it is the smallest internationally recognized independent state in the world by both area and population.”
I will take Pope Vladimir seriously when the Vatican lets in a couple hundred random, unscreened Muslim men, aged 18-30, like they are asking the rest of Europe to accept.
Permanent residents, no screening.
I don’t know what their status is, but apparently quite a lot of Muslims.
So is Vermont,they could use a little coloring themselves.
This so called refugee crisis is little more than a Trojan horse for Muslin invaders.
We shouldn’t be allowing Muslims to immigrate to any Western nation, much less the United States.
Five? Fifty? Five hundred?
The first mistake is believing these people are refugees. The second is that they are from Syria. Its an invasion. Europe is committing suicide.
Amen!
God will bless him and your community!
I wonder after reading this: how can one be involved in hosting a refugee family? Is it a bad question to ask?
There seem to be many on FR (and elsewhere to be fair I guess) who say these “refugees” are Muslims not Christians, and are really part of a planned invasion.
I honestly don’t know how to process that claim. Aren’t most of the refugees from Syria? If so, why would they leave their homes if not for fear of ISIS persecution? If they are fleeing persecution how are they an invasion?
I don’t know if any of these questions make sense to anybody. The whole thing doesn’t make sense to me really. I’m left wondering how so many thousands of people could be convinced to leave their homes to be part of an “invasion”. It just doesn’t make sense; it dehumanizes people making them into robots with no lives of consequence (in Syria) before ISIS invaded. Robots willing to just uproot and leave, for what? Money? 72 virgins? It’s all too simplistic IMO, and usually my experience has been simplistic ideas tend to be disasters.
Depends on the definition of “refugee”.
There are some refugees who are carrying their pet dogs and cats. Since muslims hate dogs, I wonder what is going on. If these are folks are Christian, then they should be helped.
ww.care2.com/causes/syrian-refugees-carry-beloved-pets-hundreds-of-miles.html
This announcement came as quite a surprise. We lost Fr. Georges in January. He was called back to his monastic community to serve as assistant to the Superior General. He was a deeply spiritual man and we enjoyed many wonderful conversations on faith. His replacement was ordained only 2 years ago. He beautifully celebrated the liturgy and delivered marvelous sermons. Like us, he too is quite surprised. I am looking forward to Fr. Issa. Coming to us from a christian minority in Syria, he knows persecution and suffering. May our Lord bless him on this journey.
Thank you for your kind words. Please remember him and our community in your prayers as I do you and yours.
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