A comment on the Pope’s Message by the Director of the West Australian Catholic Migrant & Refugee Office.

This year, Pope Francis has asked the Catholic Church to be the Gospel leaven in four ways when it comes to the issue of migration: welcoming, protecting, promoting, integrating. 

First, followers of Christ are asked to welcome the migrant or refugee person living nearby. This means having an attitude of goodwill  and an openness to encounter. What this looks like in everyday life depends on the person and situation but it would always involve some kind of communication, perhaps a simple greeting or smile. 

Please contact the West Australian Catholic Migrant & Refugee Office for further information about welcoming persons from a diversity of cultural backgrounds especially those cultures which are more removed from the Western culture so common in Australia.

Second, protecting the migrant and refugee person at the local level simply means being aware that the person might be in need of some assistance but is shy in asking for help – perhaps the person does not have enough English vocabulary or does not want to be a burden. However, if they feel welcomed by you then they might feel empowered to say something. 

Please contact the West Australian Catholic Migrant & Refugee Office for further support if you are not sure of how to meet the request in practical ways.

Third, in addition to welcoming and protecting, the migrant or refugee person can be further supported by promoting the Gospel value of the dignity of the human person. This is easy to do and can be an everyday thing to do: it simple means getting informed regarding migrant and refugee issues. Information around these issues can be found on numerous websites such as the Jesuit Refugee Services at www.jrs.org.au

Another response would be to gently challenge comments you hear which are clearly derogatory towards the migrant or refugee person. Of course, comments such as ‘they should not be allowed here’ or ‘they come here and take our jobs’ would never be heard in the parish setting because they are simply not based on facts or reality. Importantly, they are not from the spirit of God which the parishioner received at their baptism. 

In the unlikely event such comments are made, it is usually due to a misunderstanding of the complex nature of migration or lack of knowledge concerning the Australian Government’s commitment to migration and refugee intakes. So, one response to prejudice born of ignorance is to direct the parishioner to the Migrant & Refugee Section at www.migrants-refugees.va. As many of you would know, the Pontiff himself actively works in this Section on a monthly, sometimes weekly, basis.

Please contact the West Australian Catholic Migrant & Refugee Office if your parish would like an information session to be held at the parish: Migrants, Refugees & Asylum Seekers - Facts & Myths.

Fourthly, parishes are asked to assist the newcomer to integrate into society. In practice, this might be something as simple as inviting a migrant or refugee person to share their story for 5-10 minutes at a parish event such as a morning tea. 

Integration cannot be forced, of course, but the pastoral care displayed in welcoming, protecting and promoting creates a safe space for the newly arrived person and is a sure way of empowering the migrant and refugee person to take the risk of engaging with and participating in the life of the parish and local community. 

Integration occurs when a migrant or refugee person feels safe; when they feel they belong; when they understand that they are accepted. When these are in place then then a vulnerable person, such as a migrant or a refugee, is willing to reveal who they are as an individual person by participating in or even contributing to the life of the parish and surrounding community. 

Please contact the West Australian Catholic Migrant & Refugee Office for further information about how to create opportunities for vulnerable migrants and refugees to integrate into parish communal life.

The Pope’s message for Migrant & Refugee Sunday can be downloaded at www.acmro.catholic.org.au

Download Migrant & Refugee Kit 2018 (PDF)

Download Bishop Don Sproxton’s letter promoting Migrant & Refugee Sunday to the parishes (PDF)