Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home Features Hot Topics

What’s a good response for Catholics when discussing asylum seekers?

byMatt Emerick
10 February 2016
Reading Time: 3 mins read
AA
What's a good response for Catholics when discussing asylum seekers?

Taking action: Catholic healthcare, social welfare and community groups have pledged to help the asylum seekers but what are we doing individually to support asylum seekers?

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

I WAS chatting with a friend recently about a compassionate response to asylum seekers.

His response was startling.

“What does compassion have to do with our border protection policy?”

I suggested the Church taught that the demands of human dignity always came before the national interest.

Nope, not for him.

“These queue jumpers need to go back from where they come from,” he said.

“They take Australian jobs and cause nothing but problems.”

A worrying perspective from a highly educated man who is at Mass every weekend.

The Church teaches that all people have the right to live a dignified life in their homeland.

But more than 50 million people around the world are displaced.

Related Stories

Nationwide rosary event happening for Australia’s patroness this Saturday

Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

Holiness is possible and the Church provides tools to attain it, cardinal says

I asked him what the words of Jesus in the Matthew’s Gospel meant when he said: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me. I was ill and you comforted me, in prison and you visited me.”

I thought they would be words to awaken the conscience of any Catholic, but there was no response.

And many people I meet at Church or community events and letter writers to The Catholic Leader believe asylum seekers should be put on the next boat home.

But do we consider why they are fleeing?

Were our descendants not all migrants to this country except for indigenous brothers and sisters.

The varying opinions of asylum seeking come as Catholics groups from across the country denounce the Federal Government’s plans to return 267 vulnerable people seeking asylum to Nauru.

The decision was condemned as breaching Australia’s responsibility to respect the human dignity and lives of those in its care.

Melbourne Bishop Vincent Long, a former refugee, called on the Australian government to protect people seeking asylum from harm and respect their human dignity.

“I urge the Australian Government to ensure that no child is subject to an unsafe and harmful environment and that no-one is returned to where they may face physical, psychological and sexual violence and harm,” he said.

“The Catholic Church is prepared to collaborate with other community organisations to provide support for asylum seekers.”

Catholic healthcare, social welfare and community groups have pledged to help the asylum seekers, but what can we doing individually to support asylum seekers?

As Lent begins, prayer, fasting, almsgiving a little sacrifices could all help those who are fleeing from oppression.

The Church teaches that anyone whose life is threatened has the right to protection.

Whether because of persecution, armed conflicts, natural disasters, or economic conditions threatening their lives or physical integrity.

It is the element of persecution, threat or danger, or being forcibly displaced that gives rise to a right to seek asylum rather than to migrate through ordinary channels.

The Church teaches that all nations have a right to regulate migration across their borders.

This right is coupled with the duty to protect and help innocent victims and those fleeing for their lives.

One would hope that borders are for the protection of people, not for the exclusion of people seeking protection.

As a community and as individuals, we must find more ways to welcome the stranger, regardless of their mode of transportation.

 

Matt Emerick is the managing editor of The Catholic Leader.

ShareTweet
Previous Post

We can help them

Next Post

From PNG to Poland

Matt Emerick

Related Posts

Catholic relationship advisers offer five tips to look after your mental health
QLD

Nationwide rosary event happening for Australia’s patroness this Saturday

19 May 2022
Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict
News

Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

19 May 2022
Holiness is possible and the Church provides tools to attain it, cardinal says
Faith

Holiness is possible and the Church provides tools to attain it, cardinal says

18 May 2022
Next Post
From PNG to Poland

From PNG to Poland

New chapter for Nathan

New chapter for Nathan

Prayers for Brazil

Prayers for Brazil

Popular News

  • Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

    Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turned 95 on a ‘very happy’ day

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Holiness is possible and the Church provides tools to attain it, cardinal says

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Parishes unite for Logan deanery family festival this Sunday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Catholic relationship advisers offer five tips to look after your mental health
QLD

Nationwide rosary event happening for Australia’s patroness this Saturday

by Joe Higgins
19 May 2022
0

FAITHFUL nationwide were getting out their rosary beads for a prayer event in honour of Australia’s patroness...

Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

19 May 2022
Holiness is possible and the Church provides tools to attain it, cardinal says

Holiness is possible and the Church provides tools to attain it, cardinal says

18 May 2022
Church workers have helped more than 1.2 million Ukrainians during the war, Caritas says

Church workers have helped more than 1.2 million Ukrainians during the war, Caritas says

18 May 2022
Minority Catholic woman takes pride in Asia’s overlooked saints

Minority Catholic woman takes pride in Asia’s overlooked saints

18 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping