A BRISBANE refugee worker has likened the birth of refugee babies in detention centres to the birth of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago.
Archdiocesan Centre for Multicultural Pastoral Care director Jose Zepeda spoke out against the “jailing” of innocent people at the Curtin Detention Centre in Western Australia and Woomera Detention Centre in South Australia after a group of more than 40 refugees arrived in Brisbane on December 8.
The refugees were welcomed at the Romero Centre in Buranda, which is linked to the CMPC.
He said the refugee group included 12 children.
“There was also a baby, younger than six months,” he said. “That baby was born in a jail so it really is an Australian baby.”
Mr Zepeda said it was a similar situation to the one experienced by the baby Jesus and Mary.
“They were both exiles and he was born in similar circumstances to those little babies,” he said. “Jesus was a refugee and he was persecuted.
“I want parents out there to think about how they would feel if it was their child locked up in jail for months, especially during Christmas time,” Mr Zepeda said.
