While there has been considerable criticism of the Catholic Church for the way it has treated people of other faiths in the past, it should not be forgotten that the Church also has a long history of compassion for non-Christians.
This has been shown most recently in Brisbane in the way the archdiocesan Centre for Multicultural Pastoral Care and other Catholic agencies have weighed in to help a group of Muslim refugees from Afghanistan.
From the moment the Centre for Multicultural Pastoral Care received a phone call appealing for assistance, the behind the scenes co-operative effort to find accommodation and jobs for the temporary visa holders has been nothing short of amazing.
The call has now gone out to all parishioners to lend a hand in supporting these refugees. In this Easter season, it would be a true reflection of Christ-like service to be able to offer the hand of welcome to these refugees.
