Europe’s Catholics heed Pope Francis’ call to host migrants
(Vatican Radio) During his Sunday Angelus last weekend Pope Francis called on parishes and religious communities to take in one migrant family who has fled war and hunger in their own country.
He said that welcoming refugee families would be part of the build-up to the upcoming Jubilee Year of Mercy, which will begin this December.
Since then Catholics around Europe have been heeding that call.
The Jesuit Refugee Service has been contacted by thousands of people eager to host refugees in their homes, provide clothing or offer other help to those in need.
JRS France has seen an upsurge in interest from those who want to help. It already runs a project called the “Welcome to France programme” which matches host families with asylum seekers needing short term accommodation.
Speaking to Lydia O’Kane, Michel Croc of JRS France says that what he has heard is that “Bishops are organising to transmit this call from the Pope to their parishes and they are building relationships with the cities too.”
He goes on to say that with the project they run, those who they welcome “is a friend for us, he is a human being…”
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In more than 15 cities in France, JRS matches an asylum seeker to a family or religious community that can host the asylum seeker for up to one month.
The guest also rotates to other homes until space is available in a government centre for asylum seekers.
Many of those who come to France have fled from countries in the Middle East and Africa. But in Paris many of the asylum seekers that are being assisted are from Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, as more and more people over to help, JRS Europe says it’s stepping up its operations.