One Catholic Deacon's View and Musings on the World
The Atlanta Journal Constitution has published an article about a number of Georgians who have witnessed the Syrian Refugee Crisis in person. This includes our @CatholicRelief trip as well as others. Read About it Here
Recently I came across this blog by “JustAScottishGirl” (the nickname she gave to herself) and I am truly impressed and awed by her! She saw the refugee crisis and launched into action. Now with the new EU deal in place, aid workers face a terrible moral choice.
“How do you keep your head when all those around you are losing theirs? Back in September, I had had enough of simply sitting around watching an unraveling humanitarian crisis unfold on the shores of Europe so I decided to try and do something..”
Her full story is here at: Integrity.
NPR’s Scott Simon reports a real 2016 Good Samaritan story involving Syrian refugees. Hear how this German politican responds to his rescuers…would it be different in your city, state or country?
I would like to think that as a world community we are better than this. We can do more to alleviate the human suffering and we can Continue reading ““Detention Camps” for #RefugeeCrisis is not the Solution”
Deacon Don Weigel was interviewed by The Western New York Catholic magazine recently. His comments are insightful. Speaking of the extremely long process for refugees to enter the U.S., Deacon Don points out that, “If you’re a terrorist trying to get into the United States by posing to be a refugee, you’re either willing to wait for decades or you’re dumb, because it would be much easier for you to get there by student visa or work visa or tourist visa. Turning our backs on the refugees is just a denial of their humanity and their dignity.” Read the full article here.
The definition of irony is: If you still have a perfect #NCAATournament Bracket, you know absolutely nothing about basketball! This is really @MarchMadness
The @GeorgiaBulletin has published an article about Holy Trinity Catholic Chuch in Peachtree City, Georgia sponsoring a #Refugee family. As a @CatholicRelief Global Fellow I attended the Refugee Forum that was held there. The parishioners at Holy Trinity should be commended for their compassion!
Abbey Press Publications, and Editor Silas Henderson have published the book, “Serving with Joy: Lessons from Pope Francis for Catholic Deacons Today.” The Foreword is by Bishop Frank Caggiano. The book contains a series of essays by Father Frank DeSiano, Deacon Greg Kandra, Deacon Bill Ditewig, Deacon James Keating, and myself, Deacon Steve Swope.
Abbey Press says, “This small volume brings together the reflections of five leaders in the deacon community in the United States on the joy-filled witness of Pope Francis and what his message means for deacons today.” It can be purchased on the Abbey Press Website.
It was a pleasure to work with Silas on this project!
Justice for Immigrants is sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and invites all people of good faith to learn and speak out on behalf of refugees fleeing for their lives.
The U.S. House of Representatives, House Judicary Committee is considering a bill that would restrict refugee resettlement, refuse entry to famlies fleeing ISIS and civil war. In addition, this legislation would, for the first time in U.S. history allow states to ‘veto’ resettlement restricting the free movement of persons between states (this is likely unconstitutional). All this despite the fact that refugees are carefully vetted before entering the U.S. How absurd that a nation of immigrants would consider this action out of fear. My own representative Lynn Westmoreland wrote to me saying that the suspicion that one Paris terrorist possibly had a refugee passport (just the suspicion) leads him to want to restrict refugee resettlement. How cowardly we have become when we turn away thousands fleeing for their lives out of fear that one potential terrorist might somehow, someway get in. Where has the Greatest Generation gone, they are not in Washington now.
We should stand up to this silliness as Germany is doing and speak out against such an unjust and most likely unconstitutional law. It is most likely an election year ploy, but this is a crazy election year indeed. Please go to this link to see how your voice can be heard: Justice for Immigrants – Refugee Resettlement
A Deacon's View 