One Catholic Deacon's View and Musings on the World
#WorldRefugeeDay is a day of action! Through #CatholicRelief, #GlobalCitizen and other organizations, we have the confidence that we can make a difference of people who are suffering from displacement, terror and fear. Continue reading “Another #WorldRefugeeDay”
Deep within each of us is a moral compass. We can look at that compass and follow it or not; that is called free will. It is interesting how instinctive and easy it is for children to follow the moral direction it points with compassion and heartfelt sympathy for others. A six-year old New York boy named Alex saw the picture of little Omran Daqneesh in the back of an ambulance in Aleppo, Syria and was moved with compassion. He was so moved that he wrote a letter to President Obama asking the President to go get Omran and bring him to the U.S. so that Alex’s family “will give him a family and he will be our brother.” The moving story of Alex’s plea can be found here: Alex’s Letter to the President.
Deep within each of us is a moral compass. Like Alex, we each should follow it; it will help us navigate to a better world.
This Commentary was authored for The Georgia Bulletin and was published on July 7, 2016. Please read the full commentary at: Deacon Steve Swope’s Georgia Bulletin Commentary on Refugees.
The Global Food Security Act, sponsored by the Honorable Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) passed the House of Representatives today. It previously passed in the Senate. This bill which the president said he will sign will require the United States Government to have a coordinated whole-of-government approach to food security that will improve millions of lives. In addition, the bill guarantees two years of funding for America’s food security investments. This funding goes mainly to small impoverished men and women farmers to help them through a program called Feed the Future, which has already helped 7 million small-scale farmers grow more food, and improved nutrition for 12.5 million children.
This is a remarkable victory for the world’s poorest and yet another shining example of Christian and American compassion and generosity.
Integration of refugees into host countries is constantly discussed. Germany is considering a new approach: Integrating Refugees.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has published an Op-Ed piece that I authored about the Syrian Refugee Crisis. You can read it here.
From 1940-1945 the countries of the Middle East accepted refugees fleeing war torn Europe. It does not seem too much to ask that the same generosity now be extended to war refugees from the Middle East fleeing toward Europe.
The full, mostly forgotten story is here.
In the past six days over 700 people, real humans with lives, families and dreams have died seeking refuge from war and pesecution. I have been asked if refugees are crazy for trying to escape or if they are a threat. The answer is clear, only someone who is desperate would risk death to escape the violence of their home country. Crazy people wouldn’t be rational enough to leave and terrorists would be crazy to take a high risk, Continue reading “Refugees Risk Death for Freedom and Peace”
Real people in this #RefugeeCrisis are dying. They want peace and safety. When do we finally take notice and care?
Why do average Syrians become refugees, leaving behind all they have? The answer is clear, indiscriminate violence.
A Deacon's View 
