Each year our diocese warmly welcomes refugees into our communities. After fleeing persecution, refugees are able to thrive and enrich Canada because they were protected, welcomed and offered care. Globally, there are currently over 690,000 refugees awaiting resettlement. Learn more about their stories by visiting the UN High Commission for Refugees website.
Public support for refugees is a way of ensuring that Canada continues to be a safe haven for refugees and that our tradition of care and compassion remains strong. As part of our ongoing commitment to protect refugees, we hope you and your parish will celebrate World Refugee Day on June 20.
Here’s a few ideas for how to celebrate:
1) Include prayers for refugees and for peace in your Sunday intercessions.
2) Participate in the Proud to Protect Refugees campaign of the Canadian Council for Refugees.
3) Bear witness to our shared concerns about the cuts to health care provided to refugees and refugee claimants by participating in the National Day of Action on Monday June 16. For those near Hamilton, meet either at the reception desk at Cathedral Place at 12:45pm (to walk over) or at 1pm in front of the regional Citizenship and Immigration Canada office, 55 Bay Street N.
4) Consider sponsoring a refugee family. There are a variety of ways to do this and some financial support available to help make sponsorship a possibility. For more information, please contact our refugee sponsorship coordinator, Carolyn Vanderlip.
