Aylan Kurdi, R.I.P.
Aylan Kurdi and his brother Galip,
who also drowned along with their Mother Rehen, as they tried to escape war
torn Syria.
* The UN reports there are some 59.5 million displaced
persons on our planet. 59.5 million of
our brothers and sisters. If they were a
nation, they’d be the 24th largest nation on earth. Larger than South Africa (50 million) Souh
Korea (48 Million) Columbia (48 million) Poland (38 million) and Argentina (40
million). http://www.unhcr.org/556725e69.html
Brussels, 7 September 2015 – Catholics across
Europe are answering Pope Francis's call to show hospitality to refugees. Since
the Pope's statement earlier this week, the Jesuit Refugee Service has heard
from thousands of people eager to host refugees in their homes, provide
clothing or offer other help to those in need.
On Sunday 6 September, Pope Francis said,
"may every parish, every religious community, every monastery, every
sanctuary in Europe take in one family." He added that the two parishes in
the Vatican itself would each welcome a refugee family.
"Faced with the tragedy of tens of
thousands of refugees who are fleeing death by war and by hunger... the Gospel
calls us to be neighbours to the smallest and most abandoned," said the
Pope, who asks that welcoming refugee families be part of the build-up to the
upcoming Jubilee Year of Mercy, which will begin this December.
Europe's Catholics were already reaching out to
offer help. "Our cell phone doesn't stop ringing. We've gotten 700 emails
in five days," says Inês Braizinha, head of communications for JRS
Portugal.
Labels: Aylan Kurdi, Catholic Relief Services, CRS, Jesuit Refugee Service, JRS, pope francis, refugee crisis