Prayerful focus on our migrant communities

 

Bishop Patrick and Canon James Cronin with Korean migrants

 

Cardinal Cormac with the Papal Nuncio in the sacristy before Mass

 

Bishop Patrick in the sacristy before Mass

 

The Mass for Migrants Workers in London was attended by over 2,000 people from over 40 countries. The Mass was celebrated by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Bishop Pat Lynch, auxiliary Bishop of Southwark and Bishop Thomas McMahon. Also present at the Mass was the Papal Nuncio, His Excellency Archbishop Faustino Sainz Muñoz and civic dignitaries included the Lord Mayor of Westminster. Over 50 priests took part in the celebration of the Mass, many from the 47 ethnic chaplaincies in London.

 

'Shameful and unjust'

Bishop Thomas McMahon critical of Government failure to act on undocumented migrants

 

Listen to Bishop Thomas Mahon's homily on the Westminster website
 

Bishop Thomas McMahon of Brentwood strongly criticised the Government’s failure to regularise undocumented migrants living in Britain.

 

Delivering the homily at the  ‘Mass in Support of Migrants Workers in London’,  held at Westminster Cathedral, on Monday 5 May 2008, the feast of St Joseph the Worker, Bishop McMahon emphasised the importance of welcoming migrants. “Welcoming and hospitality have always been at the very heart of the Bible and have been very much the tradition of the United Kingdom. Migrants helped to rebuild the United Kingdom following World War II and are continuing to regenerate London and this country. They make an indispensable contribution.”

 

In his homily, Bishop McMahon drew attention to efforts being made in recent years to extend this welcome to the many long-term undocumented migrants in the UK.  According to many experts, these migrant workers have lived and worked in London for many years, often paying taxes and contributing to the economy and society; however their status in the UK is that of being here illegally, and many are threatened with deportation.

 

Bishop McMahon said: “We are concerned here today with the plight of the long term migrants and the Government’s failure to respond must be consistently challenged. For any government to choose to do nothing about regularisation is irresponsible and leaves thousands of migrants open to exploitation and fear. I can only describe it as shameful and unjust.”

 

The Cathedral piazza after the Mass

 

Canon James Cronin, Southwark's Black and Ethnic Minorities
Co-ordinator, with the Anglican Bishop of Woolwich

 

Bishop Thomas McMahon

 

Earlier in 2008, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales issued a new statement about the Mission of the Church to Migrants.

 

Bishop Pat Lynch said: "Over the last few years, there has been a transformation of the social character of the dioceses in England and Wales. Across the country in all our dioceses, we have migrants from nearly every continent in the world, adding people and vibrancy to our parishes. We, the Bishops of England and Wales, have been considering this new social reality with a view to issuing a statement calling for a more visible culture of welcome, hospitality and solidarity with our migrant sisters and brothers in God’s family. We recognise and celebrate their rich cultural and spiritual patrimony and the ways in which they are enriching us as they join us in our parishes and dioceses. This statement, ‘Mission of the Church to Migrants in England and Wales’ is the result. "