Bishop's issue letter welcoming immigrants

A Hundred Thousand Welcomes? invites parishioners to reflect

Over this weekend at Masses celebrated in parishes across the island of Ireland, bishops will publish a new pastoral letter on welcoming immigrants, entitled: A Hundred Thousand Welcomes?

A Hundred Thousand Welcomes? invites parishioners to reflect on how we welcome immigrants in contemporary Ireland, and the theme is informed by the parable of the Good Samaritan.

The pastoral letter's call to action encourages people to welcome immigrants and strive to help all newcomers belong to the life of the community; to reject voices that sow division; and, calls on State authorities to provide more resources to address local social and economic shortages that have been neglected for too long.

A Hundred Thousand Welcomes? is available on the website of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference, with brief videos by Bishop Donal Roche, chair of the Bishops' Council for Migrants, and by Ms Concepta DeBrun of the Bishops' Council for Justice and Peace, along with downloadable social media resources.