A Haitian priest responded with pet blessings and laughter to a bizarre remark former President Trump made during a debate last month. This year at his annual blessing of the animals (held in St Francis of Assisi’s honour), Haitian immigrant Rev. Jean Beniste invited people to bring their pets to church. “Bring your pet. Bring Read more
Religious leaders in Springfield, Ohio gathered on Sunday (15 September) to denounce false claims that Haitian migrants in the area were “eating pets”. Rev. Carl Ruby of Central Christian Church addressed the issue directly during a service, declaring “Haitians are not eating pets in Springfield”. Rev. Ruby’s remarks came after former President Donald Trump made Read more
“They oughta send them all back.” “A wave of brown-skinned filth.” “Keep your crime and your filth out of this neighbourhood.” This is some of the invective directed at Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini after she arrives in a chaotic New York City, as depicted in the luminous new film drama Cabrini. It should be obvious Read more
Pope Francis recently wrote to Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, thanking him and the diocese as a whole for their work accompanying immigrants at the southern border. Straddling the U.S-Mexico border, the Diocese of Brownsville is the southernmost diocese in Texas. It has long been at the epicentre of the church’s response to migration, Read more
Immigration lawyers and advocates in New Zealand are echoing similar concerns Pope Francis made during his recent trip to Cypris. In Cypris, Francis warned Europe of its indifference to migrants, saying migration issues are something society is getting used to. He went on to label the indifference “a grave disease for which there is no Read more
Bishop Brian Tamaki seems to have taken a couple of popularist planks from President Trump’s platform. At Waitangi, last Thursday he railed against immigrants and also suggested: “We should drain the Wellington bureaucratic swamp”. The Destiny Church leader was described in the Waitangi Day service schedule booklet as an ‘Apostle Bishop’. Tamaki had arrived with Read more
Pope Francis has given a joyride in his popemobile to eight migrant children who recently arrived in Italy from Libya. Francis picked up the kids, who hail from Syria, Nigeria and Congo, at the start of his weekly general audience Wednesday and zoomed around St. Peter’s Square with them in the backseat. Continue reading
A bishop has spoken out about Catholics who identify as “faith-filled” while spreading fear and mistrust of immigrants, particularly Muslims. Irish Bishop Kevin Doran says he has come across people – some of whom classify themselves as traditional Catholics and faith-filled people – who say “oh well, these Muslims are putting our civilisation at risk Read more
Rest homes are starting to lose valuable workers as stricter immigration rules bite, says the Aged Care Association. Kaitaia therapist, Juliet Garcia, has worked for 10 years but can’t get residence. She’s just one example of immigration rules affecting the sector, said chief executive of the Aged Care Association, Simon Wallace. Continue reading
“We humbly acknowledge our shortcomings, especially with regards to particular groups in society such as the LGBT community who have felt a very real sense of rejection through the Church,” says Cardinal John Dew. And he says the church has also probably fallen short in fully meeting the needs of recent migrant communities. Dew said Read more