“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
After eight years in New Zealand, Dinesha Amarasinghe, her husband and her three sons have been told they will be deported back to Sri Lanka. The reason: Dinesha has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Continue reading
Cardinal John Ribat of Papua New Guinea is all for policies of compassion and welcome for immigrants around the world. But he says immigrants for their part have to show respect for their host societies. “As a visitor to a country, or even to a home, you’re always conscious you’re a visitor,” he told Crux Read more