Bishops: open your hearts to refugees

Sydney
9 December 2001

Ban all human cloning – bishops

‘Delight’ at Pope’s stand

Caritas sends an SOS

Bishops: open your hearts to refugees

Christian, Buddhist themes meld in Blake Prize winner

Depression: Governor sees hopeful signs

Cabin crew help needy

Language no barrier at World Youth Day

Editorial: In love with God and his creation

Letters: As ordained

Conversation: Inspired to be a ‘minstrel of God’ - Peter Kearney, singer and songwriter

Reflections: Stand up for principle or find safety in numbness?

This pilgrim’s progress

Doing it for themselves

Kids who make a choice in faith

Holy Spirit paid me a visit ...

Teachers delay reform, reports CIS

Inspirations: Treasures from the past: a holiday treat

Bishops: open your hearts to refugees

By Kathleen Carmody

Australians should open their hearts and their country to refugees, according to the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

The recent Sydney meeting of the conference directed its attention to the linked topics of refugees and asylum seekers.

A spokesman, Fr John Murphy, said the bishops were urging the government to be as generous as possible towards refugees.

“They would say that we should increase our refugee intake as much as we can instead of keeping it at 12,000 a year”, Fr Murphy said.

“There have been years in the 1980s where it was as high as 20,000.”

Fr Murphy also said the bishops recommended that more permanent places be available to refugees worldwide.

The conference issued a communiqué in which the bishops said: “As a people rich in material blessings, with an enviable record of welcome to refugees, Australians can continue to be generous by showing compassion to those who call on us for help.

“Australia has benefited greatly from the contributions of those of our citizens who once came to us as refugees and asylum seekers,” the bishops said.

“Our generosity will now enrich our nation in the future. Let us not be afraid to open our hearts and our country to these people.”

The bishops also welcomed the news that the Australian and Indonesian governments would work together to focus international attention on refugees and asylum seekers.

“Australia must be deeply involved and have a sense of urgency in seeking an international solution to combat people smuggling, to find settlement for suffering people, and to seek ways to eliminate the root causes of enforced population movement,” they said.

Fr Murphy said that the bishops were concerned about the issue of asylum seekers and refugees.

“It’s a difficult problem,” he said. “One big answer is to … be generous in both attitude and action. And to be more generous if we can be.

“They believe we can be.”