'The refugee crisis is one of the biggest challenges of our time. But our faith calls us to respond with mercy and welcome for refugees, our sisters and brothers.'
In this Year of Mercy, Pope Francis invited us all to make a pilgrimage, to mark “an extraordinary moment of grace and spiritual renewal” (Misericordiae Vultus). The idea of pilgrimage which is especially powerful in the light of the current migration crisis. More people than ever before in human history are now on forced journeys far from home.
Pope Francis calls migration the challenge of our age and says the answer lies in the Gospel of mercy. As he says, “Biblical revelation urges us to welcome the stranger; it tells us that in so doing, we open our doors to God, and that in the faces of others we see the face of Christ himself.” (Message on World Day of Migrants and Refugees, 2016)
Christ was a refugee as a child. His family experienced the fear of the flight into Egypt and the sanctuary offered by a neighbouring country. This pilgrimage is a way for us to show solidarity with all those fleeing war, poverty and persecution in our world.
Over the past week, there has been an octave of prayer held at St Marys Cathedral, Wrexham which embraced this theme of pilgrimage, giving an opportunity for prayer and reflection on the refugee crisis.
Colette Byrne form CAFOD attended the final day of prayer and gave the final reflection to conclude the octave.
In this Year of Mercy, Pope Francis invited us all to make a pilgrimage, to mark “an extraordinary moment of grace and spiritual renewal” (Misericordiae Vultus). The idea of pilgrimage which is especially powerful in the light of the current migration crisis. More people than ever before in human history are now on forced journeys far from home.
Pope Francis calls migration the challenge of our age and says the answer lies in the Gospel of mercy. As he says, “Biblical revelation urges us to welcome the stranger; it tells us that in so doing, we open our doors to God, and that in the faces of others we see the face of Christ himself.” (Message on World Day of Migrants and Refugees, 2016)
Christ was a refugee as a child. His family experienced the fear of the flight into Egypt and the sanctuary offered by a neighbouring country. This pilgrimage is a way for us to show solidarity with all those fleeing war, poverty and persecution in our world.
Over the past week, there has been an octave of prayer held at St Marys Cathedral, Wrexham which embraced this theme of pilgrimage, giving an opportunity for prayer and reflection on the refugee crisis.
Colette Byrne form CAFOD attended the final day of prayer and gave the final reflection to conclude the octave.
