By working collaboratively on a shared goal, religious and laypeople have better been able to help respond to the needs of asylum seekers and refugees, writes Rory O’Neill
The idea of love of God and love of neighbour is a basic element in hearing the call to join a religious or missionary congregation. This idea is also shared by many others who do not feel called to the religious or missionary life but who do feel called to serve God and others.
There is no doubt that civil society organisations can and do support and engender the charisms and vision of religious and missionary congregations. Collaboration and partnerships have allowed shared visions and mission to coalesce and address existing and emerging phenomenon that affect those on the margins of society today.
The Association of Leaders of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland (AMRI), under its social justice mandate (JPIC), seeks to respond with courage and confidence to existing and emerging realities. Inspired by the Gospel and Church teachings, AMRI, as a centre for mission and dialogue, promotes collaboration and partnership with various stakeholders. A concrete example of this is the relationship AMRI has today with the Irish Refugee Council.
Relationships
The Irish Refugee Council (IRC) was established in 1992 with the support of various religious congregations and development agencies. These important relationships continue to flourish and develop as the need for our supports continues to expand. Our work with people seeking protection and refugees is echoed in the four verbs used by Pope Francis in discussing migration – to welcome, protect, promote and integrate people seeking protection. Our services offer a continuum of care for people through the protection process and onto Irish citizenship and beyond if needed.
As an organisation, the IRC began its relationship with AMRI in 2015, through the then justice coordinator, Sr Sheila Curran RSM, who reached out with the offer from various congregations of property to house refugees in an emergency response to what was termed the refugee crisis in 2015. Since then, the initiative has developed into a collaborative housing programme called ‘A Place Called Home’. The programme provides housing and support to people leaving Direct Provision, families reunited through family reunification and those who have here under the State’s resettlement programme.
This programme would not have been possible without the support of the congregations and other faith-based organisations and groups. Currently, we have over 70 people directly housed in 18 properties. These properties have been donated by the following congregations: St Patrick’s Missionary Society, Loreto Sisters IBVM, Sisters of Mercy South Central Province and Western Province, Franciscan Order of Friars Minor, Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles, Christian Brothers European Province, Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, Sacred Heart of Mary, and the Congregation of the Holy Spirit.
Skills
Not only has property and funding been donated, but individual sisters, brothers and priests are committed to providing holistic support needs to the people we work with. The range of skills that sisters, brothers and priests provide continues to be a resource that is invaluable and unquantifiable. Healthcare support, social work, translation, cultural knowledge, teaching and life skills are constructive examples of the many supports that are provided.
Another valuable aspect of the project has been the ecumenical and interfaith dimension. The Church of Ireland has been an integral and very generous funder for the IRC’s wider housing and homelessness work. The range of work that housing and homeless support requires in this current climate covers a very wide spectrum. From access to schools, employment, health, legal and social supports.
The challenge to love God and love our neighbour is not unique to religious congregations or missionary societies”
Interfaith collaboration is perfectly exemplified in a new programme the Irish Refugee Council is working with in collaboration with the State, UNHCR and other stakeholders called Community Sponsorship. This is where communities come together to provide the integration supports for a Syrian refugee family coming directly from a UNHCR camp in either Lebanon or Jordan. One community based around a pre-existing ecumenical project has been formed to undertake this programme. The group have also been extensively supported by a missionary congregation – the Sisters of Saint Joseph. Another community has been supported by the Jesuits.
Both the IRC and AMRI acknowledge the value of this close collaboration. Through this has come the realisation that by working collaboratively with a shared goal, we have better been able to help respond to the needs of asylum seekers and refugees. This has also enabled religious and missionaries continue to be faithful to their own unique charisms and fulfil their mission here in Ireland today in a very concrete and fruitful way.
The challenge to love God and love our neighbour is not unique to religious congregations or missionary societies. It is a call to all Christians and indeed to all people. ‘A Place To Call Home’ is one particular example of collaboration and partnership with others, where shared goals are achievable. It is a model whereby the charism and mission of congregations and missionary societies can see their vocation being fulfilled in a very meaningful way.
The present Covid-19 crisis highlights our interdependence. While we are all in this crisis together, we do not all experience it in the same way. Covid-19 will exacerbate already existing social vulnerabilities and inequalities while creating new ones. We will all need to re-think how we co-exist together to ensure no one is left behind. Once we can all collaborate and work together, we can be very effective in our approach.
Rory O’Neill, Irish Refugee Council and the Association of the Leaders of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland Justice Desk. World Refugee Day is June 20.