Press Releases19 Jun 24

Church of Ireland promotes support for refugees

Members of the Church of Ireland share stories on how they welcome and integrate refugees in a new video released today ahead of World Refugee Day on Thursday (20th June).

The film includes interviews with Helen Livingstone and David Maganda from All Nations Ministries in Belfast, and the Revd Abigail Sines and Dr Naomi Masheti from the Carraig Centre and Cork Migrant Centre.  It seeks to inspire and encourage local churches to support refugees not only in this year’s Refugee Week but at any time throughout the year.

Produced by Pelumi Adewuyi for the Primate’s Reference Group on Ethnic Diversity, Inclusion and Racial Justice, the project was funded by the Church of Ireland Priorities Fund. The Primate’s Reference Group is an initiative of Archbishop John McDowell, chaired by him with Dr Lucy Michael as the group’s secretary.

In a motion proposed by Dr Michael and seconded by Stella Obe at the General Synod’s 2023 meeting in Wexford, the General Synod acknowledged ‘the impact of anti–refugee and migrant hatred in our communities’ and sought suggestions from the Church’s dioceses ‘regarding ways in which the Church can counter the language of anti–refugee and migrant hatred at the local level and communicate a strong message of Christian welcome to all.’