Catherine McAuley modelled this in 19th Century Ireland and challenged others about their care and responsibility for the suffering. Being in a deep relationship with her God, Catherine was the living expression of God’s compassion and mercy for many.
In recent weeks we have witnessed terrible scenes of suffering and despair in Afghanistan. We are reminded of the 82.4 MILLION forcibly displaced people worldwide as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations or events seriously disturbing public order, in the midst of the COVID19 pandemic.
This year, the 107th celebration of Migrant and Refugee Sunday was celebrated on Sunday, 26 September. We can read Pope Francis’ Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2021 here or we can watch this short video “Towards an ever wider WE”: A we as wide as humanity
And so we pray…
Holy, beloved Father,
your Son Jesus taught us
that there is great rejoicing in heaven
whenever someone lost is found,
whenever someone excluded, rejected or discarded
is gathered into our “we”,
which thus becomes ever wider.
We ask you to grant the followers of Jesus,
and all people of good will,
the grace to do your will on earth.
Bless each act of welcome and outreach
that draws those in exile
into the “we” of community and of the Church,
so that our earth may truly become
what you yourself created it to be:
the common home of all our brothers and sisters. Amen.