Over the last several months I have become increasingly concerned by some of the attitudes and language directed towards refugees and people seeking asylum in the United Kingdom, particularly on social media. Too often, I have seen people treated and referred to as less than human beings. Many of the people displaying these attitudes get their information from right wing news agencies whose aim is to stir up trouble rather than inform.
I am the Social Justice Coordinator for the St Vincent de Paul Society in Scotland (SSVP). Like the Society in England and Wales, the SSVP is very concerned about the treatment experienced by refugees and asylum seekers in public discourse, in policy, and in daily life. We are a Catholic organisation, called by Jesus himself to welcome the stranger, recognise the dignity of every person, and stand in solidarity with people who have been forced to leave their homes. We take this Gospel calling seriously and want to enable our members to be proactive in putting their faith into action.
For this reason, I was delighted to come across the campaign to Defend Asylum being run by the Jesuit Refugee Service UK in cooperation with CSAN and the St Vincent de Pauil Society in England and Wales. This campaign encourages all of us to think about how we individually welcome people who come here seeking safety, but also to hold our government to account, to speak up for a more humane asylum system.
Learn more about the “Welcome the Stranger” campaign
I contacted JRS UK and asked if the SSVP could take part in the campaign, and they welcomed us with open arms, sharing resources, artwork, and other guidance. Together with Justice and Peace Scotland, (which plays a similar role to Caritas in England and Wales) we are now planning our own campaign, but with a Scottish slant.
Scotland may have fewer people seeking asylum than other parts of the UK, but thousands of people still come here seeking safety and the chance to rebuild their lives. Scotland also has one detention centre – Dungavel in Ayrshire – which Justice and Peace Scotland have held prayer vigils at over many years.
To share the campaign to Defend Asylum in Scotland, we are preparing an information sheet and a range of resources. Our aim is to send these, together with a poster to every parish in Scotland, together with postcards to send to the prime minister, requesting a more humanitarian approach to asylum seekers. These will all be available online.
Through this campaign, we hope to encourage parish communities to reflect on the Gospel call to welcome the stranger, learn more about the realities faced by people seeking asylum, and to support policies that uphold human dignity. We also hope to inspire our own SSVP and Justice and Peace members to continue living out this scriptural mandate in practical and meaningful ways.
With every blessing,
Honor Hania, Volunteer Social Justice Coordinator, SSVP Scotland
*Matthew 25:35
