Pew Sheet – 13th June 2021

The Rector writes   ‘At the last Select Vestry meeting it was unanimously agreed that we, as a parish,  would begin the process of becoming a Church of Sanctuary. If you would like to read the back page of this Pew Sheet you’ll see all that this will entail.  Next Sunday 20th June is World Refugee Day and we will have a special speaker at the 11am Service in St Mary’s (which is also livestreamed). Fiona Finn, the CEO of NASC the Migrant and Refugee Rights Centre here in Cork, will speak to us about the current issues in Migrant and Refugee affairs. Most of you are aware that a group of people from our parish and the parishes of Our Lady & St John and The Harbour Parishes are involved in a Community Sponsorship Scheme for the last 2 years (under the auspices of the UNHCR, our Department of Justice and NASC) whereby a Refugee family are sponsored by the community for the first two years of living in Ireland. Our family finally arrived in Ireland in the last few weeks and I would ask you to keep them all in your prayers as they settle in the area. Great friendships are being forged among the ecumenical group who are helping the family to settle in which is a lovely by product of the initiative!. I look forward to hearing more from Fiona next Sunday’

Places of Sanctuary Ireland is an all-island network of groups in towns, cities and local communities which share the objectives of promoting a culture of welcome, and inclusiveness right across every sphere and sector of society, so that wherever people seeking sanctuary go they will feel safe, find people who welcome them and understand why they are here, and have opportunities to be included in all activities.

We the Select Vestry of Carrigaline Union of Parishes in the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne & Ross wish to affirm our support for the Places of Sanctuary movement and our desire to work towards achieving ‘Church of Sanctuary’ designation.

We will seek to develop and embed in our Parish a culture of welcome and

hospitality towards asylum seekers and refugees in our own community and across our island. While we recognise that this will be a process of growth and learning within our particular situation, we state our commitment to the following general principles:

· Offering a positive vision of a culture of welcome and hospitality to all;

· Creating opportunities for relationships of friendship and solidarity between local people and those seeking sanctuary;

· Recognising and encouraging partnership and network development across localities;

· Identifying opportunities for working on common cause issues within and across communities;

· Celebrating and promoting the welcome and contribution of people seeking sanctuary;

· Engaging people seeking sanctuary in decision making processes at all levels and in all activities;

Promoting understanding of asylum and refugee issues, especially by enabling refugee voices to be heard directly.

Adopted by the Carrigaline Union of Parishes at their Select Vestry Meeting on 3^rd June 2021