The 100th anniversary of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees is a joyful a day to reflect on the richness that migrants and refugees bring to Australia, New Zealand and the region, but also to ask ourselves, ‘how can we be more welcoming?’

The St Arnold Janssen Chapel in Marsfield, Sydney, is planning a full day of ‘Multicultural Sunday’ celebrations to mark Migrant and Refugee Sunday on August 31.

Rector of the Marsfield SVD Community, Fr Viet Nguyen, says the day will begin with 9am Mass which will feature the joining of choirs from different cultural groups which make up the congregation.

“Prayers of the faithful will be given in different languages and the presentation of the gifts will feature cultural dance,” he says.

“People are also encouraged to wear their traditional cultural dress.”
After Mass, there will be cultural performances and the sharing of a multicultural meal.

Fr Viet says that people from more than 15 different nationalities will come together on the day to celebrate.

Other SVD parishes and communities around the Province will also celebrate the richness of their multiculturalism on Sunday.

Provincial, Fr Henry Adler SVD says Australia is a multicultural nation, thanks to migrants and refugees.

“So while we are celebrating, we also pray for refugees who are denied protection or who are sent to offshore detention centres while their claims are processed,” Fr Henry says.

“We pray for Australia, that it will continue to be open to those who have displaced because of war, violence, climate change, hunger or economic causes.”

In his Message for the 100th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Pope Francis gives the theme for the day as ‘Migrants and Refugees: Towards a Better World’.

He says he chose that theme after considering the shared aspirations of migrants and refugees across the globe.

“Each individual is a part of humanity and, with the entire family of peoples, shares the hope of a better future,” the Holy Father says.

He calls for governments and individuals to approach the issue of migration in new and fairer ways.

“The reality of migration, given its new dimensions in our age of globalisation, needs to be approached and managed in a new, equitable and effective manner; more than anything, this calls for international cooperation and a spirit of profound solidarity and compassion,” he says.

In a pastoral letter to mark Migrant and Refugee Sunday in Australia, Bishop Gerard Hanna, the ACBC Delegate for Migrants and Refugees says that individuals must rise up and do all they can on a personal level to be welcoming to migrants and refugees.

“Each and every one of us must rise above indifference and have the courage to open our hearts to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers; the courage to listen to their hopes, to empathise with their despair and to welcome them into our community,” he says.

“As members of one human family, it is our duty to help those who arrive on our shores to strive with all our resources to assist them no matter how inconvenient this may prove to be.”

Bishop Hanna called for a new language to be used in the debate about asylum seekers.

“Our political leaders speak ominously about ‘border control’ and refer to boat people as ‘illegals’ and ‘queue jumpers’; the language carries an implication that boat people are a risk to our community: that they have committed an offence by coming here and that they have behaved with some degree of moral perversity.

“Asylum seekers do not commit an offense by coming here. Under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights every person has the right to seek asylum in any territory they can reach.”

Bishop Hanna says the Church supports moves to promote a more humane alternative to detention centres.

“To be prophetic in our world is not be perfect or to predict the future. To be prophetic is never to give up hope that things can be changed so that everyone can live better through knowing the love of God.

“We ourselves need to see and then enable others to see that migrants and refugees do not represent a problem to be solved but are brothers and sisters to be welcomed, respected and loved.”

To download prayers and resources for use in parishes or groups for celebration of Migrant and Refugee Sunday, click here.

PHOTOS: Joyful celebrations of culture are a feature of SVD communities. Pictured are Indian and Chinese dancers at the Presentation of the Gifts at St Paschal's Chapel, Box Hill.