On the matter of providing safe harbour and unconditional welcome for refugees, migrants and the stranger, all four Evangelists agree: “Whoever receives such little ones in my name, receives me.” (Mk 9:37; Mt 18:5; Lk 9:48; Jn 13:20). The Synoptic Gospels also remind us of the woes that may befall any whose actions initiate war, destroy families and create refugees: “It would be better for them to have a great millstone tied around their necks and be drowned in the depths of the sea.” (Mk 9:42; Mt 18:6; Lk 17:2).

The use of ‘little ones’ as a category of persons helps us to understand that the refugee is someone who is often marginalised, often vulnerable, often powerless. The combination of all these factors means that they are always deserving of our compassion and concern.

The first results from the latest Census have been released this week and they confirm that here in Australia, we are living in an increasingly diverse religious and cultural society.

The Census showed two key things that were already somewhat obvious to anybody who’s been paying attention to such things – the number of people identifying as being of ‘no religion’ has risen and the nation is becoming increasingly multicultural. What meaning can we take from this?

Migration is changing the face of Christianity and Church communities must embrace this change or risk fading away, says visiting Biblical Scholar, Fr vanThanh Nguyen SVD.

Fr vanThanh, who is Professor of New Testament Studies and holds the Bishop Francis Ford Chair of Catholic Missiology at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, was in Australia this month giving a series of lectures for BBI – The Australian Institute of Theological Education.