The work of Catholic charities and the Church around migrants and refugees in the UK is often overshadowed by the “lingering perception” that Catholics and Christians have a “hidden agenda” or care only for people sharing their own faith, according to a new report from the Von Hügel Institute in Cambridge.
The reality is that while Catholic agencies in this field “highly value ecumenical and interfaith collaborations … the wider public is often not aware of this”, according to Dr Sara Silvestri (pictured), the co-author of the study, “The relevance of Catholic social thought and practice in the field of migration and asylum policy in the UK”.
The report examines the ways in which Catholic Social Thought (CST) shapes the work of groups working with migrants and asylum seekers in Great Britain. It also explores how the values and efforts of Catholic charities in this area have been received by other policy communities, such as politicians, in the UK.
The growing secularisation in the UK and the fact that Catholics constitute a “religious minority” means there is a need for Catholic charities to “bring out their strengths and values and to inform the public and to better contribute to shaping policies surrounding migrants and refugees”, said Dr Silvestri.
She has called for “more courageous leadership”. Firstly, she explains, the Church should “stimulate informed discussions” to tackle issues around migration and asylum, in particular in the context of Brexit and the far right.
She also believes that politicians would benefit from engaging more with faith-based values and groups. “The political classes should allow for a mental space to consider that religious groups might have something to say about the ethics of society and politics concerning migrants and refugees. Sometimes, politicians are scared off by some issues like gay marriage or other controversies. They need to realise that there is much more to consider.”
In her report, Dr Silvestri also highlights the deep “humanitarian personal commitment”of those people working with migrants and asylum seekers. Most Catholics involved in this work would probably argue that CST is “deeply embedded” in the work that they do and that their “values have a rich theological and Biblical foundation”, she said.
She said many agencies are facing financial challenges as funding is cut back for programmes in areas such as education and mental health. Some charities now feel that their ability to carry out their work in a “meaningful, continuous and coherent manner” is limited, according to the report.
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