How the Afghanistan crisis is challenging our practice of Catholic social teaching

The past several days have been extremely difficult to witness. We have seen the Taliban talking over the power of Afghanistan and the human suffering that has resulted, individuals attempting to board US army planes and some of them clinging to the exterior of the aircraft, aware that they might not make it, and some falling to the ground and dying as the aircraft took off to greater heights. If I put myself in these desperate people’s shoes, what motivates them to take the risk? 

It serves as a reminder of the stark reality in such dangerous conditions. Refugees have little choice about how or where they travel to safety. So, as someone who lives in safety and security in the United Kingdom, what is my responsibility to my fellow brothers and sisters?

The evolving situation in Afghanistan challenges my every bit of Catholic social teaching I have learned so far, especially regarding the life and dignity of a human being. The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that dignity is the foundation of a moral vision for society. 

On 15 August 2021, at the end of the Angelus on the Solemnity of the Assumption, Pope Francis prayed for dialogue and peace in Afghanistan, as well as for the victims of the Haitian earthquake, pleading for worldwide solidarity to reach them.

As an ordinary Catholic human rights activist and freelance journalist based in York, which is recognised as a City of Sanctuary and the UK’s first UN human rights city, I asked myself what I could do. I was reminded what Pope Francis has said: “Take the path of our God, who teaches us to meet him in the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the sick, the friend in trouble.” 

I was looking for a way to meet those Afghans in a creative way. Many of these Afghans are fleeing from religious intolerance, social injustice, poverty, disrespect for the human dignity and oppression and every Catholic should address these challenges on a social and personal level.

The Catholic Social Doctrine presents a vision of humanity that opposes intolerance and violence and affirms the sanctity of human life and the primacy of the human person as the foundation of a moral vision for society. It also served as a reminder that humans are social creatures by nature and do not exist just as individuals. When considering the human community, it is necessary to keep in mind that it is composed of both individual and societal components. As a result, I asked myself why and how I am related to those Afghans who are plunging to their deaths from flying aircraft in pursuit of survival, or those who are unable to find a safe route to safety.

Even in my prayers and reflections, the questions continued to pursue me. I needed to take action; I couldn't just leave it as another piece of awful news. I wrote to local members of Parliament, councillors, and leaders of civil society organisations requesting that they consider working with Ben Wallace, the Secretary of State for Defence, and Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, to relocate at least 100 families to York as part of the government’s resettlement scheme for locally employed civilians in Afghanistan.

Catholic social teaching, in my opinion, has a prophetic function. It has the potential to give voice to the experiences of many individuals who have been marginalised, oppressed, and disregarded. It offers victims a voice and allows us to stand with them in solidarity. In this sense, Catholic social teaching broadens the human community’s self-understanding by identifying with different “images of God” and publicly mourning their degradation. Those who fell from the cliff of the flying aircraft must have screamed, but no one heard them. This is an attempt to make those who have fallen and those who are still asking for rescue to be heard. Afghan refugees are screaming for help speaking, but they are often ignored; I have taken the opportunity to use this space where you are listening and I know you care; I have done everything possible to get the words to those in positions of power, and I will stop at nothing to ensure they are heard. I request you do everything in power to make sure those Afghans finds safety and security.

William Gomes is a human rights activist and freelance journalist.  Twitter and Facebook