Prevent EU migrant workers from finding themselves on the streets
The Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales and the Clifton Diocese
Justice and Peace Commission highlight issues facing migrant workers.
The Bishop of Lancaster, Right Reverend Patrick O’Donoghue, Chair of the Office for Refugee and Migration Policy of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales met with a delegation from the Polish-British Mission for Employment to the UK led by Polish Charity the Barka Foundation, on their visit to London to find out at first hand about homelessness among Polish migrants. Representatives from homelessness charities - Housing Justice, the Passage, the Simon Community and the Upper Room were also present at the meeting.
It is commendable that the UK government has allowed the right to free movement of workers from the Accession 8 countries. However it has not provided assistance or programmes to familiarise these workers with British life. As a consequence many fail and end up living in poverty and homelessness. The government cannot simply walk away from helping these people. At the very least it should, together with the Polish government, provide additional resources to homelessness charities and other NGO’s providing information, advice and support to these migrants.
Our economy and culture has benefited greatly from the free movement of workers in Europe, but all too often we have not supported these workers. It is with regret that we hear of an increasing number of migrant workers becoming homeless, sleeping rough and living in squalor and poverty, with no family or community support. This is particularly true with migrants who arrive outside the Worker Registration Scheme or as self-employed and cannot access welfare support when in difficulty.
“Much work is already being done by the Catholic Church in England and Wales working with and supporting the Polish Community,” Bishop Patrick told the delegation. “Since the Second World War, the Polish Community has made an amazing contribution to the enrichment of our Church life. There are more than 100 Polish priests working in parishes and Polish Centres up and down the country and a significant number of Catholic Churches have opened their doors for Mass, Sacramental care and the establishment of community life. Much of this has been facilitated by the office of the Vicar Delegate for Poles in England and Wales. There is always more to be done and I ask parishes to allow the use of halls so that migrants can meet with one another, deepen fellowship and find a place that they can call home. They also need our support for better employment and human rights. I must also add that in our interdependent world of migration, we must not forget the presence of migrants from other parts of Europe and the global South, many of whom are in an irregular situation. The status and well being of these migrants also deserves our attention.
“I recall the statement by Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor, Archbishop Kevin McDonald and Bishop Thomas McMahon for St Joseph the Worker Day, 1st May 2006:
“Increasingly the congregation of our major cities are made up of migrant workers, people whose precarious living standards often impose terrible burdens on their families. People whom we stand alongside in the pews need us to stand alongside their need for justice and charity.”
Sister Moira McDowall of the Clifton Diocese Justice and Peace Commission said, “For many migrants the Catholic Church is a first port of call for protection and support, especially those who do not have well-established communities here to help and encourage them. At a time when all our parishes are being asked to focus on the welcome we give all parishioners, the Clifton Diocese Justice and Peace Commission asks that special attention be given to all the migrants who are increasingly a part of our parish communities, whichever part of the world they come from and whatever their circumstances, not just from the EU accession countries but also from Africa and Asia. Perhaps 'One World Week' in mid-October could provide a natural forum for this?”
Useful URL : http://www.catholicchurch.org.uk
The Bishop of Lancaster, Right Reverend Patrick O’Donoghue, Chair of the Office for Refugee and Migration Policy of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales met with a delegation from the Polish-British Mission for Employment to the UK led by Polish Charity the Barka Foundation, on their visit to London to find out at first hand about homelessness among Polish migrants. Representatives from homelessness charities - Housing Justice, the Passage, the Simon Community and the Upper Room were also present at the meeting.
It is commendable that the UK government has allowed the right to free movement of workers from the Accession 8 countries. However it has not provided assistance or programmes to familiarise these workers with British life. As a consequence many fail and end up living in poverty and homelessness. The government cannot simply walk away from helping these people. At the very least it should, together with the Polish government, provide additional resources to homelessness charities and other NGO’s providing information, advice and support to these migrants.
Our economy and culture has benefited greatly from the free movement of workers in Europe, but all too often we have not supported these workers. It is with regret that we hear of an increasing number of migrant workers becoming homeless, sleeping rough and living in squalor and poverty, with no family or community support. This is particularly true with migrants who arrive outside the Worker Registration Scheme or as self-employed and cannot access welfare support when in difficulty.
“Much work is already being done by the Catholic Church in England and Wales working with and supporting the Polish Community,” Bishop Patrick told the delegation. “Since the Second World War, the Polish Community has made an amazing contribution to the enrichment of our Church life. There are more than 100 Polish priests working in parishes and Polish Centres up and down the country and a significant number of Catholic Churches have opened their doors for Mass, Sacramental care and the establishment of community life. Much of this has been facilitated by the office of the Vicar Delegate for Poles in England and Wales. There is always more to be done and I ask parishes to allow the use of halls so that migrants can meet with one another, deepen fellowship and find a place that they can call home. They also need our support for better employment and human rights. I must also add that in our interdependent world of migration, we must not forget the presence of migrants from other parts of Europe and the global South, many of whom are in an irregular situation. The status and well being of these migrants also deserves our attention.
“I recall the statement by Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor, Archbishop Kevin McDonald and Bishop Thomas McMahon for St Joseph the Worker Day, 1st May 2006:
“Increasingly the congregation of our major cities are made up of migrant workers, people whose precarious living standards often impose terrible burdens on their families. People whom we stand alongside in the pews need us to stand alongside their need for justice and charity.”
Sister Moira McDowall of the Clifton Diocese Justice and Peace Commission said, “For many migrants the Catholic Church is a first port of call for protection and support, especially those who do not have well-established communities here to help and encourage them. At a time when all our parishes are being asked to focus on the welcome we give all parishioners, the Clifton Diocese Justice and Peace Commission asks that special attention be given to all the migrants who are increasingly a part of our parish communities, whichever part of the world they come from and whatever their circumstances, not just from the EU accession countries but also from Africa and Asia. Perhaps 'One World Week' in mid-October could provide a natural forum for this?”
Useful URL : http://www.catholicchurch.org.uk
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