(ANS – Rome) – Two more Salesian Provinces adhered to the appeal of the Rector Major, Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, on the reception of refugees and migrants in the Salesian Houses of Europe: the Salesian Province of Piła, Poland (PLN), and the Province “María Auxiliadora” of Sevilla, Spain (SMX).
Fr. Marek Chmielewski, Provincial of Piła, sent a letter to the Rector Major in which he explains that, after his appeal and the letter of the Bishops of Poland, the PLN Provincial Council met on September 11th-12th and decided to be open and available towards refugees and migrants. The Province of Piła is ready to offer a welcome in their structures, identifying the ones that are most suitable; to organize in all houses a fundraising and a collection of clothes and food items: to provide social assistance, and to organize the education of children and youth, as well as organizing their free time.
At present, the Church in Poland is waiting for the decisions of the Government, as the first one responsible for the appeal and theorganization of reception of refugees and migrants. Such a waiting is possible because for the time being Poland is outside the routes of the major influx of migrants and refugees. According to local Bishops, the Church cannot operate alone in this field, without collaboration with civil authorities. The first one to operate in the name of the Church will be Caritas. “The Bishops ask us to be available to collaborate with the Diocesan and local structures of Caritas, and we are ready to do it”, informed the Provincial.
In his turn, the Superior of the Province “María Auxiliadora”, Fr. Cristóbal López, through a communiqué to the Salesian Communities, recalled that the situation of refugees and migrants in Europe is worrying and moving for all, “and we cannot certainly remain with arms folded or with a closed heart in front of a situation like the one we are living”.
Fr. López refers to concrete actions such as sensitization and reflection of the refugees emergency, promotion of initiatives of prayer for and solidarity with the entire question of the Middle East, collaboration with the campaign that has been launched by the NGOs of SMX Province in favour of the rights of childhood in various places, such as Syria. And, naturally, the reception of children, young people and families of refugees, in collaboration with the authorities and other bodies.
The Provincial concludes his communiqué encouraging the Salesians: “Let us go on with prayer on our lips and in our hearts in favour of our brothers and sisters who are in search of a shelter; and let us keep our hearts and houses available and ready to welcome, accompany, heal and educate”.
Published 26/09/2015
