(ANS - Toronto) - On Tuesday, December 15, 2015, a refugee family from Syria became newcomers to St. Benedict’s Parish and the Toronto Salesian Family. They are husband and wife Bassam and Razan and their two beautiful children, five-year-old Shirly and two-year-old Adam.

by Fr. Mike Pace, SDB

Having arrived in Toronto after a protracted stay in Lebanon, these Canadian newcomers are now reunited with Bassam’s brother and his family, whom the parish similarly sponsored one year ago. Grateful, humbled, relieved, these Syrians are adjusting admirably to a new normal, learning English, seeking employment, and worshiping at the parish.

St. Benedict’s resettlement committee, spearheaded by Antoniette Pace, has helped these two families find a home they can rent together, just a few minutes’ walk from St. Benedict’s Church. Their home will only be available for occupation on January 31; so in the meantime, Bassan, Razan, and the kids are enjoying a month of Fr. Frank Kelly’s unique hospitality at 7A Kingsview Salesian residence.

“Welcoming these families puts a personal face on the anonymous and overwhelming numbers that are dominating the news. We have all embraced this opportunity to welcome as many refugees as possible as a concrete expression of this Year of Mercy. To date, St. Benedict and its diocesan partners have sponsored nine families” the Salesians of Toronto say.

Published 11/1/2016