Bishop Leahy is urging people to be more accepting of immigrants
THE BISHOP of Limerick, Brendan Leahy, is urging people to maintain their Christian values when it comes to the attitude towards immigrants, particularly before taking to the polling booths on June 7.
“There is a real risk of a mindset of distrust and disdain taking hold against migrants in Irish society, which flies in the face of Christian values,” the bishop told the Limerick Leader.
He explained that this is particularly important in the run up to the elections.
Already, there have been incidents where election candidates in Limerick have been targeted by different groups.
Bishop Leahy said that the Catholic Church has been blessed in recent years with the arrival of our “new Irish”, in our parishes, religious orders and schools.
On a wider society level, almost one in five people living in Ireland were not born here and, for the most part, are ordinary human beings like the rest of us, he said, making a significant contribution in workplaces and communities.
“Of course, I recognise there are challenges. Local communities must be given the resources and infrastructures to ensure refugees and asylum seekers are welcomed and supported.
“Issues around asylum seekers and direct provision need urgent attention. But at a time when anti-immigration rhetoric is on the rise, we need to be careful about how we see, judge and act regarding migrants.
“There is a temptation to blame the rise in migrants, and so to end up blaming migrants and asylum seekers themselves, for a series of woes that are besetting us, such as issues to do with hospital care, the question of homelessness and the cost of housing. We even sometimes hear people say, ‘they are stealing our jobs’.
“Some lament the strain on public services or in schools. With growing tensions and riots, rumblings of discontent and marches, as well as social media campaigns, a mindset regarding migrants can take hold resulting in distance from, distrust of and disdain for migrants.”
Bishop Leahy said there is a “real risk that this will be deepened in the run up to our June elections as some potential public representatives might opportunistically stir and seek to capitalise on sentiment.
“I would urge all candidates to act responsibly and with sensibility and sensitivity to the plight of people coming to our shores as they seek election.
"To do otherwise would not be in accord with our Christian values. We need to help each other resist a negative spirit regarding migrants in our conversations, our planning and our outlook.”