Catholics to celebrate migrant workers
-20/03/06
A mass to celebrate migrant workers is
Catholics to celebrate migrant workers
-20/03/06
A mass to celebrate migrant workers is to be held in London by the Catholic church.
A ëMass for Workersí , concelebrated by the leaders of the three Catholic Dioceses whose territories include London, and attended by migrant workers from across the capital, is to be held on the feast day of St Joseph the Worker.
It is a joint initiative between the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Brentwood, Southwark and Westminster and London Citizens, a broad based community alliance.
The three Dioceses have also commissioned a research project into the pastoral, social and economic needs of new migrants in London. Titled ëThe Ground of Justiceí, the research will be carried out by Cambridge Universityís Von Hugel Institute, based at St Edmundís College.
In a joint statement, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-OíConnor, Archbishop of Westminster; Kevin McDonald, Archbishop of Southwark; and Thomas McMahon, Bishop of Brentwood said: ìIncreasingly the congregations of our major cities are made up of migrant workers, people whose precarious living standards often impose terrible burdens on their families. People whom every Sunday we stand alongside in the pews need us to stand alongside them in their need for justice and charity.
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ìThat is why on 1st May we are inviting Londonís migrant workers to a ëMass for Workersí at Westminster Cathedral. We hope that this Mass will send a message to our parishes: that migrant workers must be tended to if we are to bring Godís liberating love into our contemporary cities.
ìTo help better understand the needs of Londonís migrant workers, many of whom are Catholics, we have commissioned from the Von Hugel Institute a study into the conditions of migrant workers in our London parishes. We are confident that this inquiry will reveal the priorities for concrete pastoral care, both in practical assistance to them and their families, and to encourage advocacy on their behalf in the public sphere. ì
Recent years have seen increasing numbers of migrant workers coming to London in search of work. Many of these are from predominately Catholic countries, including Poland, Brazil and the Philippines. Whilst some have found well paid and secure employment, others have fallen victim to exploitative employers who pay below the minimum wage and ignore basic health and safety rules. Migrant workers are forming an increasing proportion of Catholics in London, which currently has over 30 ethnic chaplaincies pastoring to their needs.
Both the ëMass for Workersí and ëThe Ground of Justiceí research project draw their inspiration from the social Catholic tradition, which since Pope Leo XIIIís Rerum Novarum (1891) has placed the Church alongside workers in defence of living wages. The Church has taught that the determination of just wages and conditions cannot be left to the free market alone.
Migrant workers from all over London are being invited to attend the Mass which will embrace the diversity of Londonís migrant communities and will include a range of readings and music reflecting their traditions. It will be preceded by a procession of representatives from Londonís diverse communities, occupations and civic organisations.
The Mass will be followed by a meeting, organised by London Citizens, at which leaders from across Londonís Catholic, faith and civic communities will support a living wage and respectful conditions for all Londonís migrant communities.
London Citizens will be launching a new Workers Association at this meeting which is intended to offer legal advice, training and a degree of protection for migrants not in a trade union.
The research project ëThe Ground of Justiceí will be led by Francis Davis, Director of the Centre for Faith and Society of the Von Hugel Institute. It has been commissioned to provide evidence and information on the location, size and future patterns of Londonís migrant communities and the nature of their relationship with social and church agencies. It will also examine the pastoral, social and economic needs of new migrants.
Initial findings will be available in May 2006 and the full report, available in September 2006, is expected to explore ideas for the pastoral care of migrant workers. Primary research for the project will include face to face interviews with ethnic chaplains, questionnaires of congregations and focus groups with migrants.
ëThe Ground of Justiceí title comes from the letters of Thomas Merton, a 20th Century American trappist monk, who referred to the Eucharist as being ëthe ground of hopeí in which all nations and peoples – across the ages – come together in a profound personal encounter which also feeds the journey of social transformation and engagement to build the common good.
The ëMass for Workersí takes place on the feast day of St Joseph the Worker, Monday, 1st May 2006 (9.45am) at Westminster Cathedral, Victoria Street, London SW1.
Catholics to celebrate migrant workers
-20/03/06
A mass to celebrate migrant workers is to be held in London by the Catholic church.
A ëMass for Workersí , concelebrated by the leaders of the three Catholic Dioceses whose territories include London, and attended by migrant workers from across the capital, is to be held on the feast day of St Joseph the Worker.
It is a joint initiative between the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Brentwood, Southwark and Westminster and London Citizens, a broad based community alliance.
The three Dioceses have also commissioned a research project into the pastoral, social and economic needs of new migrants in London. Titled ëThe Ground of Justiceí, the research will be carried out by Cambridge Universityís Von Hugel Institute, based at St Edmundís College.
In a joint statement, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-OíConnor, Archbishop of Westminster; Kevin McDonald, Archbishop of Southwark; and Thomas McMahon, Bishop of Brentwood said: ìIncreasingly the congregations of our major cities are made up of migrant workers, people whose precarious living standards often impose terrible burdens on their families. People whom every Sunday we stand alongside in the pews need us to stand alongside them in their need for justice and charity.
Related Articles
ìThat is why on 1st May we are inviting Londonís migrant workers to a ëMass for Workersí at Westminster Cathedral. We hope that this Mass will send a message to our parishes: that migrant workers must be tended to if we are to bring Godís liberating love into our contemporary cities.
ìTo help better understand the needs of Londonís migrant workers, many of whom are Catholics, we have commissioned from the Von Hugel Institute a study into the conditions of migrant workers in our London parishes. We are confident that this inquiry will reveal the priorities for concrete pastoral care, both in practical assistance to them and their families, and to encourage advocacy on their behalf in the public sphere. ì
Recent years have seen increasing numbers of migrant workers coming to London in search of work. Many of these are from predominately Catholic countries, including Poland, Brazil and the Philippines. Whilst some have found well paid and secure employment, others have fallen victim to exploitative employers who pay below the minimum wage and ignore basic health and safety rules. Migrant workers are forming an increasing proportion of Catholics in London, which currently has over 30 ethnic chaplaincies pastoring to their needs.
Both the ëMass for Workersí and ëThe Ground of Justiceí research project draw their inspiration from the social Catholic tradition, which since Pope Leo XIIIís Rerum Novarum (1891) has placed the Church alongside workers in defence of living wages. The Church has taught that the determination of just wages and conditions cannot be left to the free market alone.
Migrant workers from all over London are being invited to attend the Mass which will embrace the diversity of Londonís migrant communities and will include a range of readings and music reflecting their traditions. It will be preceded by a procession of representatives from Londonís diverse communities, occupations and civic organisations.
The Mass will be followed by a meeting, organised by London Citizens, at which leaders from across Londonís Catholic, faith and civic communities will support a living wage and respectful conditions for all Londonís migrant communities.
London Citizens will be launching a new Workers Association at this meeting which is intended to offer legal advice, training and a degree of protection for migrants not in a trade union.
The research project ëThe Ground of Justiceí will be led by Francis Davis, Director of the Centre for Faith and Society of the Von Hugel Institute. It has been commissioned to provide evidence and information on the location, size and future patterns of Londonís migrant communities and the nature of their relationship with social and church agencies. It will also examine the pastoral, social and economic needs of new migrants.
Initial findings will be available in May 2006 and the full report, available in September 2006, is expected to explore ideas for the pastoral care of migrant workers. Primary research for the project will include face to face interviews with ethnic chaplains, questionnaires of congregations and focus groups with migrants.
ëThe Ground of Justiceí title comes from the letters of Thomas Merton, a 20th Century American trappist monk, who referred to the Eucharist as being ëthe ground of hopeí in which all nations and peoples – across the ages – come together in a profound personal encounter which also feeds the journey of social transformation and engagement to build the common good.
The ëMass for Workersí takes place on the feast day of St Joseph the Worker, Monday, 1st May 2006 (9.45am) at Westminster Cathedral, Victoria Street, London SW1.