“wake us from the slumber of indifference, open our eyes … “

 

“I’m sorry Mom.

My path to abroad doesn’t succeed.

Mom, I love you so much!

I’m dying because I can’t breath.

 I’m from Nghen, Can Loc, Ha Tinh, Vietnam

 I am sorry, Mom,”

Final text messages from Pham Thi Tra My, aged 26, to her mother, believed to have been sent from the lorry container that was discovered with 39 dead immigrants in Grays, Essex, U.K.

Pope Francis’ Prayer for Those Who Have Died After Leaving Their Homelands in Search of a Better Life

Merciful God,
we pray to you for all the men, women and children

who have died after leaving their homelands in search of a better life.

Though many of their graves bear no name,
to you each one is known, loved and cherished.

May we never forget them, but honour their sacrifice
with deeds more than words.

We entrust to you all those who have made this journey,
enduring fear, uncertainty and humiliation,
in order to reach a place of safety and hope.

Just as you never abandoned your Son
as he was brought to a safe place by Mary and Joseph,
so now be close to these, your sons and daughters,
through our tenderness and protection.

In caring for them may we seek a world
where none are forced to leave their home
and where all can live in freedom, dignity and peace.

Merciful God and Father of all,
wake us from the slumber of indifference,
open our eyes to their suffering,
and free us from the insensitivity
born of worldly comfort and self-centeredness.

Inspire us, as nations, communities and individuals,
to see that those who come to our shores are our brothers and sisters.

May we share with them the blessings we have received from your hand,
and recognize that together, as one human family,
we are all migrants, journeying in hope to you, our true home,
where every tear will be wiped away,
where we will be at peace and safe in your embrace.

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The Christchurch Massacre – social media another tool of bigotry and terror

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Brendan Hoban writes in his Western People column about the murder of worshippers in a Christchurch mosque and how social media meant “the world wide web was bringing live to the eyes of the world the personal holocaust he [the murderer] was inflicting on his victims.”
“Uncontrolled and, it would seem, uncontrollable media have added to the effectiveness of those who can – apparently with impunity – inflict their warped ideologies on the public by perpetrating indefensible outrages, in an effort to publicise their malign philosophies.”

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