It’s no secret that there is a refugee crisis happening right now. As we learn more about countries who are being persecuted by ISIS and whose citizens are forced to flee en masse, the information and images only become more disturbing.
Dominican Sister of Hope Maureen Sullivan phrased our reaction to this most succinctly. She writes, “Years ago, when I first became aware of the horror of the Holocaust, I remember thinking that surely we would never allow something like that to happen again…and yet…it IS happening in Syria. We cannot begin to imagine the suffering being endured by Syrian refugees today…so many innocents, so many children. A feeling of helplessness adds to the pain of knowing what is happening there.”
Indeed, the reality of the refugee crisis is dire. But it’s not helpless. As concerned people of good will, we need to understand what is at the root of this conflict, what is already being done, and what we do to help. Our Prioress, Sister Lorelle Elcock, has committed to helping refugees through her parish. In addition to prayers and donations, there are ways for you to help, too.
As we , we’re offering a report on Understanding the Refugee Crisis. Our goal is to help explain the root causes behind the refugee crises in Syria and Iraq, highlight how the Church has responded to the crisis so far, and provide you with some practical ways you can help support our brothers and sisters abroad.
We invite you to download this report, share it with your family and friends, and, most importantly, join us in prayer for our sisters and brothers affected by this heartbreaking crisis.
As Sister Maureen put it, “These [refugees] are the contemporary victims of humanity’s inhumanity to each other.”
Now is the time to do what we can.