Last week, Bishop Paul McAleenan called on the UK government and Catholic community to ensure that vulnerable migrants and refugees are not overlooked in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bishop McAleenan said, "In supporting the Government's recommendations to curtail the spread of COVID-19 the Church keeps in mind migrants and refugees.  We must never forget that they are included among the vulnerable."

 Cecilia Taylor-Camara, Senior Advisor for Migration and Refugee Policy at the Catholic Bishops' Conference added:

 “We are particularly concerned about the lack of emergency accommodation for people to self-isolate and socially distance themselves. Many undocumented migrants and people who have been refused asylum have nowhere to go, leaving them at extraordinary risk and undermining efforts to prevent transmission. Those same people will also struggle to access healthcare and may be unclear about whether they can seek help from the NHS. At the same time it is important not to forget refugees in other parts of the world, many who are facing this crisis in overcrowded conditions with little access to healthcare at all.”

We ask the Lord to be with those who do not have the privilege to isolate at home, who are without loved ones, or who's lives will be at risk because of their current situation. May we all say 1 Our Father and consider donating to the Jesuit Refugee Service, or other organisation, who are working tirelessly for these brothers and sister of ours.