The Asylum Seeker Parish Support

Key Documents

Asylum Seeker Parish Support Charter and Vision Statement

Asylum Seeker Parish Support Program Brochure

What parishes can do to support Asylum Seekers

Parish self-assessment

Providing Accommodation Assistance

Providing rental support

English language support

Hospitality support

Providing Financial and Material Ai d

Volunteering to help people seeking asylum

Helping Syrian Refugees Settle in Australia

Welcome The Asylum Seeker Parish Support

Victorian Government recognised for its support of refugees and asylum seekers

At our most recent forum on parish support for asylum seekers, Catholic social services reiterated its support for the Victorian Government’s assistance for asylum seekers who have been cut off from Federal Government benefits. Catholic agencies and parishes, together with many others, are already providing substantial accommodation, material aid, mental and physical health, legal and other support to this group, and to many other asylum seekers and refugees in similar circumstances. Our agencies and parishes warmly welcome this Victorian Government initiative and are keen to keep contributing themselves.

Increased education and awareness, and a united voice from churches are just some of the things that are needed to help shift public opinion and policy in supporting refugees and asylum seekers. More than 20 people gathered at the Cardinal Knox Centre in East Melbourne on 11 October to discuss how Catholic parishes can strengthen the support provided to refugees and asylum seekers living in the community.

Our latest Catholic Parishes Serving the Community newsletter contains news about local parishes serving in their community including St Dominic's East Camberwell and Holy Eucharist St Albans South; events of interest, in particular an upcoming evening forum to assist parishes in supporting asylum seekers, on 11 October; along with important in depth articles that will assist the parish community to understand more deeply the issues of homeless and youth justice, and what role we can play in lessening their detrimental effects within the community.

Download the full newsletter, here.

Fifty four people seeking asylum have left Manus Island and Nauru for the US. We don’t know how many will be accepted into the US, but it is likely that many hundreds will be left behind in Manus and Nauru in danger, with no hope and no future. Come to hear and discuss how parishes and communities can support asylum seekers already in our midst, and change our political parties’ policies towards asylum seekers.

The Australian Refugee Action Collective is organising rallies and other protests around Australia on 8 October calling for the asylum seekers and refugees on Manus Island and Nauru to be brought immediately to Australia.

The parish of St Dominic's East Camberwell has recently erected a large banner facing Riversdale Road, stating: 'St Dominic's Parish Welcomes Asylum Seekers'. The banner is 3.5m long and 75cm high, and was erected after support was given by the parish priest, Fr Peter Toan Nguyen OP, the Dominican Community who reside there, and the parish council.

Parishes play an important role in providing support to refugees and asylum seekers. It is a central call of the Gospel to welcome the stranger, and to love our neighbours as Jesus loved. In this light, parishioners are invited to our upcoming evening forum to learn how we can strengthen support provided by parishes on Wednesday 11 October, from 6pm - 8.30pm in the Cathedral Room of the Cardinal Knox Centre. The Forum will discuss practical ways in which you and your parish can make a difference. Please let as many people as possible know about this!

Catholic agencies supporting asylum seekers and refugees met last week to respond to the federal government’s withdrawal of financial and housing support from detainees from Manus Island and Nauru who were brought to Australia for medical and mental health treatment.

Federal MP Russell Broadbent who has been such a strong advocate for refugees will launch a new book in Melbourne on Thursday 21 September highlighting the financial, health and other costs of mandatory detention of asylum seekers, and what we could be doing instead. The venue is the Multicultural Hub, 506 Elizabeth St., Melbourne, near the Queen Victoria Market, from 5.30pm for a prompt start at 6pm.

We are all invited to join with Pope Francis and his worldwide prayer network in praying this month's intention: Parishes at the service of mission. Pope Francis says: Parishes must be in contact with homes, with people’s lives, with the life of society.  They have to be houses where the door is always open so as to go forth toward others.  And it is important that this going-forth follows a clear proposal of faith.  The doors must be opened so that Jesus can go out with all of the joy of his message.  Let us pray for our parishes, that they not be simple offices, but that animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.

Watch the video here.

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