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Lent Project 2011

Our target was to raise £1000 towards the support for the four destitute Asylum Seekers who are living in the Parish at present. This project is being overseen by St Monica's Housing and has opened up an opportunity for closer cooperation between Our Lady of Lourdes, St Urban's and St Chad's. Members of both congregations have offered to provide help and support in many ways. Contact Gill Griggs or Jenny Willison if you are interested in getting involved in practical ways.

During Lent, we shared a range of experiences that an asylum seeker will experience. So ‘A' was for Asylum, Anger, Abandonment and Alone, the Ache they feel for what they've left behind, that they are Afraid for the future and the waiting they have to do for the decision – to be allowed to stay or to have to go.

We had to wait till Easter Day to get the news that we'd reached our target. After a shaky start, a total of £1,047.67 was raised to be sent to support this work, to which they will be able to add around £150 in Gift Aid.

Thank you everyone who contributed towards this important work.

Background

Towards the end of last year, a group of four asylum-seekers moved into the parish and are living in premises offered through Catholic Care. These four women from different countries in Africa are still in the process of appealing against their initial decisions, but in the meantime are destitute and rely on the generosity of others for their basic needs.

Support is being co-ordinated through St Monica's Housing (a charity set up by the Diocese of Leeds) and includes both food and household requirements, together with a small weekly allowance. We are currently exploring the possibility of joining a support group already set up by St Urban's, in order to offer wider support through hospitality and friendship to these women. They are being encouraged to develop self-help skills (such as growing vegetables) and undertake some voluntary office work, but are not allowed to take up paid employment. It must be emphasised that these women are not economic migrants nor illegal immigrants, but are here going through a legitimate process under international law.

This is a real opportunity for St Chad's to reinforce its commitment to Leeds as a City of Sanctuary, for which we registered as a supporter last year. Our P.C.C. recently considered the choice of an organisation to support through our Lent Project this year and unanimously decided to commend St Monica's Housing. Our donations will be specifically designated for support of the asylum-seekers and envelopes will be available at services throughout Lent.

These four vulnerable people came to the U.K. seeking a safe haven and we are fortunate to have the chance to welcome them into our community. Leeds is blessed with a wide range of organisations providing general or specialised support for asylum-seekers and/or refugees and along with other churches St Chad's already collects food for P.A.F.R.A.S. However, through our Lent Appeal, we can each make our contribution to the welcome and well-being of these guests in our country.