Bishop of Limerick appeals to people to acknowledge migrants

BISHOP Brendan Leahy has appealed to Limerick people to acknowledge migrants in their local communities this St Patrick’s Day.

The message comes against the backdrop of deadly attacks in the Middle East.

The Bishop says he hopes the message of peace and love that St Patrick espoused will break through the “awful noise of war and hostility” in the world right now.

The leader of the Catholic Church in the diocese has said the “migrant message” of Ireland’s patron saint is more important than ever.

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This ‘migrant message’ refers to St Patrick’s life experience of being taken from his home as a young boy, surviving hardship, and ultimately embracing and serving a foreign community, symbolising resilience, hope, and welcome for those far from home.

“This year’s celebration of St Patrick’s Day is taking place against the background of war in the Middle East following the attacks on Iran and Lebanon by the United States and Israel since last Saturday, February 28,” Bishop Leahy said.

“But the message of the Gospel of peace and reconciliation that the migrant St Patrick wanted to promote in Ireland seems more relevant than ever,” he added.

The Bishop said the will of God for humanity is peace.

“To pray for peace, however, requires we re-commit ourselves to doing the will of God in our own lives, in some way correcting within ourselves along with others, the terrible suffering that is being caused through people not doing the will of God, which is peace,” he said.

Bishop Leahy said that in praying for peace on St. Patrick’s Day, we should stand in solidarity with Muslim communities here who also seek peace, especially this week with the end of Ramadan.

“We pray for them. They too pray for peace. They too believe that bowing down to do the will of God matters. Indeed, the word ’Muslims’ means ‘submitters to God’. Muslims often use the greeting ‘as-salamu alaykum’, which means ‘peace be upon you,” he said.

“Let this year’s celebration of St. Patrick’s Day be a time to remember that Jesus asked us not to wait passively for that consoling future,” Bishop Leahy added.

Last month, Bishop Leahy met with Imam Khaled Ghafour at Limerick Islamic Cultural Centre in Dooradoyle.