Let Us Welcome the Syrian Refugees
The Leadership Conference of Women Religious is horrified
at the violence we witness in our world and appalled by the recent acts of
bloodshed in Paris, Beirut, and throughout the Middle East. We continue to pray
for all who suffer as a result of these senseless acts of terror.
We also pray for the strength and courage to respond to
this violence with love and mercy. We refuse to let these acts of death and
destruction sow the seeds of fear and mistrust that threaten to tear our
communities apart and lead inevitably to more violence and harm.
We are witnessing the largest refugee crisis since the
Second World War. More than 4 million Syrians have fled violence in their
homeland and 12 million more are displaced internally. Syrian refugees are
fleeing exactly the kind of terror that we have witnessed in these past few
weeks. More than 250,000 Syrians have lost their lives, many more have lost
family, home, and community.
At a time when the world is in desperate need of
humanitarian relief, some are calling for suspension of the US refugee
resettlement program, an end to funding for Syrians, or a rationing of mercy
based on religious creed. Such restrictions violate the tenets of our faith and
the principles of our nation.
We reject the false choice currently being proffered by
some in Washington, state capitols across the country, and on the campaign
trail. We need not choose between the gospel call to welcome the stranger and
our legitimate need for security. The protection that we rightly promise the
world’s refugees must not be denied to Syrians fleeing for their lives. The US
refugee resettlement program has rigorous and multilayered security screenings
to ensure that those we admit as refugees pose no threat to our security.
The present
situation presents us with great challenges and many hard decisions. As Pope
Francis reminded us just a few short weeks ago in his address to Congress,
Let us remember
the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”
(Mt 7:12). This Rule points us in a clear direction. Let us treat others
with the same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated. Let us
seek for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves. Let us help
others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves. In a word, if we want
security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want
opportunities, let us provide opportunities. The yardstick we use for others
will be the yardstick which time will use for us.
As women
religious, as citizens of the United States, we choose to stand for life and
hope. We will not give in to fear. We will not allow others to divide us by
race or creed or nationality and we will not turn our back on our Syrian
sisters and brothers in their hour of greatest need.
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