Bishop Patrick Lynch urges EU to act on boat refugee crisis

Bishop Lynch

In the wake of the latest tragedy over the weekend in which up to 900 refugees fleeing war and persecution drowned in the Mediterranean, Bishop Patrick Lynch, Bishop for Migration in the Department for International Affairs of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, has urged EU countries to do more to assist in the rescue operations and seek long term solutions to the crisis.

In recent months, Malta, the smallest country in the EU, and Italy, have been on their own, dealing with an influx of thousands of refugees coming from North Africa - since the EU stopped funding rescue operations last summer.

Bishop Lynch said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the men, women and children dying almost daily in the Mediterranean Sea as they desperately search for a safer life in Europe. "We call on all EU member states to involve themselves in the relief efforts and to work collaboratively to find a swift, just, effective and compassionate solution to these humanitarian disasters."

On Saturday, Pope Francis urged the international community to take "swift and decisive action" to assist the refugees See: ICN 19 April 2015 Pope appeals for swift action to save boat refugees www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=27229

* London Catholic Worker will be holding a special vigil and liturgy on Tuesday 21 April, outside the Foreign Office in King Charles Street, Westminster to protest about migrants drowning in the Mediterranean. The group will be gathering from 12.30-1.30pm, followed by a picket in Parliament Square from 1.45pm (for approximately two hours. All are welcome to join them.