Priest follows footsteps of St Aidan to support vulnerable refugees

Source: Justice and Peace Scotland

Fr Jim Walls, Spiritual Director of the Scots College in Rome, plans to walk the 290 miles during his summer holidays to draw attention to the plight of refugees stranded at the UK border in Calais. Fr Walls is walking from Iona (Scotland) to Lindisfarne (Holy Island, England) to highlight the work of Maria Skobstova House in Calais.

Founded in 2016 Maria Skobtsova House offers accommodation and support to refugees many of whom have travelled thousands of miles in the hope of finding sanctuary. Since it was founded the house has welcomed as guests the most vulnerable in Calais, currently caring for women and children, along with outreach to the Eritrean refugee community who live in temporary camps that are often vandalised and destroyed by the authorities.

Describing his plans Fr Jim Walls said: "I'm looking upon it as a pilgrimage in solidarity with those who have to abandon their homes in order to find peace, and yet are often subjected to inhumane treatment in Europe. A friend who regularly volunteers at the House describes with amazement the hospitality that he receives from the refugees (in the form of tea/coffee and whatever food they have) in their makeshift camps as opposed to the reception they receive from the authorities. His statement that Europe is 'experiencing a crisis of hospitality' struck me profoundly, and the fact that these vulnerable people have something to teach us, or remind us, about hospitality rings true. Some of these people arrive having suffered severe trauma and due to the policies implemented by the authorities are deprived of the necessities of life: shelter, food, clothing, and health care."

The house is named after Saint Maria Skobtsova, a Russian Orthodox Saint and Martyr who took care of Russian refugees, migrants, and the homeless in Paris during the last century. During the Nazi occupation she sheltered Jewish people, smuggling many to safety and also rescued several children from detention. This resistance saw her imprisoned and executed in Ravensbrück concentration camp. The house in Calais which now carries her name continues the tradition of radical hospitality which St Maria lived, and was inspired by the Catholic Worker Movement; founded in New York in the 1930's by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin.

Fr Walls' pilgrimage will start on Saturday (26th June) and all going well will end three weeks later on 16th July.

For more information about Maria Skobtsova House visit: www.refugeehousecalais.org/.

If you would like to find out more and/or donate, please visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/in-solidarity

Follow Fr Jim's progress on the 'Jim's Iona to Lindisfarne Pilgrimage' Facebook page.