Christian calling to care for most vulnerable

The Rt Revd Tim Thornton, Bishop of Truro

“The photographs of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi, drowned and washed up on a Turkish beach were truly shocking, and brought home in the most horrifying way the human price being paid by people trying to escape war and disruption in their homelands.
“I am relieved to hear that the Government has announced it will do more to help refugees, and look forward to hearing the details of their plan. We need to be generous and hospitable when people are in such dire need, and our Christian calling is to care for the most vulnerable.
“However, we also need to recognise that there is no simple, or single solution to this complex problem. It is absolutely right that we take in and care for those we can, but it is crucial that the root causes of the crisis are also considered and, where possible, addressed. If this is not done, sadly we can only expect for countless thousands of others to embark upon a perilous journey to what they hope will be a safer and better life.
“I am wholly supportive of those individuals and parishes within the diocese who are taking action to help where they can. The compassion shown by Revd Jeremy Putnam and his parishioners at All Saints, Highertown, was a prime example of how people can provide tangible help, and quite rightly they received support from people all over Cornwall and further afield. I hope people will feel moved to continue or join in with this important work.
“I will also be offering prayers for all those caught up in the crisis – prayers for the safety of those who have left their homes; prayers for the politicians who have the difficult task of making decisions over how help is offered, and to whom; prayers for all those who come into contact with the refugees on their journeys, that they might find even greater depths of compassion and humanity; and also prayers for all of us as we consider how and when we might be able to offer some assistance.”

Bishop Tim