The Launch of the Irish Churches’ Affirmations on Migration, Diversity and Interculturalism

(From left to right:  Mervyn McCullagh, Executive Officer of the Irish Inter-Church Meeting,  Father Irenaeus of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, Sister Joan Roddy of the Churches Asylum Network, Mr. Adrian Cristea of the Parish-based Integration Project, Ms. Denise Wright of Belfast City Church and Councillor Pat Convery, Lord Mayor of Belfast)

On Wednesday 8th September 2010, Councillor Pat Convery, Lord Mayor of Belfast launched the Irish Churches’ Affirmations on Migration, Diversity and Interculturalism, a new resource document aimed at promoting the integration of immigrants into church and civic life in Ireland. 

The event was chaired by Dr. Scott Boldt and speakers included Sister Joan Roddy of the Churches Asylum Network, Father Irenaeus of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, Ms. Denise Wright of Belfast City Church and Mr. Adrian Cristea of the Parish-based Integration Project. Announcing the launch, Adrian Cristea said: “The face of Ireland, north and south, has changed very rapidly in recent years with the arrival of migrants from a large number of countries. We now have a population that includes people from Eastern European, Asian and African countries, and who come from many different faith traditions. As a result, the promotion of integration and the recognition of the richness that comes with diversity have become important issues for Irish society and Irish Churches.”

The document has been issued by the Irish Inter-Church Meeting, which represents fifteen Christian Churches on the island of Ireland, including the Roman Catholic Church and Churches of the Protestant and Orthodox traditions.

Councillor Pat Convery, Lord Mayor of Belfast had some encouraging words during the launch claiming, “I am both amazed and impressed at the innovative role that Churches and Faith based communities have played in providing a positive response to migration and supporting the integration of new communities.  Faith communities, across this island, have been at the forefront in providing localised integration initiatives and welcoming new comers to this island.”

To read the Lord Mayor’s full speech please click here.

Sr Joan Roddy of  of the Churches Asylum Network said that an important feature of this initiative was that all the member Churches had been invited to report in twelve months' time on their progress in implementing measures in line with the Affirmations.

At the Dublin launch of the Affirmations document, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, said: “Christian Churches face the challenging but exciting task of welcoming and including new members who have a different language, different cultural backgrounds, and different experiences and expectations of church membership. In facilitating participation in church and local community life, Churches play a vital role in supporting and promoting the integration of ethnic minorities.”

Archbishop Martin noted that the new document sets out ten ‘Affirmations’ – specific commitments on the part of the Churches of the Irish Inter-Church Meeting to promote integration and interculturalism. The Affirmations include commitments by the Churches to: “recognise and appreciate cultural and ethnic diversity as gifts of God’; “foster faith communities where the rights of each person are respected”; “explore and adopt” ways of worship and systems of administration that respond to the diversity of the Church membership; challenge racism and xenophobia; defend the rights of migrants and advocate for the provision of appropriate services to meet their needs.

Recognising the fact that in recent years, many ‘migrant-led Churches’ have been established throughout the country, the Affirmations commit the longer-established Churches to “foster co-operation and collaboration” with the ‘migrant-led Churches’ in providing pastoral care and support to migrants.

The resource document can be downloaded at www.irishchurches.org