Velehrad, South Moravia, July 4 (CTK) – The bishops of the Czech Roman Catholic Church Saturday offered help with the accepting of Christian migrants whose life is threatened to the government.
The Czech Bishops’ Conference (CBK) said it will call on parishes to accept families of Christian refugees, in cooperation with the local authorities. Local charity organisations should get involved in the aid provided to the immigrants, too.
“We know that this needs to be discussed with the local authorities, we don’t want to create tension anywhere,” Bishop Jan Graubner said.
He said many people have offered help to the Czech church. The church also has contacts with those who need the help, such as Christians escaping from Islamic State to Kurdistan, Graubner said.
He said he met an archbishop from Kurdistan who is living in tents with 50,000 Christians whom Islamic State expelled.
“All of us can see that the situation in the Maghreb and the Middle East but also the Ukrainian-Russian border is getting dramatic, many people are seeking asylum and aid. It is our duty (to provide them),” Cardinal Dominik Duka said.
With respect to the problems with new forms of terrorism, the church has to cooperate with the state and its security forces, Duka said.
CBK pointed out the need to distinguish economic migrants from refugees fleeing from war, hunger and instability.
The bishops can see the urgent need for solidarity with the victims of wars and religious intolerance but also the fears of Czech society caused by the current influx of refugees to Europe, they write in a statement.
The bishops called on the government to resolutely deal with the issue.
On Friday, the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren (CCE) called on Czech politicians to face intolerance and nationalism and help refugees. Czech politicians showed only little courage in helping refugees, said CCE, the largest protestant church in the country.
