Refugee Week Celebrations at CRC St Albans

“People will come from east and west and north and south. They will take their places at the feast in God’s kingdom. Then the last will be first. And the first will be last.”
In Luke's gospel, Jesus tells us that ‘people will come from the east and the west and
from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last .’(Luke 13: 29-30)

It sounds as if this kingdom could be a place for all comers, or at least for all sorts from the four corners of the globe. At CRC St Albans we have been blessed with the arrival of many refugee communities since we began over 40 years ago. With the arrival of each new refugee community, we come closer to building the Kingdom of God. Our school is available to everyone. Our door is open to everyone who knocks.

This week CRC St Albans students have put together a short clip celebrating the
refugee heroes that they know and love. 

The Social Justice Team has also organised a fundraiser to celebrate and to raise
money for Caritas who assists refugees in their resettlement.

In Religion the Year 10 students responded to questions about refugee week these are
included here:

How has the St Albans Catholic Regional College Community been improved by the refugee/displaced communities that have settled in this school?
It’s made the school more diverse and it’s educated those who don’t come from foreign
backgrounds to understand those different cultures. Liya

Being able to learn about other cultures brings the community together and makes
everyone have a closer bond. Liam

The college has accepted these people and now it is diverse. Saoul

Our school is immersed in many cultures making it so that any person who comes to
our school is very welcomed, no matter what race/colour. Raymond

What attributes does a refugee/or displaced person require to escape persecution and resettle?

Refugees and displaced people have to have perseverance as well as a strong
willingness to be hopeful about their future and that they will get away to a safer place than theirs. Romiley and Calvin

Lord,
We thank you for the great gifts that we have received through our refugee communities at Catholic Regional College St Albans. As a Catholic School Community we pray that we may find strength and courage in the words of the Lord who says, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me”.
Amen