ICMC Secretary General Shares His Advent Reflection With UK Parliament

On the occasion of the annual Advent Parliamentary Reflection, ICMC Secretary General Msgr. Robert J. Vitillo was invited by the Catholic Agency For Overseas Development (CAFOD) to share his own considerations with the members of the United Kingdom Parliament.

In his speech, Msgr. Vitillo reminded that the Holy Family had sought refuge in Bethlehem and that Jesus had probably experienced anxiety over whether it would be possible for him to return home. These fears are probably the same of the many refugee children that Msgr. Vitillo met during his recent visit to the ICMC Resettlement Support Center in Turkey. “They could imagine a better life for themselves and their families despite the many challenges they had experienced so early in life – like the Child Jesus,” he said.

ICMC’s Secretary General went on to outline the key role his organization plays in the Church’s response to the humanitarian emergency of large numbers of refugees and migrants and shared several testimonies of hope of refugees resettled by ICMC in the past few months. “Surely these migrants have hopes and dreams that are quite similar to those of migrants whose futures you may be determining in your policy debates within the United Kingdom Parliament,” Msgr. Vitillo highlighted.

• The Advent reflection and prayer are available here.