A New Beginning: How a Sydney Parish Helped One Refugee Family Find Belonging
(An article by Astrid Delayre, Senior Communications Officer of Catholic Mission)

Throughout Scripture, we are reminded of our call to welcome the stranger, accompany those in need, and recognise the dignity of every person as a child of God.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Christ tells us, "I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” (Matthew 25:35)

For one parish community in Sydney, these words have become more than an invitation. They have become a mission lived through accompaniment and compassion.

For families forced to flee conflict and persecution, arriving in a new country is only the beginning of rebuilding a life. Finding safety is one step. Finding belonging is another.

Through the Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP), Australians are helping make that journey possible.

“People feel welcomed, and people feel part of the community because local volunteers have made a commitment to stand with these people and help them,” explains Anne Nesbitt, a volunteer at Catholic Mission for the CRISP program.

Supported by Catholic Mission and the End Child Detention Coalition through partnership with Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA), CRISP offers parishes and community groups the opportunity to sponsor newly arrived refugee families and walk alongside them during their first year in Australia. The program provides practical support, friendship, and a welcoming community as individuals and families begin to settle into a new life.

(Photo: Abolfazl and his mother Soheila with Anne Nesbitt from Catholic Mission.)