THE ARCHBISHOP of Dublin has expressed concern over “a new language of racism” in Ireland.
Speaking at the Church of St Joseph the Artisan in Dublin, in a sermon marking the beginning of Advent, Dr Diarmuid Martin condemned the “understated” prejudice connected to the use of phrases like “asylum seeker”.
Dr Martin warned of “the emergence of a new language of racism” which is “at times understated in its expression but just as nasty in its effects on men and women who need our help, our care and our respect.
“I am horrified to find traces of such racism among believers. The terms ‘refugee’ and ‘asylum seeker’ should only arouse heartfelt concern in the Christian heart.”
He urged Christians of “every generation” to be “attentive to where society is slipping into wrong ways” and do more to help those suffering “poverty, intolerance and discrimination, suffering and anxiety” during Advent, a period he describes as the “season of hope”.
He added: “The message of Advent is the confident message of Emmanuel, that still today God is with us to save us.”
The remarks come just days after an Irish community group raised €25,000 to house Syrian refugee family in Dublin in a campaign that sparked anger in certain quarters.
