Celebrating Eucharist in Detention

As thousands of refugees and asylum seekers often wait for years in detention centres in our countries around the world, one wonders what opportunity the Christians among them have to gather and celebrate Mass together.

Volunteers, together with their priests, try to regularly visit these people and support them in their testing time of detention. However, in many situations this proves very difficult due to restrictions set by authorities.

The challenging words of Jesus continue to ring out: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to me.” (adapted Matt 25: 35,36).

We are called to continue to support asylum seekers and refugees in whatever ways we can. Whenever we celebrate Eucharist, let us pray especially for them and for those who seek to visit and pray with them.

We thank a volunteer visitor to one detention centre who offers us the following  reflection: Villawood Mass