As Catholics celebrated the patron saint of victims of modern slavery, the grieving sister of a migrant worker has appealed to the Church in Australia to be a “place of refuge”. Source: ACAN.
Yesterday, February 8, was the Feast Day of St Josephine Bakhita.
Jessa Royupa has spoken about the importance of Church communities in keeping vulnerable workers safe.
In an interview with Domus 8.7, the Catholic remediation service that has supported her family, Ms Royupa said: “The Church is, and should be, the refuge of people who are in that situation (forced labour).”
Ms Royupa is a Filipino lawyer who fought for seven years for her brother Jerwin’s death to be properly investigated in New South Wales.
On January 16, in a landmark decision, the NSW Coroner found that Mr Royupa was exploited in the lead-up to his tragic death. The coronial inquest’s findings have been referred to the Australian Federal Police for further investigations.
While he was being exploited on a remote country property in NSW, Mr Royupa met an Australian of Filipino background at the local Catholic church.
“When he went to church, Mr Royupa just had a flicker of hope – that I’m not alone here,” Ms Royupa explained. “He was very happy. He felt relieved, somehow, from his situation.”
While the people Mr Royupa met at the local church tried their best to help him, he was unable to leave his situation before his untimely death.
Domus 8.7 Lived Experience Lead Moe Turaga has urged Church communities to take care of migrant workers in their midst.
“Every Church meeting is a potential lifeline for a person trapped in forced labour.”
“Knowing what to do when you encounter vulnerable people is crucial.
“In my own case, many years ago, I escaped the people who had deceived me after meeting a kind couple at church,” Mr Turaga said.
“It is a tragedy that Jerwin could not get the life-saving help he needed.
“In the spirit of St Josephine Bakhita, I would ask Catholic congregations, particularly those in rural and regional areas, to work through your dioceses with Domus 8.7, and be ready to refer people who are being mistreated and abused for help.”
FULL STORY
The Church as a refuge (ACAN)
