03 Apr 2017
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Myross Wood Retreat Centre have offered to open their doors to those in need and house a family of refugees at Myross Wood House in Leap, County Cork.
Fr Michael Curran MSC, leader of the Myross Wood community, is currently working alongside the Irish Red Cross to put the suggested relief plan in action. Myross Wood House has already been inspected by an Irish Red Cross representative, and it has been confirmed that the house will be suitable to accommodate a family as soon as some slight modifications have been put in place.
Fr Curran has spoken about the current plans for assistance, saying: “The rooms we have are adequate enough, but we will need to create family space, such as a kitchen and a living room.”
“We could take a family group of about 10 people,” he continues, “but the next step is to wait for the representative to come back to us to let us know if our offer is acceptable to the Irish Red Cross, and to receive their recommendations about the adaptations that will have to be carried out.”
With the refugee crisis becoming a growing concern in today’s troubled times, Fr Curran is insistent about the fact that something needs to be done. He says, “It is of enormous importance that Europe as a whole responds to the needs of the hundreds of thousands who are displaced, homeless, and fleeing from persecution.”
“The community of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are glad to be able to help in any way,” says Fr Curran. “We can accommodate about 40 guests in the house, but we have space for 10 refugees, because we will also need room to accommodate the people who come here on retreat.”
Pope Francis recently stated: “The lifeboat that you have to lower is a welcoming embrace to migrants: they flee intolerance, persecution, lack of a future. May no one turn his gaze elsewhere.” This year, the MSC community at Myross Wood are opening their doors and their arms to those desperately searching for a safe haven on Irish shores.
Read more about the Myross Wood aid endeavour from The Southern Star and The Irish Catholic.