On the third Monday of every month, rain or shine, a group of people gather in front of the Home Office Building on Marsham Street in London for a time of prayer for those who have lost their lives trying to find safety in Europe. A significant part of the prayer is taken with saying the names, and a little bit of information about those who have died.
Sometimes we do not have their names, and they are just mentioned as ‘a woman,’ ‘a girl,’ ‘a man,’ or ‘an unknown number of people,’ … Sometimes we know a little bit about their circumstances – we know that there are two brothers, or a pregnant woman, we hear their country of origin. There is a quality to the attentive silence as we say their names. It is infused with a deep awareness that these are people with dreams, hopes, and relationships; that they are people with previous lives, talents, others who love them; that they are people whose circumstances have pushed them into making a decision to risk their lives… and an awareness that they paid the ultimate price for seeking a better life. I am always very aware that ‘There but for the grace of God, go I.’ It is just an accident of geography, that I was born in a country where there is security, health care, a stable climate, and safety.
During the prayer vigil we pray, in words and song, for forgiveness because each of us, whether we like it or not, is complicit in European politicians and media’s actions to create a culture of distrust, lack of welcome, suspicion and fear.
It is very poignant to stand and pray for those in power and for those who suffer, at the foot of the imposing Home Office building in Marsham Street. This is the place where the policies are made, where the ‘hostile environment’ was thought out and made a reality, where individual cases are deliberated and people are rejected or accepted into the UK. We invite those who pass by, sometimes workers at the Home Office, to join us for a few moments and to find out about why we do this. Some show interest and support; many others do not have the time and look away.
This year the theme of Refugee Week (15-21 June 2026) is COURAGE! and we will welcome Bishop Paul McAleenan on 15 June at the Prayer Vigil who will share some reflections with those present. The Columbans in collaboration with the FCJ Centre for Spirituality and EcoJustice have invited a group of sixth formers for a day event to join this vigil. We hope that this powerful formative experience will enable them to gain a greater understanding of the Christian call to ‘welcome the stranger,’ the challenges facing people seeking sanctuary in Britain, their own political power, and of how faith can be put into action. The young people will gather at the FCJ Centre to engage with input about migration and Catholic Social Teaching, before travelling together to the Prayer Vigil outside the Home Office. We hope that a few of the regular attendees at the vigil will take time to share their reasons for attending with the young people. We will return to FCJ Centre to reflect on the experience together, before the young people travel back to their respective schools to share the message and inspire others to action.
If you are in the London area, do join us on Monday 15 June, or any third Monday at 12.30pm in front of the Home Office. Contact homeofficevigil@gmail.com for more information.