At the height of the so-called migrant crisis in 2015, which saw the exodus of millions of people walking across and towards Europe in search of sanctuary, I vividly recall the lifeless, tiny body of a Syrian toddler lying on a beach – the result of a treacherous journey his family had taken to flee their war-torn homeland. These heart-breaking images reached the Vatican, and the late Pope Francis, who shortly afterwards wrote a letter to all the faithful, urging them to respond in concrete ways to the cry of refugee suffering. “Every parish, every religious community, every monastery, every sanctuary” has an obligation “to be neighbours to the smallest and most abandoned.”
Here in Britain, the Columban Missionaries, together with a representative from the Archdiocese of Birmingham, Father Hudson’s Caritas (then two separate charities), and the parish priest of St. Anne’s Church, came together to discern a collaborative response to the Pope’s call.
After several meetings, the drafting of several policies and procedures, and months of preparation to make the building suitable for its purpose, St. Anne’s presbytery, which is now Fatima House, opened its doors in July 2016 to welcome vulnerable women in need of protection in Birmingham.
Fatima House has sought to be a concrete response to the outcry of millions of internationally displaced people in our world today. It is a small drop in an ocean of great need and in our societies today. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), by mid-2024, 122.6 million people were forcibly displaced, 37.9 million of whom are refugees. Ongoing conflicts in multiple regions, the devastating effects of climate change and poverty, marked by the unequal distribution of resources, force many to undertake unsafe journeys in search of safety. These paths often lead across dangerous waters and hostile lands, over political and geographical borders, through both official routes and at the hands of ruthless people smugglers and organised trafficking networks. Sadly, stories of experiences like these are the ones we often hear some of the women at Fatima house have lived.
We, Columbans, have taken the responsibility of running Fatima House on a daily basis, while the other partners take charge of other areas of work. The project has welcomed nearly 60 women over the last 9 years. As has recently been described, not a single day is the same here. We have welcomed women at what may be the lowest point in their lives, facing destitution. Some have arrived with their shattered lives crammed into a few bags; clothes, pots, and crockery all packed together, while others have come with nothing more than a single carrier bag. Some come with photographs of their loved ones, while others dream of the day they’ll learn of their loved ones’ whereabouts. At Fatima, women are offered sanctuary to enable them to rebuild their lives.
When the women leave the house, they go with mixed feelings: happy to be rebuilding their lives, yet saddened to leave behind friends – family, as many often refer to the house.
Throughout the years, we have learned that 16 women (27.6%) have secured their leave to remain in the country. Some have moved on to find jobs, begin university courses, or have started families. It is wonderful to hear from them how life has changed since the sombre moment they first walked through the doors of Fatima House. At the same time, we continue to walk side by side with the rest of the women, offering support as they await the outcome of their claims for protection, and as others continue to face the challenges of destitution.
As we mark ten years since the so-called migrant crisis, the need for compassion and justice remains as urgent as ever. Fatima House continues to be safe space where women are welcomed, respected and valued. In every woman’s story, for those of us who accompany them, we see God’s face; displaced, rejected, and seeking refuge.
