@CSANonline

Sharing in the mission of the Catholic Church, committed to tackling the causes of poverty, promoting justice, and restoring dignity.

 London, UK
Joined October 2011
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What are Catholics doing to respond to immigration detention? Caritas Northampton recently visited Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire. They provide practical services and a multi-faith chaplaincy for spiritual and pastoral support. The centre regularly prays the Rosary and invites parish volunteers to support its Catholic community. The Caritas lead for Northampton reflected on their visit, saying: "As a concept, immigration detention is impossible to comprehend. What struck me the most [when visiting] was the palpable anxiety and desperation. When you reflect on the circumstances of immigration detention, there are very few knowns and almost everything is unpredictable and uncertain. That uncertainty is compounded with being detained and alone, without a community, family, children." Caritas has also donated Rosaries, prayer resources, book and suitcases to support the detainees with dignity. 📖 We are sharing stories from our network during this National Week of Solidarity to End Immigration Detention to highlight how Catholic Social Teaching calls us to speak out against detention. How have you been showing solidarity?
White text on a red background with a quote from Caritas Northampton.

ALT White text on a red background with a quote from Caritas Northampton.

White text on a red background highlighting the work of Caritas Northampton on immigration detention.

ALT White text on a red background highlighting the work of Caritas Northampton on immigration detention.

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Today we celebrate Pope St John Paul II. During his long pontificate he visited 129 nations and enriched Catholic Social Teaching. He described solidarity as “a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good.” (SRS 38) vaticannews.va/en/saints/10/… #StJohnPaulII
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What are Catholics doing to respond to immigration detention? Jesuit Refugee Service UK (JRS UK) visits Harmondsworth and Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centres, providing practical and emotional support. They focus on the action of ‘accompanying’ to reflect how Catholic theology calls them to walk alongside migrants and refugees through encounter and mutual relationship. Recently, Sister Patricia shared stories of her experiences accompanying people at these centres, especially the high number of children aged 16-18. She said: "Some people have asked me, ‘How can our country sustain taking in so many people?’ As Christians, our response cannot begin with calculations but instead with the recognition of human dignity. It demands faith, compassion, kindness, welcoming, inclusion, and, very importantly, generosity." We are sharing stories from our network during this National Week of Solidarity to End Immigration Detention to highlight how Catholic Social Teaching calls us to speak out against detention. What is your organisation doing to mark this week?
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"I was in immigration detention for 7 months. It still affects me even today. Detention is like a war camp. They really want to break you, in the hope that you’ll leave and go back to a terrible situation. You are more or less treated like an animal. They give you a number and that’s it, you’re just a number. In detention, nobody even knew my name." - Jonah in JRS UK's 2024 report, After Brook House What is immigration detention? 🤔 Immigration detention is the practice of locking people up in prison-like conditions for administrative purposes. Anyone who is subject to immigration powers can be detained. The UK government detains over 20,000 people a year. Catholic social teaching reminds us that we are all made in God’s image - including migrants, refugees and those seeking asylum. For a more detailed explainer, read our post below⬇️ National Week of Solidarity to End Immigration Detention | 19-25 October 2026
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This week, we will be marking the National Week of Solidarity to End Immigration Detention on our socials. We will share resources to help raise awareness around immigration detention, and showcase some of the ways Catholics and Catholic organisations have stood alongside people in immigration detention 💜
A poster from Right to Remain with birds on a coral background. Text reads 'National week of solidarity to end immigration detention, 19-25 October 2026' and the CSAN logo.

ALT A poster from Right to Remain with birds on a coral background. Text reads 'National week of solidarity to end immigration detention, 19-25 October 2026' and the CSAN logo.

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How did this year's political party conferences impact poverty, social care, work and immigration? Read our round-up now on the CSAN website! Our analysis is non-partisan, highlighting each party's policies with the lens of tackling poverty and challenging injustice. csan.org.uk/party-conference…
A group of protestors holding placards in black and white on a plain background. Red text reads 'Autumn 2026: Party conference round-up'.

ALT A group of protestors holding placards in black and white on a plain background. Red text reads 'Autumn 2026: Party conference round-up'.

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On #PrisonersSunday we pray for people in prison and their families; those held on remand, wrongly imprisoned, in degrading conditions or immigration detention; and all who feel trapped by abuse, mental illness or circumstance. @prisonadvice: prisonadvice.org.uk/faith/ev… Prisons Week: prisonsweek.org/
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12–18 Oct is #ChallengePoverty Week in England and Wales. Catholic social teaching calls us to listen to people experiencing poverty and act so every community can flourish. England and Wales: challengepoverty.co.uk/ Scotland, 5–11 Oct: povertyalliance.org/cpw/
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Today we celebrate St Francis of Assisi. St Bonaventure calls him a “man of the Gospel” and writes: “The true love of Christ transformed the lover into His image.” May Christ reshape us in love of the poor, peace and creation. en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_L… #StFrancis
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On this day in 2020, Pope Francis signed Fratelli Tutti. “Authentic social dialogue involves the ability to respect the other’s point of view.” (FT 203) Are we truly listening to those with whom we disagree? vatican.va/content/francesco… #FratelliTutti
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Today is @CAFOD’s Harvest Family Fast Day. As autumn gathers the harvest, fasting teaches us gratitude for creation and solidarity with neighbours who hunger. Pray, fast and give: cafod.org.uk/fundraise/paris… Art: Winslow Homer, The Veteran in a New Field (1865), The Met. #Harvest
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From the network: Stories of Creationtide 🌱🌍 “We must not allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by the pace of a world that does not know what it is chasing. Rather, we must return to serving the rhythm of life, the harmony of creation and healing its wounds.” Pope Leo XIV At the start of the season of Creation, our Policy & Public Affairs Officer Erica Lees-Smith asked some of our members what projects or programmes they have been running which highlight the themes of creation. Read about how Caritas Plymouth and Caritas Nottingham have been engaging Catholics with their environment during this time of ecological crisis. 👇 "Now more than ever, it seems important to share stories of hope, countering the fear and anxiety many of us feel." csan.org.uk/news/from-the-ne…

From the Network: Stories of Creationtide - Caritas Social Action Network - CSAN

“We must not allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by the pace of a world that does not know what it is chasing. Rather, we must return to serving the rhythm […]

csan.org.uk
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How has your church or organisation marked Creationtide this year?
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Today we celebrate St Vincent de Paul. “When you visit the poor, you encounter Jesus.” We give thanks for Vincentian charities past and present in the CSAN family, including @SVPEnglandWales, Depaul UK and @PassageCharity. St Vincent, pray for us. #StVincentDePaul
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Hear from one of our network members, Siân (Caritas Diocese of Brentwood), share why she came along to support our #DefendAsylum campaign on Monday. There's still time to show your solidarity - visit our website for our World Day of Migrants and Refugees resource 👇 csan.org.uk/news/world-day-f… 📹 Video by @JesuitRefugee UK
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Caritas Social Action Network retweeted
Caritas@iamCARITASSep 25
Children account for 39% of refugees and others in need of international protection. This Sunday is the 112th #WorldDayOfMigrantsAndRefugees. We’re joining COATNET, @redclamor and RAEMH in calling for children’s rights to come first. Statement here: bit.ly/4yW0P0D
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Caritas Social Action Network retweeted
The Catholic Union of Great Britain@CatholicUnionGBSep 24
Children’s Commissioner warns of “shocking failure” to protect refugee children at inaugural JRS UK Annual Lecture @ChildrensComm @JesuitRefugee jrsuk.net/news/childrens-com…
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On Monday, we handed in hundreds of postcards from our #DefendAsylum campaign with our amazing partner organisations @JesuitRefugee UK and @SVPEnglandWales. Together, we asked our Prime Minister our three core demands: ✊ To restore the right to asylum 🧡 To centre dignity 🚫 To end immigration detention In this week leading up to World Day Of Migrants And Refugees, we pray our politicians would listen to the Christian call to compassion and justice. Check out our resource to mark the occasion on Sunday - csan.org.uk/news/world-day-f…
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