Main language spoken: French
The Diocese in Europe stretches from Norway to Morocco and Portugal to Russia which makes it the largest diocese in the Church of England in terms of geography. It also encompasses incredible diversity and is compelled to promote a sense of belonging together ensuring that all peoples (once migrants, exiles, foreigners) are now insiders.
For decades, the northern French coast, particularly Calais, has been a hotspot of migration particularly those seeking to settle in the UK. There are limited safe and legal routes into the UK which leads many people fleeing war and persecution to take perilous, and often fatal, crossings over the Channel. This crisis occurs against a backdrop of a rising far-right political climate across Europe, where hostility towards migrants and asylum seekers has grown. Recent political developments signal potential escalation of harmful policies towards asylum seekers.
“This makes Christ’s imperative painfully clear. Jesus is calling every voice of the Church to swim against this violent current, to advocate and act to safeguard the vulnerable. It’s all of us or its none of us. Everyone deserves to be safe.”
Bradon Muilenburg, Anglican Refugee Support Lead
Bradon Muilenburg is the Anglican Refugee Support Lead who works along these border lines. Based in the Calais-Dunkirk Coastal Area, his role is the outcome of a collaboration between the Diocese in Europe, the Diocese of Canterbury and USPG.
By embedding in NGO and ecumenical networks, the aim is to develop practical initiatives for the benefit of exiled and be a resource to strengthen Christian advocacy. In this hostile environment, the Church sees its mission as following Christ’s call to protect the vulnerable, standing against xenophobia and injustice, and ensuring that everyone—regardless of nationality or status—deserves the right to safety and dignity.
Meet Bradon Muilenburg, the Anglican Refugee Support Lead in Northern France and The Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover, as they explain more about USPG, the Diocese of Canterbury and the Diocese in Europe’s joint action in aid of refugees.