Calgary Catholics urged to help as Syrian refugee crisis worsens

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary is urging its members to do more to support people fleeing Syria, after a plea from Pope Francis over the weekend.

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"I mean people are dying, and this should take precedence," said Deacon Adrian Martens of St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Parish, in southeast Calgary.

Until now, it's been tough to generate enough financial support for refugees, given all of the other worthy causes parishioners face, he says.

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"However I think that now people are seeing that first of all it's escalating, thousands upon thousands are being affected by this, and to see people locally as their brothers and sisters," he said.

The Pope called on every European parish and religious community to take in one migrant family each, and said he would start in the Vatican city state where he lives. The Vatican's two parishes will take in a family of refugees each in the coming days.

"So we hope to see more parishes step up and support refugee families through the current standards that the government asks us to follow to get refugees to come to Canada," Martens said.

The request for each Roman Catholic parish to get more involved will be in parish newsletters in Calgary on Sunday.