'Life is Sweet'- A tribute to Louise Zanre Da Silva

Ever since I heard the news that Louise Zanré Da Silva died suddenly last Monday, I've been feeling really alive and full of energy. I have a new appreciation of life that can only come when the finality of someone else's death, particularly a friend of only 47, hits home. I am one of many to feel incredibly blessed to have known and worked with Louise for two decades, one of so many inspirational women in the Justice and Peace movement here in Britain.

During the 13 years she was Director of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), a role from which she recently stepped down, I heard her address groups many times. I'll single out her presentation at the Christians Aware Annual Conference in January 2015. There were moments when her voice wavered with emotion, telling the stories of the destitution experienced by asylum seekers who may have waited many months for a decision on an asylum claim, with no leave to remain, no permission to work and no access to benefits. They were not statistics to Louise but 'neighbours' and friends. She spoke about the accompaniment programme of a day centre run by the Jesuits in East London and regular visits to two detention centres. Who in that audience could forget her story of a refugee and long-term detainee who suffered from mental illness, carrying his case everywhere with him in his detention centre because he was expecting to leave at any time.

Louise was from Bathgate in Scotland, from a family of Italian extraction, and studied Law at Aberdeen University. Her family and Catholic upbringing sensitised her to social justice, and her education meant she was well equipped on legal aspects of asylum issues, especially important when involved with a parliamentary enquiry in 2014/15 focusing on conditions in detention centres.

She felt refugees and asylum seekers were being stripped of their rights and could not be detached from their suffering. "One of the biggest problems I've found from talking to detainees is the uncertainty, never knowing how long they will be held," said Louise, who contrasted the immigration detainee with the convicted criminal being held in prison; "it is different for the prisoner who knows the length of his or her sentence". She felt practical support and care offered by voluntary groups stood in direct contrast to the anti-migrant messages seen and heard regularly in the media or from politicians.

I first knew Louise as a worker with Pax Christi UK. She had relocated from Scotland in 1993 to join a small but dynamic staff team in London led by General Secretary Pat Gaffney. "Louise brought a critical eye to her work, initially with a focus on Northern Ireland, which then changed to a focus on refugee and asylum work, building links with the work of Pax Christi International," says Pat. She recalls that "Louise was greatly valued by Pax Christi, our team, volunteers and members - we all enjoyed her dry sense of humour!"

She had been with the Jesuit Refugee Service since 2000, and was deeply committed to networking with others in the Justice and Peace movement. Louise was typical of Justice and Peace activists who see the connections between issues. She wrote last year: "Much has been made of the numbers of people trying to get to Europe and how we might cope with them. Little is spoken of the tens of millions of people globally forced to flee war, persecution, human rights abuses and natural disasters. The vast majority of people fleeing by boat across the Mediterranean are from war torn and repressive regimes including Syria, Libya, Eritrea, Afghanistan and Sudan." She was concerned about government funding cuts, blamed on austerity, when Britain seemed to have funds for military expenditures. "No-one ever says, 'where shall we find money for Trident?' rather than, 'where shall we find money for the NHS?'". She drew great inspiration from Pope Francis and his vision of a Church concerned for the marginalised and poor. She was well known to members of the National Justice and Peace Network of England and Wales as legal consultant, conference planner, workshop leader, and writer on refugee and asylum issues. Many of us at the July annual conference shared wine with her after the formal sessions, and Louise was a great entertainer with many a witty story.

In her personal life, she lost her Brazilian husband Paolo suddenly seven years ago and just three months ago her beloved father, whom she and her sister Dina accompanied through years of dementia. Louise was deeply touched by the sympathy and support of the refugees and asylum seekers she knew through the JRS day centres. "They have a very real and dynamic sense of what true family and community means," she reflected, "one which truly flows out of mercy". In recent years she walked with a stick because of a chronic and painful arthritic condition, particularly affecting her spine, but I never heard her complain about it. Pat Gaffney speaks for all her friends when she says, "it is her personal courage, strength, lack of self-pity and humour that I shall remember most".

Just a month before her death, she had stepped down as Director of the JRS, handing over to former MP Sarah Teather. On 12 January she had an office celebration and wrote on facebook: "What a lovely evening with so many friends from JRS - staff and volunteers past and present.... I am very grateful for all the kind wishes and sentiments expressed and the appreciation of my work at JRS so far. I am looking forward to continuing working with you all in a new role at JRS." She loved working with the Jesuits and was remaining with the JRS as a policy advisor. On her final day as Director she was with Liverpool Justice and Peace Commission, delivering their annual lecture.

Liverpool J&P worker Steve Atherton reflected: "what a fitting end to a superb tenure".

Louise was very artistic and in her last month of life she had a little more time to spend on producing crafts. She showed off her beautiful gift boxes, gift bags and plaques on facebook. The plaque 'Life is sweet' caught my eye when she posted it on 13 January. It reflected Louise's positive and hopeful outlook.

If Louise were here her biggest concern would be for her sister Dina, who has lost her only sibling and father in the space of three months. May Dina be comforted by the many tributes to Louise. The Catholic Children's Society stated that, "a wonderful dedicated champion of migrants and refugees has died unexpectedly". Phil Kerton of Seeking Sanctuary posted to Louise's facebook page: "Louise, there are so many towns that I visited with you in the days of the National Catholic Refugee Forum, and when I make these journeys again I am always reminded of your company. Above all of your amazing recall of the smallest and ever-changing details of EU and UK regulations governing the treatment of immigrants and seekers of asylum. Those at the margins of our society have lost a wonderful advocate and the rest of us an inspiring friend. Be at peace now."

Steve Atherton said: "Louise had the best grasp of the complexities of the refugee/asylum situation of all the people I know". Louise's legacy is a concern for social justice, love of neighbour, and a welcoming heart and spirit. One friend reflected that Louise was "gentle yet determined, wise and knowledgeable - but always smiling; Louise made the best use of her life and will leave a hole in ours".

Her love of the JRS and refugees/asylum seekers is shown in her last few posts on Facebook. One was about Europe's first underwater museum in Lanzarote which offers a stark reminder of the refugee crisis, including people huddling in a sinking raft. She advertised initiatives of the Churches Refugee Network, of which JRS is a member. Another post was a talk this Tuesday evening at the Jesuit Church in Farm Street by Sarah Teather. The Jesuit Provincial Fr Provincial Dermot Preston SJ will be the principal celebrant at Louise's Requiem Mass in the same church next Monday. In lieu of flowers, donations to Jesuit Refugee Service are requested.

At the turn of the year, one of Louise's friends joked that she might be in the New Year's Honours list. "That's very kind of you" she responded, "but I am sure that there are others far more worthy of such honours." She added that, "the only thing I have ever really wanted as a result of my work is a fair and just asylum process, truly rooted in human rights". Dear Louise, you have not lived to see it, but maybe it will happen one day. You certainly did all you could.

Her funeral will take place on Monday 29th February at 10.30am at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, 114 Mount Street, London W1K 3AH, led by Fr Dermot Preston SJ. There will be a reception afterwards.

Links:

www.jrsuk.net/news/louise-zanre/

www.jesuit.org.uk/jrs-talk-serving-refugees-home-abroad