Kent: Polish community reaches out to lorry drivers stranded over Christmas

image Marcin Mazur/CBCEW

Source: FB/CCN

Thousands of lorry drivers faced the prospect of spending Christmas in the cabs of their vehicles after France closed its border with the UK in response to the fast-spreading strain of coronavirus. Manston Airport in Kent was used as a massive lorry park, while many more trucks lined up on the M40 waiting for covid tests and to permission to cross the Channel...

Hundreds of volunteers came to provide food and hot drinks for the drivers. Among them were two Polish Catholic priests: Fr David Jasinski from the Polish chaplaincy in Lewisham and Fr Bartek Rajewski from Hendon.

Around 4,000 people were given freshly baked bread, buns, donuts provided by the Polish community in the UK. As well as a bit of Christmas cheer, the priests provided confessions, blessings and pastoral care to the hauliers.

Marcin Mazur from the Catholic Bishops' Conference came with them and explained: "From my perspective on Christmas Eve no one should be alone. There is a tradition in Poland at that dinner ( the Vigilia meal) we keep one empty space on the table for someone who might join us, and we always should welcome that person. In Dover, the Polish community brought food to those that needed it, as such, filling that empty space at the dinner table, whilst our priests brought comfort, prayers and Christmas blessings to many."

A note from the Archdiocese of Southwark on Facebook said: "We pray for those that have missed celebrating with family due to the unforeseen circumstances in Kent and give thanks for the generosity of the Polish people towards our stranded brothers and sisters. We also thank parishes in Southwark that have assisted in bringing pastoral and practical help, often unseen by others."