Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Catholic News

Home

Home
Catholic
Religion News
Prejudice towards migrants and refugees must end, Pope stresses

Prejudice towards migrants and refugees must end, Pope stresses

Last updated on: September 24, 2013 at 9:43 am by CNA Daily News

Prejudice towards migrants and refugees must end, Pope stresses 2013-09-24T09:43:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Vatican City, Sep 24, 2013 / 03:43 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In honor of the upcoming World Migration Day, Pope Francis said that the improvement of society demands the end of common prejudices against migrants and refugees.

“In considering the situation of migrants and refugees, I would point to yet another element in building a better world, namely, the elimination of prejudices and presuppositions in the approach to migration.”

The message of Pope Francis was read aloud during a Sept. 24 press conference in honor of World Migration Day, which will take place on Jan. 19, 2014.

In his address, the Pope emphasized the need to build a better world through “efforts to provide dignified living conditions for everyone, at finding just responses to the needs of individuals and families, and at ensuring that God's gift of creation is respected, safeguarded and cultivated.”

“Our hearts do desire something 'more.' Beyond greater knowledge or possessions, they want to “be” more,” he said. “Development cannot be reduced to economic growth alone, often attained without a thought for the poor and the vulnerable.”

The pontiff noted the importance of fighting the “scandal of poverty,” warning that “Violence, exploitation, discrimination, marginalization, restrictive approaches to fundamental freedoms, whether of individuals or of groups,” are some of the chief elements of poverty which need to be overcome.

Amid the necessity for cooperation among societies in order to create peace, justice and security, Pope Francis spoke of the importance of deconstructing common stereotypes which are held against many who flee their homelands.

“Not infrequently, the arrival of migrants, displaced persons, asylum seekers and refugees gives rise to suspicion and hostility,” he said.

“There is a fear that society will become less secure, that identity and culture will be lost, that competition for jobs will become stiffer and even that criminal activity will increase.”

It is those in the field of “communication media,” he said, who have the greatest responsibility “to break down stereotypes and to offer correct information in reporting the errors of a few as well as the honesty, rectitude and goodness of the majority.”

The Pope likened the migrant to the image of the Holy Family, who also left their home and faced rejection in a foreign land, saying that “threatened by Herod’s lust for power, they were forced to take flight and seek refuge in Egypt.”

“But the maternal heart of Mary and the compassionate heart of Joseph, the Protector of the Holy Family, never doubted that God would always be with them. Through their intercession, may that same firm certainty dwell in the heart of every migrant and refugee.”

The Church, he recalled, who is called to follow Christ’s commandment to “go and make disciples of all nations,” is also called to embrace and proclaim the gospel to all peoples, because “the face of each person bears the mark of the face of Christ.”

“Here we find the deepest foundation of the dignity of the human person, which must always be respected and safeguarded.”

It is being created in God’s image and likeness that grounds personal dignity, said the pontiff, rather than external circumstances such as productivity, social class, ethnic or religious belonging, or “the criteria of efficiency.”

“Every human being is a child of God! He or she bears the image of Christ! We ourselves need to see, and then to enable others to see, that migrants and refugees do not only represent a problem to be solved, but are brothers and sisters to be welcomed, respected and loved.”

The situation of the migrant, urged the Pope, is for us “an occasion that Providence gives us to help build a more just society, a more perfect democracy, a more united country, a more fraternal world and a more open and evangelical Christian community.”

The Holy Father also expressed that the reality of migrants poses the possibility and opportunity for evangelization and for “the growth of a new humanity.”

Pope Francis ended his message speaking directly to migrants themselves, encouraging them to “Never lose the hope that you too are facing a more secure future, that on your journey you will encounter an outstretched hand, and that you can experience fraternal solidarity and the warmth of friendship.”

Vatican

Previous Post

September 24, 2013

Denver archbishop: Syrian martyrs are 'model of courage'

Next Post

September 24, 2013 Holy Childhood Society celebrates 25 years in Colombo

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

A woman who had suffered bleeding for twelve years was healed by touching Jesus' what?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The hairs of his head His cloak His feet His hand