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
For Cardinal Vegliò, closing the door to migrants isn’t Christian

For Cardinal Vegliò, closing the door to migrants isn’t Christian

Last updated on: October 13, 2016 at 8:25 pm by CNA Daily News

For Cardinal Vegliò, closing the door to migrants isn’t Christian 2016-10-13T20:25:00+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, Oct 13, 2016 / 02:25 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- On Thursday the Vatican’s longtime point-man on the topic of migration said that the issue is an urgent one that can’t be solved by the “human egoism” that closes doors and fosters a xenophobic attitude toward foreigners.

“It’s not Christian to be xenophobic, it’s not Christian to not welcome a migrant, who has rights and also duties,” Cardinal Antonio Maria Vegliò, president of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, told journalists Oct. 13.

When an immigrant arrives “they need to be recognized by the country who welcomes them,” he said.

He emphasized that a migrant must respect “the traditions and identity of the culture where they go, just as the country where they arrive must respect the dignity and the identity of the immigrant.”

“Each one, whether it is the welcoming country or the migrant, has rights and duties,” he said, noting that the controversy over the phenomenon is unfortunately reflected at a political level.

“We see it here in Europe. We see it also a bit in the United States,” he said, explaining that in his opinion, everyone “wants his own backyard, their corridor, their sacred space and they don’t want to be disturbed.”

This attitude, he said, is “very egotistical… (it’s) human egoism, which isn’t human if you don’t consider (migrants) as children of God, as we are.”

Cardinal Vegliò, who has headed the pontifical council since 2009, spoke following the release of Pope Francis’ message for the 2017 World Day of Migrants, “Child Migrants, the Vulnerable and the Voiceless.” The day will be celebrated Jan. 15, 2017.

In comments to CNA, the cardinal said that ahead of the presidential elections in the United States, it’s important for Christians to remember that “a migrant is a person as we are, a person with inalienable rights just as ours, but at the same time the state has the sacred right to defend their own citizens.”

“It’s a delicate choice between respect for one’s own identity and the welcoming of others,” he said, explaining that these are “the fundamental principles that go [not only] for the United States on the vigil of the presidential elections, but that go for all. The Church has always taught this.”

When asked by journalists about the situation of migrants, particularly unaccompanied minors, who cross the border from Mexico into the United States, Cardinal Vegliò acknowledged that Mexico “isn’t an exemplary country for what regards migrants.”

Although Mexican citizens “justly protest the closure of that wall that would separate them from the United States,” the migrants who come to Mexico from Central America don’t necessarily “find themselves in better conditions,” he said.

“All of us know how many problems there currently are in the world that center on migration,” he said, noting that it’s a global issue affecting not only Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, but also Europe.

“All over the world there is this problem, in some places more serious, in some less. But it’s a problem that won’t go away right away. It will also continue to get worse than what it is now,” the cardinal observed.

He stressed the need to find realistic solutions, but recognized that while welcoming migrants is a duty, “it’s not possible to receive everyone.”

“Migration isn’t resolved welcoming everyone, which is impossible because every state has the right to and duty protect their citizens,” he said, but noted that the problem can’t be solved “saying 'get out, no one can come',” either.

“It’s a problem that needs to be resolved, that needs a solution,” he said, noting that unfortunately Europe is “very egotistical, it bothers everyone to have one more” migrant in their midst.

“For migrants, however many there are, it’s something that disturbs our lives, in the beautiful area, in the things we have, and we don’t want to be disturbed. It’s not human, it’s not Christian,” he said, adding that the Church “tries to raise awareness” of this fact.

Vatican

Previous Post

October 13, 2016

Massachusetts law could forbid churches to preach on transgenderism

Next Post

October 13, 2016 When American Catholic politics split the Church

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

What does the name "Abraham" mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

He laughs God is my judge Father of many My joy