(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis’ message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees was released by the Vatican on Monday.
In the message the Holy Father says that providing aid to migrants and refugees is a “great responsibility, which the Church intends to share with all believers and men and women of good will, who are called to respond to the many challenges of contemporary migration with generosity, promptness, wisdom and foresight, each according to their own abilities.”
Please find below the Message of Pope Francis for the 104th World Day of Migrants and Refugees:
“Welcoming, protecting, promoting and integrating migrants and refugees”
Dear brothers and sisters!
“You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:34).
Throughout the first years of my pontificate, I have repeatedly expressed my particular concern for the lamentable situation of many migrants and refugees fleeing from war, persecution, natural disasters and poverty. This situation is undoubtedly a “sign of the times” which I have tried to interpret, with the help of the Holy Spirit, ever since my visit to Lampedusa on 8 July 2013. When I instituted the new Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, I wanted a particular section – under my personal direction for the time being – to express the Church’s concern for migrants, displaced people, refugees and victims of human trafficking.
Every stranger who knocks at our door is an opportunity for an encounter with Jesus Christ, who identifies with the welcomed and rejected strangers of every age (Matthew 25:35-43). The Lord entrusts to the Church’s motherly love every person forced to leave their homeland in search of a better future.[1] This solidarity must be concretely expressed at every stage of the migratory experience – from departure through journey to arrival and return. This is a great responsibility, which the Church intends to share with all believers and men and women of good will, who are called to respond to the many challenges of contemporary migration with generosity, promptness, wisdom and foresight, each according to their own abilities.
In this regard, I wish to reaffirm that “our shared response may be articulated by four verbs: to welcome, to protect, to promote and to integrate”.[2]
Considering the current situation, welcoming means, above all, offering broader options for migrants and refugees to enter destination countries safely and legally. This calls for a concrete commitment to increase and simplify the process for granting humanitarian visas and for reunifying families. At the same time, I hope that a greater number of countries will adopt private and community sponsorship programmes, and open humanitarian corridors for particularly vulnerable refugees. Furthermore, special temporary visas should be granted to people fleeing conflicts in neighbouring countries. Collective and arbitrary expulsions of migrants and refugees are not suitable solutions, particularly where people are returned to countries which cannot guarantee respect for human dignity and fundamental rights.[3] Once again, I want to emphasise the importance of offering migrants and refugees adequate and dignified initial accommodation. “More widespread programmes of welcome, already initiated in different places, seem to favour a personal encounter and allow for greater quality of service and increased guarantees of success”.[4] The principle of the centrality of the human person, firmly stated by my beloved Predecessor, Benedict XVI,[5] obliges us to always prioritise personal safety over national security. It is necessary, therefore, to ensure that agents in charge of border control are properly trained. The situation of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees requires that they be guaranteed personal safety and access to basic services. For the sake of the fundamental dignity of every human person, we must strive to find alternative solutions to detention for those who enter a country without authorisation.[6]
The second verb – protecting – may be understood as a series of steps intended to defend the rights and dignity of migrants and refugees, independent of their legal status.[7] Such protection begins in the country of origin, and consists in offering reliable and verified information before departure, and in providing safety from illegal recruitment practices.[8] This must be ongoing, as far as possible, in the country of migration, guaranteeing them adequate consular assistance, the right to personally retain their documents of identification at all times, fair access to justice, the possibility of opening a personal bank account, and a minimum sufficient to live on. When duly recognised and valued, the potential and skills of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees are a true resource for the communities that welcome them.[9] This is why I hope that, in countries of arrival, migrants may be offered freedom of movement, work opportunities, and access to means of communication, out of respect for their dignity. For those who decide to return to their homeland, I want to emphasise the need to develop social and professional reintegration programmes. The International Convention on the Rights of the Child provides a universal legal basis for the protection of underage migrants. They must be spared any form of detention related to migratory status, and must be guaranteed regular access to primary and secondary education. Equally, when they come of age they must be guaranteed the right to remain and to enjoy the possibility of continuing their studies. Temporary custody or foster programmes should be provided for unaccompanied minors and minors separated from their families.[10] The universal right to a nationality should be recognised and duly certified for all children at birth. The statelessness which migrants and refugees sometimes fall into can easily be avoided with the adoption of “nationality legislation that is in conformity with the fundamental principles of international law”.[11] Migratory status should not limit access to national healthcare and pension plans, nor affect the transfer of their contributions if repatriated.
Promoting essentially means a determined effort to ensure that all migrants and refugees – as well as the communities which welcome them – are empowered to achieve their potential as human beings, in all the dimensions which constitute the humanity intended by the Creator.[12] Among these, we must recognize the true value of the religious dimension, ensuring to all foreigners in any country the freedom of religious belief and practice. Many migrants and refugees have abilities which must be appropriately recognised and valued. Since “work, by its nature, is meant to unite peoples”,[13] I encourage a determined effort to promote the social and professional inclusion of migrants and refugees, guaranteeing for all – including those seeking asylum – the possibility of employment, language instruction and active citizenship, together with sufficient information provided in their mother tongue. In the case of underage migrants, their involvement in labour must be regulated to prevent exploitation and risks to their normal growth and development. In 2006, Benedict XVI highlighted how, in the context of migration, the family is “a place and resource of the culture of life and a factor for the integration of values”.[14] The family’s integrity must always be promoted, supporting family reunifications – including grandparents, grandchildren and siblings – independent of financial requirements. Migrants, asylum seekers and refugees with disabilities must be granted greater assistance and support. While I recognize the praiseworthy efforts, thus far, of many countries, in terms of international cooperation and humanitarian aid, I hope that the offering of this assistance will take into account the needs (such as medical and social assistance, as well as education) of developing countries which receive a significant influx of migrants and refugees. I also hope that local communities which are vulnerable and facing material hardship, will be included among aid beneficiaries.[15]
The final verb – integrating – concerns the opportunities for intercultural enrichment brought about by the presence of migrants and refugees. Integration is not “an assimilation that leads migrants to suppress or to forget their own cultural identity. Rather, contact with others leads to discovering their ‘secret’, to being open to them in order to welcome their valid aspects and thus contribute to knowing each one better. This is a lengthy process that aims to shape societies and cultures, making them more and more a reflection of the multi-faceted gifts of God to human beings”.[16] This process can be accelerated by granting citizenship free of financial or linguistic requirements, and by offering the possibility of special legalisation to migrants who can claim a long period of residence in the country of arrival. I reiterate the need to foster a culture of encounter in every way possible – by increasing opportunities for intercultural exchange, documenting and disseminating best practices of integration, and developing programmes to prepare local communities for integration processes. I wish to stress the special case of people forced to abandon their country of arrival due to a humanitarian crisis. These people must be ensured adequate assistance for repatriation and effective reintegration programmes in their home countries.
In line with her pastoral tradition, the Church is ready to commit herself to realising all the initiatives proposed above. Yet in order to achieve the desired outcome, the contribution of political communities and civil societies is indispensable, each according to their own responsibilities.
At the United Nations Summit held in New York on 29 September 2016, world leaders clearly expressed their desire to take decisive action in support of migrants and refugees to save their lives and protect their rights, sharing this responsibility on a global level. To this end, the states committed themselves to drafting and approving, before the end of 2018, two Global Compacts, one for refugees and the other for migrants.
Dear brothers and sisters, in light of these processes currently underway, the coming months offer a unique opportunity to advocate and support the concrete actions which I have described with four verbs. I invite you, therefore, to use every occasion to share this message with all political and social actors involved (or who seek to be involved) in the process which will lead to the approval of the two Global Compacts.
Today, 15 August, we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Mary. The Holy Mother of God herself experienced the hardship of exile (Matthew 2:13-15), lovingly accompanied her Son’s journey to Calvary, and now shares eternally his glory. To her maternal intercession we entrust the hopes of all the world’s migrants and refugees and the aspirations of the communities which welcome them, so that, responding to the Lord’s supreme commandment, we may all learn to love the other, the stranger, as ourselves.
Vatican City, 15 August 2017
Solemnity of the Assumption of the B.V. Mary
[1] Cf. Pius XII, Apostolic Constitution Exsul Familia, Titulus Primus, I.
[2] Address to Participants in the International Forum on “Migration and Peace”, 21 February 2017.
[3] Cf. Statement of the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the 103rd Session of the Council of the IOM, 26 November 2013.
[4] Address to Participants in the International Forum on “Migration and Peace”, 21 February 2017.
[5] Cf. Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, 47.
[6] Cf. Statement of the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the 20th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, 22 June 2012.
[7] Cf. Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, 62.
[8] Cf. Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, Instruction Erga Migrantes Caritas Christi, 6.
[9] Cf. Benedict XVI, Address to the Participants in the 6th World Congress for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, 9 November 2009.
[10] Cf. Benedict XVI, Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (2010) and Statement of the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the 26th Ordinary Session of the Human Rights Council on the Human Rights of Migrants, 13 June 2014.
[11] Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People and Pontifical Council Cor Unum, Welcoming Christ in Refugees and Forcibly Displaced Persons, 2013, 70.
[12] Cf. Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Populorum Progressio, 14.
[13] John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 27.
[14] Benedict XVI, Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (2007).
[15] Cf. Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People and Pontifical Council Cor Unum, Welcoming Christ in Refugees and Forcibly Displaced Persons, 2013, 30-31.
[16] John Paul II, Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (2005).
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Sunday expressed his sorrow for a series of deadly terror attacks in recent days and condemned the “inhuman violence” that spawned them. His remarks came after his Angelus address to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
Please see below a translation into English of the Pope’s remarks after the Angelus prayer:
“We carry in our hearts the pain over the terroristic attacks in recent days that have claimed numerous victims in Burkina Faso, in Spain and in Finland.” Let us pray for those who died, for the wounded and for their families and let us implore the Lord, the God of mercy and of peace, to free the world from this inhuman violence.”
Earlier before the recitation of the Marian prayer, Pope Francis reflected on the Gospel reading where Jesus healed the daughter of the Canaanite woman, describing the mother as an example of perseverance and having a “courageous and unshakable faith.”
The Pope said this Gospel reading from Matthew gives us an unusual example of faith in Jesus coming from a Canaanite woman who begs Jesus to heal her daughter saying she is “tormented by a devil.”
The (initial) apparent lack of response from Jesus, said the Pope, “does not discourage this courageous woman who persists in her plea.” He went on to explain that “the inner strength of this woman which enables her to overcome every obstacle” springs from “her maternal love and her faith that Jesus can grant her request.”
This account, the Pope continued, “makes me think about the strength of women” who “with their strength are able to obtain great things.”
Faced with her persistence, in the end Jesus is struck “by the faith of this pagan woman” said the Pope, and tells the mother her desire is granted and so her daughter is healed.
This Gospel reading, he continued, “helps us to understand that all of us need to grow in our faith and strengthen our faith in Jesus.”
“He can help us to rediscover the way when we have lost our bearings”, when the road forward appears uphill and “arduous” and when “it is difficult to remain faithful to our duties.”
Pope Francis concluded his reflections by stressing the importance of “nourishing our faith each day by listening carefully to the Word of God, with the celebration of the Sacraments and with “our personal prayer like a ‘cry’ towards Him, and with concrete acts of charity towards our neighbour.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Cardinal Pietro Parolin travels to Russia for a state visit on 21-24 August out of a desire to “build bridges and increase mutual understanding and dialogue” and to “multiply opportunities of encounter” with the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Vatican’s Apostolic Nuncio to the Russian Federation, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, made that assessment of the Secretary of State’s trip in an interview with Susy Hodges.
Listen to the full interview:
Archbishop Migliore said the Holy See “is following with attention and concern the various crises underway throughout the world.”
Cardinal Parolin’s four-day visit to Russia, he said, offers a way “to contribute to a peaceful resolution” to those crises, as he will call “for goodwill, opportunities, and understanding among the main actors on the international scene.”
Turning to the relationship between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, Archbishop Migliore said Pope Francis’ meeting with Patriarch Kirill in Havana in February 2016 “led to an important new stage in the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church”.
“It is now a question of walking together in the Gospel footsteps, multiplying opportunities for fraternal encounter, exchange of views and experiences, proclamation of the Gospel, and cooperation in the service to human society.”
Archbishop Migliore said Cardinal Parolin was invited by “top Russian authorities” and that he would meet President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergej Lavrov.
He will also meet with Patriarch Kirill and the Catholic bishops and community.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin’s visit to Russia is seen as a completion of the tour he has made of the region over the past few years.
Since his appointment as Secretary of State in 2013, Cardinal Parolin has visited Belarus, the Caucasus nations, the Baltic countries, and Ukraine.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The Vatican has released the official logo and motto for Pope Francis’ Apostolic Journey to Peru, which takes place on 18-21 January 2018.
Listen to Devin Watkins’ report:
“United for Hope” (Unidos por la esperanza) is the official motto for the Journey, signifying that the encounter will be “a great feast of hope to be received in unity”.
Logo
The logo expresses the Pope’s closeness to the Peruvian people and his accompaniment of their journey of faith.
Two outstretched hands under the motto and date of the visit evoke the colors of the Peruvian and Vatican flags: red and yellow, respectively.
They form the shape of wings as a sign of prayer, praise, and joy for the arrival of Pope Francis in Peru.
To the left, Pope Francis joyfully reaches out of a map of Peru in a sign of closeness to the country and of unity with it.
Third papal visit to Peru
Pope Francis becomes the second Pope to visit Peru, following Pope St. John Paul II’s two visits in 1985 and 1988.
Thirty years then since the last papal visit, Peru requested that Pope Francis journey there, in order to strengthen the bond between God and his Peruvian people and to aid in “a new missionary awakening” in the country.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a letter to Cardinal Raúl Eduardo Vela Chiriboga, Archbishop Emeritus of Quito, Ecuador, whom he appointed as his special envoy at the concluding celebration of the Archdiocesan Jubilee of Lima in Peru.
The event takes place on 30 August 2017, on the occasion of the four-hundredth anniversary of the death of St. Rose of Lima.
The papal mission accompanying Cardinal Vela Chiriboga will be composed of:
– Don Alberto Jesús Maraví Petrozzi, spiritual director of the Conciliar Seminary of “Santo Toribio”;
– Don Jaime Jesús Calvo Zárate, chancellor of the Archdiocesan Curia and spiritual director of the Hermandad del Señor de Los Milagros de Las Nazarenas.
The full Latin text of the Pope’s letter is below:
Venerabili Fratri Nostro
RADULFO EDUARDO S.R.E. Cardinali VELA CHIRIBOGA
Archiepiscopo Emerito Quitensi
Clarissima sancta Rosa de Lima, quae sicut lilium inter spinas (Ct 2,2) crevit, Domini amica facta est ab infantia, eo quod iam puellula Ipsi virginitatem suam vovit et virtutes colere coepit. Inde Beatissimae Virginis Mariae et sanctae Catharinae Senensis exemplo et intercessione concitata, plane vitam suam Deo obtulit, habitu Sororum Tertii Ordinis regularis Praedicatorum assumpto, paenitentiae ac orationi dedita atque zelo ardens peccatores et indigenas cunctos Christo in aeternum lucrifacere. Sed etiam omnis creationis amore inflammata, uti sancti Dominici spiritalis filia, animalia, flores, herbas cunctaque viventia ad Creatori laudem tribuendam saepe invitabat. Haud casu igitur ea caelestis Patrona utriusque Americae, Philippinarum et Indiarum occidentalium a Decessore Nostro Clemente X est declarata.
Cum autem proximo mense Augusto quadringentos elapsos annos recordabimur ab illa die iucundissima qua haec Sancta felix ad caelestes nuptias cum divino Sponso pervenit, Venerabilis Frater Noster Ioannes Aloisius S.R.E. Cardinalis Cipriani Thorne, Archiepiscopus Metropolita Limanus, Nos certiores fecit de Anno Iubilari, quo illius in feliciorem vitam transitus a Christifidelibus una cum Pastoribus Peruviae et Americae celebratur, simul postulans ut quidam Legatus Noster adforet qui huius fausti eventus exitum Nostra salutatione et benedictione iuvaret.
Permoti quidem petitione eiusdem sacri Pastoris, sed etiam Peruviani populi magni aestimantes fidem et devotionem erga sanctam Rosam ceterosque plurimos sanctos et beatos, qui ista in regione quinque per saecula Evangelium annuntiabant et copiosos fructus spiritales colligebant, decernimus Purpuratum Patrem illuc mittere, qui die XXX proximi mensis Augusti Archidioecesis Limanae Annum Iubilarem sollemniore ritu concludet. Ad te verum fidentes nunc recurrimus, Venerabilis Frater Noster, qui sexaginta annos sacerdotalis comples ministerii et quadraginta quinque per annos Episcopi digne fers onera, et Patronam hanc devotione prosequens et populum fidelem sincere diligens. His proinde Litteris te, benemeritum Praesulem, Nostrum Missum Extraordinarium ad memoratam celebrationem libenter destinamus.
Die igitur XXX mensis Augusti dictis liturgicis celebrationibus Nostro nomine praesidebis Nostramque benignam Pastoribus et Christifidelibus congrue significabis salutationem. Populum congregatum hortaberis ad ferventem erga sanctam Rosam de Lima devotionem, ut ipsa a Deo plurimas impetret gratias in bonum tum universae archidioecesis Limanae tum etiam aliorum hominum sive in Peruviae regionibus sive in toto terrarum orbe. Cuius patrocinium et Nostro summo Petrino ministerio exposcatis humiliter rogamus. Denique Benedictionem Nostram Apostolicam imo ex corde tibi imprimis, Venerabilis Frater Noster, faustam sexagesimam anniversariam presbyteralis ordinationis memoriam hodie laetanti animo celebranti, deinde dilectis Pastoribus ac filiis et filiabus illic congregatis omnibusque faustum hunc eventum participantibus amanter dilargimur.
Ex Aedibus Vaticanis, die XXVIII mensis Iulii, anno MMXVII, Pontificatus Nostri quinto.
FRANCISCUS
(from Vatican Radio)…