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[webfact]

Don't extinguish migrants' hopes, Pope says on World Day of Peace

 

Pope Francis leads a mass to mark the World Day of Peace in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican January 1, 2018. REUTERS/Max Rossi

 

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis described migrants and refugees as the world's "weakest and most needy" on Monday, using his traditional New Year's address to "give voice" to people he has urged leaders to do more to help.

 

Francis reminded some 40,000 people who gathered in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican that he had chosen the plight of migrants and refugees as the theme for the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Peace, which is celebrated every January 1.

 

"For this peace, to which everyone has a right, many of them are willing to risk their lives in a journey which is often long and dangerous, they are willing to face strain and suffering."

 

"Please, let us not extinguish the hope in their hearts, let us not suffocate their hopes for peace!"

 

Across the world, the mass movement of people has shot to the top of the political agenda, and Francis has made defending those who migrate a central theme of his papacy.

 

During a trip to Myanmar and Bangladesh last year, he met Muslim refugees and called for decisive measures to solve the political problems that caused many to flee.

 

He has also criticised President Donald Trump's stated intention to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants.

 

In a homily earlier on Monday, Francis said everyone should look after their soul by taking a moment of silence every day, "to keep our freedom from being corroded by the banality of consumerism, the blare of commercials, the stream of empty words and the overpowering waves of empty chatter and loud shouting".

 

In a message released in November ahead of the World Day of Peace, Francis said politicians who stoke fear of migrants were sowing violence and racism. He acknowledged that the presence of immigrants can compound existing problems in a country, but appealed for practical ways to be found to welcome newcomers.

 

On Monday, he said: "It is important that there is a commitment from everyone, from civil institutions, and those in education, welfare and church organisations, to ensure a peaceful future for refugees, migrants, everyone."

 

(Reporting by Isla Binnie; editing by Jason Neely)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-01-02

[billd766]

As a start the Pope and the Catholic Church could use its vast fortune in money and land to support the economic migrants. Catholic churches world wide could be used to shelter the migrants.

 

The Pope could tell ALL his flock to take in at least one migrant family, wives (plural) and children etc and help the migrants live and settle in the countries and integrate with the local people.

 

He should personally take 50 families (at least) of Rohingyas from Myanmar or Bangladesh and settle them in the Vatican City and ensure that they get legal passports to help them in the future.

 

That would of more practical help than millions of words of prayers and care than anything else.

[connda]

Then open up Vatican City to uncontrolled migration as you expect all other countries to do.  Easy.

[Sir Dude]

The Pope always issues fine statements like this but doesn't get it that places like Europe simply cannot sustain the currents levels of immigrant influx without destroying itself and encouraging the rise of the right wing. And with the population explosion continuing unabated in many places of the world plus those where conflict is rife, it's only going to intensify. This issue will continually be kicked down the road by liberal politicians, as none of them have the sand to grapple the issue, until they are booted out of office and the ones voted in (probably over issues like this) with ultimately have to bring in something that resembles the Aussie solution. This topic is set to become ever more politically sensitive and those politicians that fail to see the writing on the wall will find themselves out of office. The answer, like with most things, is to be found in the middle but the piss-take that we have now in Europe is unsustainable. 

[rodney earl]

Yea right.!!! And what does the Roman Catholic Religion do to help anyone. Take their money and says "see ya" What a joke these religions are. All they care about is how rich they all are, the same as all religions. !!!

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, connda said:

Then open up Vatican City to uncontrolled migration as you expect all other countries to do.  Easy.

 

The Catholic Church and their Pope have always been full of the same hypocrisy - do as we say not as we do.

 

A thoroughly greedy and corrupt organization that bled many poor people dry for years selling favors and playing on superstition to prevent social developments they saw as threatening their place and control. And as we have and are seeing, many of their priests and nuns were sadists and sexual abusers. 

 

So Pope, what are you and your church actually doing to help? That's right Sweet FA whilst lecturing everyone else. 

[Thaimike370]

How many has he taken in?  He is the same as all the do-gooders they want you to spend your money but wont spend their own.

[Myran]

To all you people saying they should open up the Vatican for migrants, don't you know they're busy protecting pedophiles in there? For the love of Jebus, be reasonable – they have to pick which group to focus on.

[Zyxel]

5 hours ago, Myran said:

To all you people saying they should open up the Vatican for migrants, don't you know they're busy protecting pedophiles in there? For the love of Jebus, be reasonable – they have to pick which group to focus on.