Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Pope says to open arms to migrants
‘Don’t be afraid,’ Francis tells world
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on Wednesday began a two-year education campaign about the plight of migrants to counteract mounting anti-immigrant sentiment in the U.S. and Europe, urging the world: “Don’t be afraid.”
Francis posed for selfies, shook hands, kissed babies and hugged migrants at the end of his weekly general audience, aiming to show that “others” are not to be feared but embraced.
The campaign, spearheaded by the Vatican’s Caritas charity, encourages people to meet with migrants and listen to their stories, rather than treat them as statistics clouded by negative stereotypes.
Francis, the son of Italian immigrants to Argentina, urged individuals and governments to open their arms and welcome migrants and share in their plight, as Jesus did. Throwing his arms open as he spoke, Francis said migrants are driven by the very Christian virtue of hope to find a better life, and said receiving countries should share in that hope by welcoming them and integrating them.
“Brothers, don’t be afraid of sharing the journey. Don’t be afraid of sharing hope,” he told the crowd in St. Peter’s Square.
The church is undertaking the campaign during a hardening of anti-immigrant sentiment in the West.
In German’s election Sunday, the nationalist, anti-migrant party Alternative for Germany secured seats in that country’s Parliament for the first time. In the U.S., President Donald Trump is pressing for sweeping limits on immigration, including restricting travel from Muslim-majority and other countries and slashing refugee admissions.
Francis has repeatedly urged countries to welcome migrants and stop collective expulsions, saying migrants’ dignity and right to protection outweigh national security concerns. At the same time, he has acknowledged that governments must manage refugee flows “with prudence,” taking into account how many people it can successfully integrate into society.
Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle took aim at anti-immigrant politicians.
“Why are you afraid? The migrant that you are rejecting might be contributing to that community,” he said. “Don’t close the doors. You might be closing the doors to people who might enrich your society.”
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which also has a leading role in the Catholic migrant campaign, has repeatedly condemned restrictions on immigration and has taken a hard stand against some of the Trump administration’s initiatives.
Former White House strategist Steve Bannon said this month that U.S. bishops support immigrants because “they need illegal aliens to fill the churches.”
The statement drew an unusually harsh rebuke from the bishops’ conference.
“Our own faith is so clear. How could you not welcome the stranger?” said Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, who leads the bishops’ conference.
The campaign launched Wednesday aims to challenge the animosity toward immigrants through websites featuring “myths and truths” about the effects of immigration, personal stories of migrants and explanations of church teaching on migration.
Organizers are asking Catholics to take public action in support of migrants, posting pro-immigrant messages on social media and participating in programs where they can meet migrants, such as in schools or parishes.
“Having our leaders know and meet immigrants — and know that they’re people like us, that they have a story and that they need help — will change their mind and will help them create policies and decisions that include more of that reality,” said Sister Norma Pimentel, who directs Catholic Charities, the American branch of Caritas, in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas on the U.S.-Mexico border.
The campaign was announced as the European Union unveiled a plan to resettle at least 50,000 migrants, the majority of them from northern Africa.
The EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, said it has set aside $587 million for the effort. It wants migrants in Libya, Egypt, Niger, Sudan, Chad and Ethiopia to be the focus.
Libya is the main jumping-off point for many people willing to brave potentially perilous sea voyages across the Mediterranean in search of better lives in Europe. Egypt, Sudan, Chad and Niger — one of the main migrant transit countries in Africa — all border Libya.
Most of the migrants crossing the Mediterranean probably would not qualify for asylum in Europe, but the EU said it wants to make sure that genuine refugees do not have to face the dangerous sea crossing.
“Europe has to show that it is ready to share responsibility with third countries, notably in Africa. People who are in genuine need of protection should not risk their lives or depend on smugglers,” EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said.