The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Pope: ‘Don’t be afraid’ of migrants
Church’s campaign seeks to curb antiimmigrant trend.
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on Wednesday launched 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, teaching by example 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, sharing 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 amid a hardening of anti-immigrant sentiment in the West.
In Germany’s election Sunday, the nationalist, anti-migrant Alternative for Germany party 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 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 they can successfully integrate into 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.
“This campaign is not only the pope’s response to Trump and his nativist agenda, but also to growing xenophobia globally,” said Kevin Appleby, who headed the U.S. bishops’ migration office for 16 years.