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Christian world should welcome migrants and refugees, Pope argues (Subscribe to RSS Feed) 
Vatican, Oct. 8, 2008 (CWNews.com) -
In this message of the World Day of Migrants, Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) invokes the spirit of St. Paul, who preached the Gospel to all peoples, "making no distinction of nationality or culture."
In an era of globalization, the Pope argues, all Christians should follow the example of St. Paul, welcome immigrants and refugees, "show solidarity to these brothers and sisters of ours."
The annual World Day of Migrants will be observed on January 18, 2009. But the papal message was released on October 8, at a press conference in Rome chaired by Cardinal Renato Martino (bio - news), the president of the Pontifical Council for Migrants.
Cardinal Martino remarked that "the phenomenon of migration in a globalized world is becoming effectively unstoppable." Because it is impossible to stop the flow of migration, he said, states should not seek to erect barriers, but should encourage legal immigration and welcome stranger into their societies. Such an attitude, he added, would require some changes of heart, since it "contradicts a large part of the messages, lifestyles and mentalities of the modern world."
Archbishop Agostino Marchetto, the secretary of the Pontifical Council for Migrants, also address the Wednesday press conference. He made the observation that refugees are often "treated with no consideration for the reasons that forced them to flee." Compassion should guide countries to receive these strangers in need, he said, rather than to adopt new policies "aimed at making such entry more difficult."
In his message Pope Benedict exhorts the faithful to "meet the needs of those who are de facto the weakest and most defenseless," living as strangers in a new society. In the spirit demonstrated by St. Paul, he said, Christians should "live brotherly love to the full without making any kind of distinction and without discrimination, in the conviction that any one who needs us and whom we can help is our neighbor."
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Posted by: extremeCatholic - Oct. 15, 2008 7:42 PM ET USA
The only "force" that I can discern is a lack of economic opportunity and an entrenched political class in countries which have severe emigration. If that's the push, what's the pull? God bless America, and may the Vatican bless America for its generous welcome to millions of immigrants: it's meritocracy, it's capitalism, and it's freedom, and it's the American dream. Let Abp Marchetto lead by example and leave his residence unlocked and invite the world to live with him, then we'll chat.