Pope appeals to international community as African immigrants flood Italy, perish at sea

April 20, 2015

Following his April 19 Regina Caeli address, Pope Francis lamented the deaths of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea and appealed to the international community to offer assistance.

The Pope spoke out after a new disaster in which as many as 700 people may have perished in a ship bringing refugees from Libya toward Europe.

“I make a heartfelt appeal to the international community to react decisively and quickly to see to it that such tragedies are not repeated,” he said as he requested prayers.

He added, “They are men and women like us, our brothers seeking a better life, starving, persecuted, wounded, exploited, victims of war. They were looking for a better life.”

Bishop Nunzio Gallantino, the secretary-general of the Italian bishops' conference, had lamented that Europe is "elegantly washing its hands" in the face of a continuing migrant crisis. Italy, which has absorbed 23,000 immigrants already this year, is asking for more help from other European nations. Nearly a half-million would-be migrants are reportedly prepared to leave Libya for Europe in the coming weeks, and nearly 1,000 have perished in the Mediterranean this year in efforts to reach Europe.

 

---

For all current news, visit our News home page.

---

 
Further information:

• Le parole del Papa alla recita del Regina Caeli (Holy See Press Office)
• Pope appeals to the world to act to avoid more tragedies of migrants (Vatican Radio)
• Europe washing its 'hands of migrants' (ANSA)