German prelates, Catholic organizations continue support for refugees

January 21, 2016

In recent days, German prelates and Catholic agencies have expressed their continued support for assisting migrants and refugees.

Cardinal Rainer Woelki of Cologne has again condemned the New Year’s Eve sexual assaults outside his cathedral as “not acceptable for a constitutional state” and called for better security protection for women.

At the same time, the Rheinische Post reported that Cardinal Woelki has been upset by the social media threats emanating from “right or brown circles” in Germany and warned against punishing all refugees for the crimes of a few.

As German leaders contemplate significant changes in its policy towards migrants and refugees, Bishop Gregor Hanke of Eichstätt lamented that “what has begun to emerge in recent days as a mainstream policy” would recently have been described as “right-wing and Islamophobic.”

Missio, the German Catholic missionary society, has launched a campaign to support one million refugees who have entered Germany.

“In Europe we are currently challenged by the need to offer dignified living conditions to people of other countries and cultures, because never before in recent history are so many people fleeing war, oppression, and hunger, and are knocking at our door,” said Gregor von Furstenberg, Missio’s vice president.

 

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Further information:

• Kölner Kardinal Woelki: Ich war fassungslos (Rheinische Post)
• Germania: dai vescovi allarme per clima di paura e razzismo. Iniziative di solidarietà con i rifugiati (SIR)
• Germany: “Let us build a house for all”, new Missio campaign for refugees (SIR)