On Tuesday, Sept. 23, Pope Francis issued a message to the global community to open their hearts to immigrants and refugees. The message announced the theme for the upcoming World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2015—“Church without frontiers, Mother to all”—which will take place January 15, 2015
The Pope insisted that, “Solidarity with migrants and refugees must be accompanied by the courage and creativity necessary to develop, on a world-wide level, a more just and equitable financial and economic order.”
He also warned that “suspicion and prejudice” towards immigrants can exist even in church communities, noting that this can arise “prior to any knowledge of the migrants’ lives or their stories of persecution and destitution.”
The world must move away from “attitudes of defensiveness and fear, indifference and marginalization” he said, “towards attitudes based on a culture of encounter, the only culture capable of building a better, more just and fraternal world.”
You can read the full transcript here.
The Pope remarks are part of a worldwide movement among members of the faith community to welcome poor, vulnerable, and displaced immigrants. They come days after Welcoming Long Island and Long Island Jobs with Justice hosted the largest gathering of faith leaders on Long Island to call for compassion for Central American refugee children.
You can see videos from the Welcoming Long Island event here.
