Pope Francis has urged churches in Europe to step up efforts to combat intolerance, discrimination and xenophobia against migrants and refugees.
The Pope’s words came in a meeting with national migration directors under the auspices of the Council of European Bishops Conferences (CCEE). He said he was saddened to see that Catholic communities in Europe were defensive and unwelcoming towards migrants, justifying their attitudes on grounds of conserving their cultural and religious identity.
Pope Francis said we must recognise and understand this sense of unease, in light of the economic crisis which has left deep wounds in society. Furthermore governments and communities have been ill-prepared to cope with large influxes of migrants, highlighting the limits of the European unification process.
But from an ecclesiological perspective, the Pope said, the arrival of so many Christian brothers and sisters offers the Church in Europe an opportunity to become ever more “Catholic”. He noted how many migrants and refugees have already enriched parishes in their host countries.