Christians must respond to migration crisis humanely – Pope
The Vatican recognises how difficult it is for nations to manage the flow of migrants and refugees, but one thing is certain: “We must respond in a humane manner, a Christian manner, and we must try to help people, not harm them,” said the Vatican foreign minister.
While the Vatican obviously respects the sovereignty of individual nations to determine how best to respond to the needs of migrants and refugees, archbishop Paul Gallagher said, “the numbers are what they are, and we must face that and we must help”.
In connection with World Refugee Day, the UN Refugee Agency released its annual report on “forced displacement” around the world.
While the situation is dire for the migrants and refugees, the archbishop said that people in wealthier nations must acknowledge the contributions of newcomers, and not just in terms of cultural enrichment, but also in offsetting the declining birth-rate in many European countries and the need in many nations for factory and farmworkers.
“So, it is necessary to have a balanced approach, but also try to humanise ourselves,” he said. “In fact, if one treats others badly, we are the ones who are diminished.”
Vatican charity raises millions to support Christians
Aid to the Church in Need raised over €111m in 2018 to help support persecuted Christians, particularly in the Middle East where tens of thousands of Christians have been forced to flee their homes due to ongoing war and conflicts over the last decade.
Releasing its 2018 annual report on June 20, the Vatican-recognised foundation that assists minority Christian communities and people persecuted for their faith said the donations funded “no fewer than 5,019 pastoral projects in some 139 different countries” with 27% of the donations going to Africa and 25% to the Middle East.
Over 12% of the total aid, the report said, went to assisting thousands of Christians in the Middle East, especially in Syria and Iraq, and funded the rebuilding of nearly 1,500 Christian homes.
The other nations in the top five for foundation-supported projects were India, Ukraine and Congo.
Among the projects supported by the funds collected by the Catholic aid group were €23.2million for construction or reconstruction of homes, chapels, churches, convents, seminaries and pastoral centres.
Donations also funded the formation of candidates for the priesthood and religious life, education initiatives, transportation as well as the purchase and distribution of Bibles and other religious literature.
Holy Spirit unites in face of human weakness, Francis says
Pope Francis said has that the Holy Spirit unites and grows the Church despite human limitations, sins and scandal.
“The Holy Spirit is the creator of communion, the artist of reconciliation…he builds the community of believers by harmonising the unity of the body and the multiplicity of its members,” Pope Francis said last week in St Peter’s Square.
The Holy Spirit “makes the Church grow by helping it to go beyond human limits, sins and any scandal”, he said.
Dedicating his Wednesday catechesis to the Acts of the Apostles’ account of the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Pope Francis reflected on how the Holy Spirit transformed and strengthened St Peter.
“Peter’s word, weak and even capable of denying the Lord, when crossed by the fire of the Spirit gains strength and becomes capable of piercing hearts and moving to conversion.”