At 9:30am this morning (3:30am EDT), in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience a group of persons taking part in the World Conference on Xenophobia, Racism and Populist Nationalism in the context of Global Migration, which is taking place in Rome from 18 to 20 September 2018. It has been organized by the Dicastery for Integrated Human Development and the World Council of Churches (WCC), in collaboration with the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity.
Dear friends, good morning!
I wrote a speech which I was going to read, but it is a bit long ... so I prefer to share with you two or three points which are in my heart and then i will greet you one by one: for me, this is very important. I hope you are not offended.
Your Eminence,
Venerable brothers in the Episcopate and in the Priesthood,
Dear brothers and sisters,
I am pleased to welcome you on the occasion of the World Conference on the theme of Xenophobia, Racism and Populist Nationalism in the Context of World Migration (Rome, 18-20 September 2018). I cordially greet the representatives of the institutions of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Christian Churches, in particular those of you from the Ecumenical Council of Churches, and other religions. I thank Cardinal Peter Turkson, Prefect of the Department for the Integral Human Development Service, for the kind words he addressed to me on behalf of all the participants.
We live in times when life seems to be returning and feelings that many people thought they had overcome: feelings of suspicion, of fear, of contempt and even of hatred towards individuals or groups judged to be different by reason of their ethnic, national or religious affiliation and, as such, deemed not worthy enough to participate fully in the life of society. These feelings, too often, inspire real acts of intolerance, discrimination or exclusion, which seriously damage the dignity of the people involved and their fundamental rights, including the right to life and to physical and moral integrity. Unfortunately, it also happens that in the world of politics you give in to the temptation to exploit the fears or the objective difficulties of some groups and to use illusory promises for short-sighted electoral interests.
The severity of these phenomena can not leave us indifferent. We are all called, in our respective roles, to cultivate and promote respect for the intrinsic dignity of every human person, starting in the context of the family - the place where we learn the values of sharing from the most tender age: acceptance, brotherhood and solidarity - but also in the various social contexts in which we operate.
First of all, I think of the formators and the educators, who are asked to renew their commitment so that respect for every human person is taught in schools, universities and other places of formation, despite the physical and cultural differences and prejudices that distinguish them.
In a world where access to information and communication tools is increasingly widespread, a particular responsibility rests on those who work in the world of social communications, those who have a duty to put themselves at the service of truth and to spread information by taking care to foster the culture of encounter and openness in others, in mutual respect for diversity.
Therefore, those who derive economic benefit from the climate of distrust in foreigners, in which the irregularity or illegality of their presence favours and nurtures a system of precariousness and exploitation - sometimes at a level that gives life to real forms of slavery - should make a profound examination of conscience, in the awareness that one day they will have to give an account before God of the choices they have made.
Faced with the spread of new forms of xenophobia and racism, even the leaders of all religions have an important mission: to spread among their faithful the ethical principles and values inscribed by God in the human heart, known as the natural moral law. It is about carrying out and inspiring gestures that contribute to building societies founded on the principle of the sacredness of human life and respect for the dignity of every person, concerning charity and brotherhood - which goes far beyond the realm of mere tolerance - and solidarity.
In particular, may the Christian Churches be humble and industrious witnesses to the love of Christ. In fact, for Christians, the moral responsibilities mentioned above assume an even deeper meaning in the light of faith.
The common origin and the singular bond with the Creator make all people members of one family, brothers and sisters, created in the image and likeness of God, as the Biblical Revelation teaches.
The dignity of all men, the fundamental unity of the human race and the call to live as brothers, are confirmed and further strengthened to the extent to which the Good News is received that all are equally saved and reunited by Christ, to the point that - as Saint Paul says - "there is no Jew or Greek; there is no slave or free; there is no male and female, because all (of us are) one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28).
From this perspective, other people are not only beings to be respected by virtue of their intrinsic dignity, but above all, brothers and sisters to be loved. In Christ, tolerance is transformed into fraternal love, tenderness and operational solidarity. This is especially true of the smallest of our brothers, among whom we can recognize the stranger, the stranger, with whom Jesus himself identified himself. On the day of the universal judgment, the Lord will remind us: I was a stranger and you did not receive me (Mt 25,43). But already today he asks us: I am a foreigner, do you not recognize me?
And when Jesus said to the Twelve: It shall not be so among you (Mt 20,26), he was not referring only to the dominion of the leaders of nations as regards political power, but to the whole Christian being. Indeed, being a Christian is a call to go against the current, to recognize, welcome and serve Christ himself who was discarded by his brothers.
Aware of the many expressions of closeness, welcome and integration towards the already existing foreigners, I hope that from the meeting just concluded many other collaborative initiatives may arise, so that together we can build more just and supportive societies.
I entrust each of you and your families to the intercession of Mary Most Holy, Mother of tenderness, and I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing to you and to all your loved ones.
(Original text in Italian)
Introductory remarks offered by the Holy Father
I wrote a speech which I was going to read, but it is a bit long ... so I prefer to share with you two or three points which are in my heart and then i will greet you one by one: for me, this is very important. I hope you are not offended.
Unscripted greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis
offered to the World Conference on Xenophobia,
Racism and Populist Nationalism in the context of Global Migration
Your Eminence,
Venerable brothers in the Episcopate and in the Priesthood,
Dear brothers and sisters,
I am pleased to welcome you on the occasion of the World Conference on the theme of Xenophobia, Racism and Populist Nationalism in the Context of World Migration (Rome, 18-20 September 2018). I cordially greet the representatives of the institutions of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Christian Churches, in particular those of you from the Ecumenical Council of Churches, and other religions. I thank Cardinal Peter Turkson, Prefect of the Department for the Integral Human Development Service, for the kind words he addressed to me on behalf of all the participants.
We live in times when life seems to be returning and feelings that many people thought they had overcome: feelings of suspicion, of fear, of contempt and even of hatred towards individuals or groups judged to be different by reason of their ethnic, national or religious affiliation and, as such, deemed not worthy enough to participate fully in the life of society. These feelings, too often, inspire real acts of intolerance, discrimination or exclusion, which seriously damage the dignity of the people involved and their fundamental rights, including the right to life and to physical and moral integrity. Unfortunately, it also happens that in the world of politics you give in to the temptation to exploit the fears or the objective difficulties of some groups and to use illusory promises for short-sighted electoral interests.
The severity of these phenomena can not leave us indifferent. We are all called, in our respective roles, to cultivate and promote respect for the intrinsic dignity of every human person, starting in the context of the family - the place where we learn the values of sharing from the most tender age: acceptance, brotherhood and solidarity - but also in the various social contexts in which we operate.
First of all, I think of the formators and the educators, who are asked to renew their commitment so that respect for every human person is taught in schools, universities and other places of formation, despite the physical and cultural differences and prejudices that distinguish them.
In a world where access to information and communication tools is increasingly widespread, a particular responsibility rests on those who work in the world of social communications, those who have a duty to put themselves at the service of truth and to spread information by taking care to foster the culture of encounter and openness in others, in mutual respect for diversity.
Therefore, those who derive economic benefit from the climate of distrust in foreigners, in which the irregularity or illegality of their presence favours and nurtures a system of precariousness and exploitation - sometimes at a level that gives life to real forms of slavery - should make a profound examination of conscience, in the awareness that one day they will have to give an account before God of the choices they have made.
Faced with the spread of new forms of xenophobia and racism, even the leaders of all religions have an important mission: to spread among their faithful the ethical principles and values inscribed by God in the human heart, known as the natural moral law. It is about carrying out and inspiring gestures that contribute to building societies founded on the principle of the sacredness of human life and respect for the dignity of every person, concerning charity and brotherhood - which goes far beyond the realm of mere tolerance - and solidarity.
In particular, may the Christian Churches be humble and industrious witnesses to the love of Christ. In fact, for Christians, the moral responsibilities mentioned above assume an even deeper meaning in the light of faith.
The common origin and the singular bond with the Creator make all people members of one family, brothers and sisters, created in the image and likeness of God, as the Biblical Revelation teaches.
The dignity of all men, the fundamental unity of the human race and the call to live as brothers, are confirmed and further strengthened to the extent to which the Good News is received that all are equally saved and reunited by Christ, to the point that - as Saint Paul says - "there is no Jew or Greek; there is no slave or free; there is no male and female, because all (of us are) one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28).
From this perspective, other people are not only beings to be respected by virtue of their intrinsic dignity, but above all, brothers and sisters to be loved. In Christ, tolerance is transformed into fraternal love, tenderness and operational solidarity. This is especially true of the smallest of our brothers, among whom we can recognize the stranger, the stranger, with whom Jesus himself identified himself. On the day of the universal judgment, the Lord will remind us: I was a stranger and you did not receive me (Mt 25,43). But already today he asks us: I am a foreigner, do you not recognize me?
And when Jesus said to the Twelve: It shall not be so among you (Mt 20,26), he was not referring only to the dominion of the leaders of nations as regards political power, but to the whole Christian being. Indeed, being a Christian is a call to go against the current, to recognize, welcome and serve Christ himself who was discarded by his brothers.
Aware of the many expressions of closeness, welcome and integration towards the already existing foreigners, I hope that from the meeting just concluded many other collaborative initiatives may arise, so that together we can build more just and supportive societies.
I entrust each of you and your families to the intercession of Mary Most Holy, Mother of tenderness, and I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing to you and to all your loved ones.
(Original text in Italian)
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