This morning, the Vatican Press Office released the theme which has been chosen by the Holy Father, Pope Francis for the 102nd World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which will be observed on January 17, 2016.
The celebration of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees
in the context of the Year of Mercy
The theme chosen by Pope Francis for this year fits well in the context of the Year of Mercy which he proclaimed with the Bull entitled Misericordiae vultus dated April 11, 2015, and which will take place between December 8, 2015 and November 20, 2016.
With the theme: Migrants and refugees challenge us. The response of the gospel of mercy, we want to emphasize two aspects.
With the first part of the theme: Migrants and refugees challenge us, we want to recognize the dramatic situation faced by many men and women, forced to abandon their own lands. We should not forget, for example, the current tragedies at sea which are claiming many victims among the migrants. Faced with the apparent risk that this phenomenon may be forgotten, the Holy Father presents the drama of migrants and refugees as a reality that must be challenged. This point is evidenced in the Bull Misericordiae vultus when he affirms: Let us not fall into humiliating indifference or a monotonous routine that prevents us from discovering what is new! Let us ward off destructive cynicism! Let us open our eyes and see the misery of the world, the wounds of our brothers and sisters who are denied their dignity, and let us recognize that we are compelled to heed their cry for help! May we reach out to them and support them so they can feel the warmth of our presence, our friendship, and our fraternity! May their cry become our own, and together may we break down the barriers of indifference that too often reign supreme and mask our hypocrisy and egoism! (MV, 15)
With the second part of the theme: The response of the gospel of mercy, we want to connect especially the phenomenon of migration with the world's response and, in particular, that of the Church. In this context, the Holy Father invites Christian people to reflect during the Jubilee on the works of corporal and spiritual mercy, such as the welcoming of foreigners, not forgetting that Christ himself is present among the little ones, and that at the end of life, we will be judged based on our response of love (cf Mt 25:31-45).
Being a disciple of Jesus, the Church is always called to proclaim liberty to those who are prisoners to the new slavery of modern society (Misericordiae vultus, 16), at the same time as she must deepen the relationship between justice and mercy, two dimension of the same reality (cf MV, 20).
The celebration of the World Day and of the Jubilee in the context of the local Churches
Following the desire of the Holy Father, who desires that every particular Church should be directly involved in living this Holy Year (Misericordiae vultus, 3), the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees offers the following directions:
The World Day of Migrants and Refugees
This day traces its origins to the circular letter: Suffering and preoccupations, which the Sacred Consistorial Congregation sent on December 6, 1914 to all Italian Diocesan Ordinaries. In it, a concern was expressed for the first time about instituting an annual day for promoting awareness about the phenomenon of migration and to promote a collection to assist with pastoral efforts aimed at assisting Italian emigrants and to prepare missionaries for eventual emigration. As a result of this publication, on February 21, 1915, the first celebration of the Day of Migrants and Refugees was observed.
Migrants and refugees challenge us.
The response of the gospel of mercy.
The celebration of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees
in the context of the Year of Mercy
The theme chosen by Pope Francis for this year fits well in the context of the Year of Mercy which he proclaimed with the Bull entitled Misericordiae vultus dated April 11, 2015, and which will take place between December 8, 2015 and November 20, 2016.
With the theme: Migrants and refugees challenge us. The response of the gospel of mercy, we want to emphasize two aspects.
With the first part of the theme: Migrants and refugees challenge us, we want to recognize the dramatic situation faced by many men and women, forced to abandon their own lands. We should not forget, for example, the current tragedies at sea which are claiming many victims among the migrants. Faced with the apparent risk that this phenomenon may be forgotten, the Holy Father presents the drama of migrants and refugees as a reality that must be challenged. This point is evidenced in the Bull Misericordiae vultus when he affirms: Let us not fall into humiliating indifference or a monotonous routine that prevents us from discovering what is new! Let us ward off destructive cynicism! Let us open our eyes and see the misery of the world, the wounds of our brothers and sisters who are denied their dignity, and let us recognize that we are compelled to heed their cry for help! May we reach out to them and support them so they can feel the warmth of our presence, our friendship, and our fraternity! May their cry become our own, and together may we break down the barriers of indifference that too often reign supreme and mask our hypocrisy and egoism! (MV, 15)
With the second part of the theme: The response of the gospel of mercy, we want to connect especially the phenomenon of migration with the world's response and, in particular, that of the Church. In this context, the Holy Father invites Christian people to reflect during the Jubilee on the works of corporal and spiritual mercy, such as the welcoming of foreigners, not forgetting that Christ himself is present among the little ones, and that at the end of life, we will be judged based on our response of love (cf Mt 25:31-45).
Being a disciple of Jesus, the Church is always called to proclaim liberty to those who are prisoners to the new slavery of modern society (Misericordiae vultus, 16), at the same time as she must deepen the relationship between justice and mercy, two dimension of the same reality (cf MV, 20).
The celebration of the World Day and of the Jubilee in the context of the local Churches
Following the desire of the Holy Father, who desires that every particular Church should be directly involved in living this Holy Year (Misericordiae vultus, 3), the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees offers the following directions:
- It suggests that the Jubilee day be celebrated especially at the diocesan and national levels, in the context closest to migrants and refugees, including their participation, and also involving that of the Christian community;
- It proposes that the main Jubilee event should take place on January 17, 2016, the next World Day of Migrants and Refugees;
- It encourages dioceses and Christian communities, which have not already done so, to schedule initiatives, benefitting from this occasion to observe the Year of Mercy;
- It invites all people not to forget the aspect of sensitizing the Christian community to the phenomenon of migration;
- It hopes that attention focused on migrants and on their situations will not be reduced only to a one-day occurrence;
- It remembers that it is also important to develop concrete signs of solidarity which have a symbolic value and which express closeness and attention paid to migrants and to refugees.
The World Day of Migrants and Refugees
This day traces its origins to the circular letter: Suffering and preoccupations, which the Sacred Consistorial Congregation sent on December 6, 1914 to all Italian Diocesan Ordinaries. In it, a concern was expressed for the first time about instituting an annual day for promoting awareness about the phenomenon of migration and to promote a collection to assist with pastoral efforts aimed at assisting Italian emigrants and to prepare missionaries for eventual emigration. As a result of this publication, on February 21, 1915, the first celebration of the Day of Migrants and Refugees was observed.
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