Cardinal Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, explained to the Vatican media the significance of Pope Francis’s trip to Marseille to attend the closing event of the “Mediterranean Regional Conference”: to promote a spirit of unity and concrete action among European countries on the issue of migration.
(Vatican News) Europe needs to reach a consensus on the Convention on Migration and Refugees as soon as possible. On the eve of Pope Francis attending the closing events of the “Mediterranean Regional Conference” in Marseille on September 22 and 23, Cardinal Parolin, the Secretary of State of the Holy See, made the above remarks in an interview with the Vatican media. The cardinal stressed that all European countries must share responsibility for the situation in the Mediterranean instead of shouting empty slogans and antagonizing each other. In this complex and sad issue, consider more faces than numbers.
At the “Mediterranean Regional Conference” in Marseille, the Pope will meet Catholic bishops from 30 countries in the region, as well as some mayors and young people. What message will the Pope bring?
Following the Councils of Bari and Florence, the Pope accepted the invitation to participate in the Third Conference of the Mediterranean Region as a valuable opportunity to share and build the common good. In fact, the “Mediterranean Regional Conference” brings together in an almost unique way different regions, peoples, histories and religions, promoting unity for a future in which, whether we like it or not, we will face common and decisive challenges together Challenges, as the Pope has repeatedly mentioned. I think it is this spirit of solidarity and concrete action that the Pope wants to witness in Marseille. In the Mediterranean, the hottest debate at the moment has to do with the issue of migration, which, apart from the difficulties, presents precisely the need to face the problem together and with foresight, rather than treating it only as a temporary emergency that everyone tries to follow to deal with their own individual interests.
How to construct the values of hospitality, dialogue, peace in a world where it is difficult to recognize the faces of those in need?
What I am trying to say is to start by seriously and practically believing in dialogue, not as a useful tool to assert one’s position, but as an open way to find common solutions. Unfortunately, many problems are dealt with from the perspective of “numbers” rather than “faces”.
When we think about the tragedy of migration, we must prioritize human dignity over other, albeit legitimate, factors and avoid the ideological thinking that the Pope has repeatedly warned against, which values theory and often propaganda. , rather than the actual situation. The migration problem is a complex phenomenon with no simple and immediate solution. It should not be solved through slogans and promises, but through “unified action” and actual investment, as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees called a few days ago. resources to ensure a better environment of acceptance, peace and stability.
War, poverty, and violence often cause people to leave their countries. What concrete measures should be taken to awaken the international community?
While war, poverty and violence are the reasons why a person decides to leave his country, it must not be forgotten that it is those who commit violence, those who cause conflict, those who make political decisions that do not serve the common good.
Therefore, we must first take responsibility for the decisions we make every day, at home, with our families, among friends, at work, at school, and in society and government. Crisis is not an accident but a matter of individual and collective choice. In my opinion, there is a need for change as a starting point for proposing positive policies, investments and social projects with a view to building a culture of love and a society of brotherhood where people are not forced to flee but can live in peace , safe and prosperous life.
The number of migrants landing on Italian coasts, particularly on the island of Lampedusa, has surged in recent days. The residents of the island have always been hospitable to immigrants, but in recent years they have asked that they not be left alone and helpless. How should they respond to their requests?
First, every good deed is beneficial, and no act of kindness is in vain. Christ is present in our efforts to love and care for the least among us, and in every act of generosity we encounter and experience His presence. However, those working to care for immigrants and refugees should not be alone and without government support. They need solidarity and mutual assistance from the country and the international community.
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2023-09-22 11:38:24
