VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis urged countries on Monday to greatly improve their welcome to migrants and stop any collective expulsions, saying migrants’ dignity and right to protection trumps national security concerns.
Francis’ politically pointed message was made in view of the Catholic Church’s 2018 world refugee day, celebrated Jan. 14. It comes amid mounting anti-immigrant sentiment in Europe following waves of migrant arrivals and Islamic extremist attacks.
In the message, Francis demanded governments welcome, protect, promote and integrate migrants, saying Jesus’ message of love is rooted in welcoming the “rejected strangers of every age.”
He demanded an increased and simplified process of granting humanitarian and temporary visas and rejected arbitrary and collective expulsions as “unsuitable.”
He said the principle of ensuring each person’s dignity “obliges us to always prioritize personal safety over national security.”
Francis has made refugees a priority of his pontificate, making his first trip outside Rome in 2013 to the island of Lampedusa, ground zero in Europe’s migration crisis. He has repeatedly spoken out for migrants’ rights, demanded countries build “bridges not walls,” and personally brought a dozen Syrian refugees back to Rome with him when he visited a Greek refugee camp in 2016.
Ignoring critics who say his calls are unrealistic and naive, Francis insisted in the new message that border guards must be trained to protect migrants and that each new arrival, regardless of legal status, must be guaranteed access to basic services beyond basic health care.
That extends to guaranteeing access to consulates, the justice system and the ability to open a bank account and survive financially, he said.
Unaccompanied minors, he said, require even greater protection, including guaranteeing them citizenship and access to schooling, as well as foster programs rather than detention centers.
He called for policies that support family reunification, employment opportunities and accelerated citizenship procedures to improve migrants’ abilities to integrate in their new countries.
Acknowledging the tallness of the order, Francis said the church would do its part. But he said all people of good will, Christian and not, “are called to respond to the many challenges of contemporary migration with generosity, promptness, wisdom and foresight, each according to their own abilities.”
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Migrants have no rites….us citicens have rites
Per the Pope: Jesus’ message of love is rooted in welcoming the “rejected strangers of every age.” Hey Pope Francis, when these Muslims practice terrorism in Europe and these Muslim migrants rape the European women, would Jesus welcome them? Why don’t you get your own house in order inside and outside the Vatican, by defrocking the Cardinals and priests that had children raped. Secondly, why don’t you have all of the Muslim migrants live within the walls of the Vatican and keep them within the walls of the Vatican so they cannot harm the rest of society?
The Catholic Church created Islam.
@BlueEyedAl
That’s either the dumbest comment I’ve read or the most nefarious.
We are praying for you Pope Francis. Your delusion of what Christ meant takes your message from being one of the Vicar of Christ to one of the Puppets of Socialism. As God gave us life, He did not give it to you to throw away by not protecting yourself and your family. Doesn’t it irritate you when the Left decries self protection, but all of them have a security details just a little less capable than Seal Team 6?
Marines, THIS POOP doesn’t deserve ANYONE’s prayers..
but… men have both RIGHTS and RITES.
For instance my 70th Birthday was a Rite of passage into another 10 years of meanstreak towards liberals.
That you professor but your quotations marks are askew.
maybe it meant Last Rites
Send them to the Vatican! Let the pope put his money where his mouth is! Although he appears to think he is the ruler of the world, he is NOT! In Bible times, people did not move to other countries with the expectation that they would be totally supported for years on end. I believe in helping when and where we can; however, it is just irresponsible for us to let people come here who we know have no desire to fit into our culture and obey our laws and will try their best to kill and destroy us.
It’s not just “irresponsible”, gran24, it is just plain STUPID–and a good way to commit cultural and LITERAL suicide!
I think what you are trying to say is let each culture take care of their own.
And THAT SHOULD BE OUR ONLY POSITION on ‘immigration and ‘refugees’.
THANK YOU FOR tweaking the idea into words.
Gran….totally agree.
As a leader, he should lead by example. Swing open wide the gates and all entrances into the Vatican and provide accommodations throughout….not for a quick photo-op and then herd the immigrants out….but give them citizenship there with all the freebies that he would expect from those whom he wishes to influence. As well, open wide the untold(hidden) financial wealth, both within your borders and as well your worldwide holdings, and support the invasion you desire. Reluctance or Refusal to do so on the Vatican’s part would speak volumes regarding a Hypocrite’s Creed: “Do as I say,..not as I do”.
For a better understanding of Italy’s “..We’re fed up to HERE with marauding immigrants..” watch the YouTube video : “Rome mayor Raggi urges halt to immigrants” as well as many other associated videos regarding the rampant immigration invasion crisis in Italy.
Thing is since he’s a rabid socialist libtard, he will NEVER LEAD by example..
NAME ME one who has!
“If Jesus Christ came back today and saw what’s being done in His name, He’d never stop throwing up!” – priceless wisdom from Woody Allen’s 1986 movie “Hannah and Her Sisters.”
Mr. Pope, TEAR DOWN THE WALL AROUND THE VATICAN and stop telling our President Trump how to take care of our country and us, citizens of what will make America Great Again under his leadership. Just mind your own business, you commie.
How many is he letting into his country?
Just the dozen he brought back to Rome in 2016–his token refugees.
he brought them back to Rome not to the Vatican for the Italian government to care for not the church
The pope needs to stick to pope things and leave his nose out of other countries politics. Who elected him, anyway? Certainly no citizen majority in any nation that I know of. He has priests that are child molesters and he wants to try to tell the nations of this world what to do?
Exactly cgretired. Poop francis is going to get a real surprise when he stands before God on Judgement Day. He has COMPLETELY fallen for the one world government described in Revelations. And we know what happens next.
IMO he will skip that part and go straight down to the eternal fires of hell..
Barely a speck. AND IMO if he really feels this way, FINE YOU START by removing the entire wall around vatican city and disbanding your vatican guard… Practice what you preach POOP!
Migrants were welcomed and the host countries are finding them bad guests. They rape women, refuse to assimilate and cost too much in social welfare. They have made these countries unsafe for tourist to travel to. Perhaps the Pontiff would do more to address the sins of the migrants than finding the host countries at fault
What does the Bible say? As if the Pope actually understands the Bible.
Ecclesiastes 3:1, 3, 8
[1] To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
[3] A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
[8] A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
This was written by the wisest human king ever, Solomon. He was also a pacifist. His name means Peaceful. He never fought a war. But then nobody ever accused the Pope of being as wise as Solomon.
There’s more.
Ecclesiastes 3:7
[7] A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
Maybe this would be a wise time for the Pope to keep silent. Or more to the point, if he was smart he would shut up already. I believe the prefixial “sit down and” is implied in his case.
The title “Pope” is a variant of Papa, or Father. Also, the Catholic priests have the title of Father.
My theory is that when they inserted themselves into the confessional process (they never should have) and people said, “Forgive me Father for I have sinned…” over time the people lost focus of the fact that they were praying to God and thought they were asking forgiveness of a man in a robe and calling him Father. And the priests never bothered to correct them. You know, teach what God said in the Bible. Details.
But this is a long-standing Catholic tradition, right? The Pharisees were huge on tradition too, but Jesus told them they should be following the commands of God and not the traditions of men. They were trying to make the commands of God of none effect with their wrong-headed traditions (Matt 15:6, Mark 7:9).
How about calling priests Father? Does the Bible say anything about that?
Matthew 23:9
And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
Men can’t forgive you for sins against God. Only God can do this. If men can forgive sins, then why do we even need Jesus doing it?
1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Francis – Get your own house in order before lecturing others. Start by reading the Bible.
BTW, Francis joins the gallery of medieval malefactor-popes (such as Alexander VI, erstwhile Roderigo Borgia — as in infamous Lucrezia’s father), having been a “Gapon” (term derived from a Russian Orthodox priest who led a crowd into an Okhrana ambuscade in 1905; analogously, Francis led Argentine troops to abbeys and priories) during 1976-1982 junta in Argentina.
Kind of strange how this pope supports immigrants so long as they are muslims. He has done nothing to even try to protect the true refugees which are Christian. This pope is evil and in league with the likes of obama, soros and Satan.
That is true. Hell i don’t remember him doing a damn thing to condemn the attrocities against the Yssidic christians in Syria that if it was not for the US FORCES would have all been wiped out..
Just another FALSE PROPHET come to prepare the way for the Antichrist, 4liberty–just like his American counterpart, Barrack INSANE Obama.
Not strange at all for a hypocrite. It all seems very normal considering his double-minded character.
The pope has NO clue.. how many migrants does he allow into the vatican.. I’ll bet NONE…
He’s a fool… Natural security is very much important and migrants have NO right to be here.. NONE… NO NON-CITIZEN has the right to enter this country.. coming here is a PRIVILEGE NOT A RIGHT… and we welcome ANYONE here but we ask that they come LEGALLY!!!
And back before we became so “enlightened”, Mamacat, we ALSO used to require that they be able to prove they were self-supporting, or have a sponsor who agreed to be financially responsible for them until they became established. I don’t know exactly WHEN we started allowing people to come here–legally or illegally–and immediately get on welfare, but that is an EGREGIOUS ABUSE of American taxpayers and needs to STOP.
Why would ANY nation make it a practice to admit HORDES of illiterate, unskilled, DEPENDENT people who can CONTRIBUTE NOTHING, but only TAKE resources, then expect the productive working taxpayers of the country to SUPPORT THEM for life? The only nation I can think of dumb enough to do that would be one with a DEATH WISH, because this is committing economic and cultural SUICIDE! There’s LIMITED SPACE in the lifeboat, and NOBODY benefits if you swamp the lifeboat trying to “save” people and end up DROWNING everybody!
Of course THIS BS is not because the liberals actually CARE about these people. They’ve gone so far off the tracks on the EXTREME LEFT that NOBODY with any sense will vote for them, so they are trying to build themselves a new voter base with “free stuff” paid for by taxpayer money!
IIRC that practice of requiring them to show proof of sponsorship or financial independence was stopped in the early 30s.. Can’t quote you anything on it though, cause i have not FOUND anything.
Mamacat, In my research, my understanding in answer to your question is NONE! Save for 3 Syrian families he brought back with him from a visit there. REPEATING: THREE!
It is my understanding that now he and only he can approve migration or citizenship into the Vatican. That citizenship in the Vatican are those soldiers protecting the Pope and Vatican, their families, those employed there and the Cardinals and Clergy there. Getting legal status or citizenship there is near, if not impossible. And the Vatican sure has a literal wall surrounding it. And the lingering question in my mind is: Why did he not extend the “loving arms of sanctuary” to Christians when their heads were being cut off? Even figuratively would have been something. But why could he NOT offer, as best his little country is, to take in as many persecuted Christians as he could? Could it be that ISIS at one point, around that time, “warn” that we have our eyes on Rome just across the sea (paraphrased from memory)? The Pope seems good at dictating to others morals and use of resources while protecting its own riches. Maybe the Pope should give an open accounting to all Catholics and the world its true wealth.
…says someone who sits in a little “country” completely surrounded by a wall….
When Obama said that going against Politically Correct Ideology was above his pay grade, this Pope said, who am I to judge legislated perversion.
My school teachers led students in The Lord’s Prayer, and The Ten Commandments was not only The Box Office Champion of 1957, but also the majorities values. We trusted the attributes of our God over the tenets of the new State Sanctioned Worldview, and therefore Religion of, so-called unbiased Secular Humanism, which is corrupting our Civilization by Government Legislation, Supreme Court Decree, and our Education Establishments normalizing corrupt values using adult school teachers, homosexual, transgender, promiscuous pornographic sex, and abortion mill activists.
We must elect , support, and hold accountable political representatives with good policies, who will legislate wholesome values, instead of corruption. President Donald Trump, and Mike Pence were elected for this reason, because even The Political Parties who call themselves Conservative in Europe, and Canada have adopted child perverting policies like the Democrats, and Rinos have. Their Governments, Law Courts, Popular Media and Entertainment Industries also normalize rot.
You are 100% correct. The United States today is not the same United States I grew up in. How far we have fallen.
Please. Don’t speak for us, U.S. There are a LOT of God fearing people who do much more than calling out “Lord, Lord!” I will not judge this man on his faith. On his politics he is a socialist.
No, the Pope is wrong. God gave us the instinct to protect ourselves , our family, and our country.
That instinct includes blinking to protect our eyes, and so much more. The pope is advocating defenselessness. Not natural and not how God equipped us.
And people wonder why people are leaving the church.
Aside from all the excellent points made about the Pope and his message, note the specific language: “…from each according to his ability.” Let’s complete the phrase and look at its origin: “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” The Pope is quoting Karl Marx. ‘Nuff said.
Since hes from Venezuela iirc, a KNOWN socialist hell hole, of course he’s gonna quote marx..
We had a Polish Pope from when Poland was behind the Iron Curtain who was instrumental in tearing the Curtain down. So it is not conclusive that he should be a Marxist just because he hails from the home of Liberation Theology. I’m not Catholic and not privy to the goings on in the College of Cardinals, but it is interesting that a very conservative Pope Benedict resigned (very untraditional) and was replaced by a Marxist. That speaks not only to this Pope’s inclinations, but to the desires of a majority of the cardinals. Unless of course you believe that the Holy Spirit moved them.
Send the migrants to the Vatican. The pope can have dinner with them and play games. Maybe he would get a new slant on the situation. Do think he needs to be removed, maybe Alzheimer’s or some form of dementia. Should keep to church stuff and out of the political arena, he is not equipped to deal with the current conditions.
there are the laws of god and the laws of man. most follow the laws of man and aspire to the laws of god. some disregard the laws of man and scoff at the laws of god–those people are readily identified. then there are the precious few who invoke the laws of god to undo the laws of man–they are the most dangerous, as their purpose is neither godly nor in the interest of man. just because you wear the costume doesn’t mean that you embody the character. . .
I’m a conservative Catholic and wish the Pope would stick to Catholic Theology and steer clear of social mores
IMO since he is too much of a socialist, he can’t stop being outspoken.. AND I have yet to see him doing MUCH on the theological side that is actually in accordance with christian tenants..
danandis: I agree with you. Perhaps this is why money is drying up in parishes across America. How in the world did we go from Benedict to this socialist/communist/Marxist/homosexual who is doing everything in his power to destroy Catholic theology?
And note, you don’t see a single one of those parrishes, asking the Vatican for a bail out!
This pope is a deluded Socialist who puts his devotion to political correctness and Leftist, Globalist ideology above all else, including the welfare of Christians and what shreds of integrity remain of Catholicism. It sounds so noble, so generous, so honorable, so compassionate, but it’s none of those things. What it is is thoughtless, reckless, and ruinous, not only for the continuing erosion of the Catholic Church’s relevancy, but of Western Civilization. The utopia this unfortunate choice for Pope advocates is, in fact, dystopia, but his delusion, like just about every Lefty-Loony everywhere, is irrational, and as evidence has already shown, suicidal for any who actualize it in the real world. I can not imagine that any Catholics, or any other variety of Believers, will take this foolishness to heart, for outside the luxury, safety, and serenity of The Vatican, they KNOW the consequences. What I can imagine, though, is the flight of thousands more from the Church of Rome.
I believe that what ever it is that the leftists are taking that is screwing up their minds, Pope Francis is also taking. Does he not know what is happening all over Europe and in the U.S. with all of these “wonderful” Migrants? Does he not care that they are rapping, threatening and killing the citizens of all the countries they “MIGRATE” to? Pope Francis needs to get a clue.
Other peoples money and country. Easy to give it away when you don’t own it or have to protect it. Let the Catholic Church set-up a slush fund for humanitarian aid to walk the talk.
Which is just Typical of liberals.. Spending other’s people monies, yet will never spend their own.
The Pope is no longer a meaningful world figure. When he abandoned the tenets of the church being outside of the political arena by injecting himself in international politics, he loses all the respect of his historical position and becomes nothing more than political bureaucrat. Consequently I have no qualms about posting my opinion of exactly what I think he is, a sorry Communist sympathizing fake religious icon that is a disingenuous as Bill and Hillary Clinton.
This is not a church issue. This is a government issue. God not only divinely ordained marriage, the family and the church as sacred institutions, He also “instituted governments among men…”.
The influx of Muslims into non-muslim countries poses a problem, because these individuals have been raised on extremist, ideology which is antithetical, repressive and violent to those of other faiths. Governments of sovereign nations are right to be selective on who they let into their country.
Would we allow hundreds of pro communists from Russia, China and Cuba to flood into America? Islam is more than a religion. It is a political ideology bent on world conquest cloaked in religious garb so that people will be confused. Muhammed and his followers from the start were manipulative when a minority, militaristic when advantageous and murderous when in the majority.
I would rather see the Pope use his platform to rail against the radicalized Muslim clerics who are behind this terrorism. 85 percent are said to be. He should also raise an army of Christian evangelists to take the Gospel to the poor in Muslim countries. That’s were most of them live.
[Would we allow hundreds of pro communists from Russia, China and Cuba to flood into America?]
Unfortunately we already have allowed that to go on…
Tuberculosis had at one time been eradicated from the United States. Why? Because our Docs are pretty smart and figured out a vaccination, and because we include it in our immigration physical. 20 years ago, two of my 3 daughters tested positive for TB. Why? Because they came into contact with a carrier whose condition was contagious. That carrier was here illegally!
Our immigration policy is strict, but there is a benefit for it; it protects the citizen! I got NO TIME for a political pontiff that bases his position on how he ‘feels.’
I used to be a catholic until they started with their political blather and then I realized the church was trying to bring people to it through God, rather brining the people to God through the church.
Does he think he is Pope of the World?
Or just the ‘pope’ of one of the Christian Religions that have no power over other Faiths?
Besides, unless there are at least 15,000 males of warrior age including any weapons they may have smuggled in with them, living as ‘refugees’ inside Vatican City, his opinion has no value.
Has he demanded the moslems open Mecca for Christian refugees yet?
Or demanded that Christians be allowed churches in all Muslim countries!
Nope. AND until he does, as well as opens the vaitcan itself, i wont listen to one damn word that exits his mouth..
The heads of those states that refuse to take in the refugees said that they would not because it was too dangerous. Evidently, the leaders of those countries are smarter than the leaders of most other countries. It probably helps, too, that they were pushing off muslims on the west and helping with their caliphate.
Pope Francis is an anti-capitalist socialist, which is just a transition to communism. Why doesn’t Francis invite many thousands of Muslims inside the protective walls of Vatican City and their rights supersede the rights of he and his Curia? He is a hypocrite.
“Do as I say!” Perhaps shelters could be erected in that vast space in front of St. Peter’s, the Vatican city-country should lead by example. Of course there would be accommodations for the Muslim calls to prayer and Shariah laws concerning just about everything. Then an ayatollah could stand on the great altar and proclaim the Great Caliphate! Sounds impossible! News at eleven.
Hey, get off your jewel encrusted throne and look over the wall you’re hiding behind and see what is happening to Italy. Put your money where you mouth is and let them into the Vatican.