VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis has called on European leaders not to turn their back on refugees and migrants despite the cultural and security challenges associated with the arrival of 1 million people this past year.
Francis has made concern for migrants a centerpiece of his papacy, and on Monday (Jan. 11) in his annual address to diplomats accredited to the Holy See he again urged governments to “overcome the inevitable fears associated with this massive and formidable phenomenon.”
In the wide-ranging, 45-minute address, the pope said the refugee crisis recalls the epic stories of mass migrations in the Bible with people fleeing powerful forces to seek safety and freedom, often at a terrible cost.
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