Thread: Pope: countries must receive refugees despite difficulties

Pope: countries must receive refugees despite difficulties; migration causes must be addressed

Last update: June 21, 2009 - 12:02 PM

SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO, Italy - Pope Benedict XVI said Sunday that countries must continue receiving refugees despite the difficulties they create while also addressing the causes that drive so many people from their homes.

Italy has been battling waves of illegal migrants and has enacted a controversial accord with Libya under which it turns back refugees intercepted at sea before they can reach Italian shores to apply for asylum.

Vatican officials, the U.N. refugee agency and aid groups have denounced the new policy.

Benedict did not specify Italy in his comments marking the U.N. World Refugee Day, which was celebrated Saturday, making his appeal more general to all countries that deal with refugees.

"Many people seek refuge in countries fleeing situations of war, persecution and calamity, and their reception creates not a few problems" for the receiving countries, he said. But he stressed that welcoming them was "still right."

Benedict spoke during a pilgrimage Sunday to San Giovanni Rotondo in southern Italy to pray before the remains of St. Pio of Petrelcina, the hugely popular Italian saint who purportedly bore "stigmata," or wounds like those Jesus suffered at his crucifixion.

Tens of thousands of the faithful braved thunderstorms to attend an open-air Mass in front of the Renzo Piano-designed church built to cater to the throngs of pilgrims who visit Padre Pio's shrine each year.


http://www.startribune.com/world/48727172.html

SO, WHEN CAN WE START SENDING THEM TO VATICAN CITY? THEY can open the Catholic coffers to help support them! Oh wait... they don't hand out money... they want US to do that so THEY can keep them collection plates coming in. And new Catholics to fill the Church.

And how many "refugees" are within the walls of Vatican City? Preaching is not necessarily setting a good example. Like the Vatican can't afford to help or harbor refugees.

"Many people seek refuge in countries fleeing situations of war, persecution and calamity, and their reception creates not a few problems" for the receiving countries, he said. But he stressed that welcoming them was "still right."

So...that means that Americans who have become unemployed from the impact of illegal immigration can flee to the Vatican City? I was there---pretty cool inside with all that fresco work, gilt and marble. Do they serve gelato?

I think Vatican city and the Pope should take all the illegals they can fit into the Vatican before they start telling Countries what they should do.Its hard to believe that after hundreds of years that the popes still think that they should be running the world.