Many migrants are young. The universality of the Church offers them an excellent opportunity to foster dialogue between their communities of origin and those to which they migrate, helping to overcome fears and hesitations and strengthening the bonds that migrations risk breaking. “Welcome, protect, promote and integrate”, the four verbs with which Pope Francis synthesizes the action needed to support migrants, are synodal verbs. Implementing them requires the Church’s action at all levels and it involves all the members of Christian communities. For their part, migrants, appropriately accompanied, can offer spiritual, pastoral and missionary resources to the host communities. Of particular importance is cultural and political engagement, involving appropriate structures, to fight against the spread of xenophobia, racism and rejection of migrants. The resources of the Catholic Church are a vital element in the fight against human trafficking, as is clearly seen in the work of many religious sisters. The role of the Santa Marta Group, which brings together religious leaders and those responsible for law and order, is crucial and represents a good practice from which to draw inspiration. Nor must we overlook the commitment to guarantee the effective right to remain in the country of origin for those who do not wish to migrate but are forced to do so, and to provide support for Christian communities that are at risk of depopulation through migration.
TheoFonsAt the sources of the faith