The Pope Emeritus is praying for migrants and refugees

The Pope Emeritus is praying for migrants and refugees

(Vatican Radio) The Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI carries the tragedy of migrants and refugees in his heart and he prays for them.

After celebrating Mass in the Italian city of Ancona on Sunday, Archbishop Georg Ganswein told the faithful that the Pope Emeritus is following the migrant situation closely.

Archbishop Ganswein is Prefect of the Papal Household and Secretary to the Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
He was in the port city to celebrate Mass for the city’s annual celebration of the sea.

“Unfortunately the sea for many has become a tomb, but it should be a bridge. It must not be considered a border: the sea connects one country to another, one continent to another. If there are problems in a country or in a continent, the opposite shore should be there to help” he said.

And during the Eucharistic celebration some of the prayer intentions were dedicated to the many forced migrants and refugees fleeing conflict and hunger that have found death in the sea.

During the homily Archbishop Ganswein said “we live in times of difficulty and crisis (…) and in a society that is becoming more and more cruel and sometimes inhuman”.

“We must find ways to recuperate hope and the serenity that comes from knowing that God’s living presence is amongst us” he said.

And thus he exhorted the faithful not to be closed within themselves but to re-discover a sense of justice, mercy, honesty and the capacity to truly love.

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