Pope appeals for care for
refugees and for creation
 |
| An Afghan refugee in a slum area in Lahore, Pakistan (AFP) |
Pope Francis says the coronavirus pandemic has heightened
awareness regarding the need to protect refugees and migrants and to care for
the environment.
By Vatican News
Pope Francis on Sunday asked believers to join him in
praying for a renewed and effective commitment to protect refugees and
migrants.
Addressing the pilgrims in St. Peters Square after the
recitation of the Angelus prayer, the Pope appealed for respect and care for
displaced persons recalling that on Saturday the United Nations celebrated
World Refugee Day.
“The coronavirus crisis has highlighted the need to ensure
the necessary protection for refugees, in order to guarantee their dignity and
safety” he said.
He invited all believers to join him in praying “for a
renewed and effective commitment, on the part of us all, to the effective
protection of every human being, especially those who have been forced to flee
as a result of situations of grave danger to them or their families.”
The Pope’s appeal comes as statistics show there are almost
80 million displaced persons across the globe, the highest number ever
recorded.
Care for the environment
Pope Francis went on to note that “Another aspect on which
the pandemic has made us reflect is the relationship between man and the
environment.”
“The lockdown has reduced pollution and revealed once more
the beauty of so many places free from traffic and noise,” he said, inviting us
to resume activities with a heightened awareness and responsibility in looking
after our common home.
Countries across the world are gradually lifting lockdown
restrictions as the curve of coronavirus deaths and infections flattens in some
continents and regions. The easing of limitations is triggered mainly by the
need to kick-start flagging economies and cut down on further
unemployment and poverty.
The Pope expressed his appreciation for many “grass roots”
initiatives that are emerging in this regard all over the world, and voiced his
hope that they may “foster a citizenship that is increasingly aware of this
essential common good.”
Remembering Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
The Pope concluded thanking those present for coming to pray
with him in the Square from various parts of Italy and, increasingly from other
countries.
He said that in his own country, Argentina, this is the
Sunday in which Father's Day is celebrated and assured his prayers for all
fathers, noting that it "is not an easy job to be a dad!"
He then expressed his wish to greet young people, in
particular, recalling that today we remember Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, “a
young man full of love for God and for his neighbor” who died here in Rome as a
result of caring for victims of the plague.
Aloysius Gonzaga was a 16th century Jesuit
priest who died aged 23 after falling ill while caring for the sick during the
plague in Rome. He was named patron of youth by Pope Benedict XVIII in 1792, an
action confirmed by Pope Pius XI in 1926.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét