The Pope: let's not close our eyes to migrants, it's a social scandal

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That of migrants “is a reality in front of which we cannot close our eyes”, “it is a social scandal of humanity”. The Pope said this in the general audience. “Today I believe that a prayer is needed for all migrants, all persecuted and all those who are victims of adverse circumstances, be they political, historical, personal circumstances. We think of so many people who are victims of wars who want to flee their homeland but cannot. Let’s think of the migrants who start that road to be free and many end up on the road or in the sea “.

“Migrants victims of violence by the powerful”

«Even today many of our brothers and many of our sisters are forced to live the same injustice and suffering. The cause is almost always the arrogance and violence of the powerful “said the Pope in the general audience dedicating the catechesis to” Saint Joseph as a persecuted and courageous migrant “and recalling that the Holy Family was forced for a period to take refuge in Egypt to escape the violence of Herod.

« Tyrants willing for power to wipe out the people “

The Pope in general audience recalled the figure of Herod: «He was a cruel man, to solve problems he had only one recipe: to kill. He is the symbol – Pope Francis emphasized – of so many tyrants of yesterday and today; for these tyrants people don’t count, power counts and if they need to expand power they kill people. And this happens today ». In these cases, the Pontiff continued, “it is man who becomes ‘wolf’ for other men. History is full of personalities who, living at the mercy of their fears, try to overcome them by exercising power in a despotic manner and implementing inhuman intentions of violence “.