Pope Francis' plea to individual countries and the international community that "freedom should always characterize the decision to leave one's own land" is a central idea of his Message for the 109th World Day of Migrants and Refugees to be held in September, with the theme "Free to choose whether to migrate or to stay".
"Free to leave, free to stay" was the title of a solidarity initiative promoted some years ago by the Italian Bishops' Conference as a concrete response to the challenges of contemporary migration, the Holy Father said. "And from my constant listening to the particular Churches, I have been able to see that the guarantee of this freedom is a widespread and shared pastoral concern," he adds.
"The flight of the Holy Family to Egypt was not the fruit of a free decision, nor were many of the migrations that marked the history of the people of Israel. Migration should always be a free decision; but, in fact, in many cases, today it is not a free decision either," the Pope affirms.
"Conflicts, natural disasters, or more simply the impossibility of living a dignified and prosperous life in one's own land of origin force millions of people to leave. Already in 2003, St. John Paul II stated that 'creating concrete conditions for peace, as far as migrants and refugees are concerned, means making a serious commitment to defend first and foremost the right not to migrate, i.e. to live in peace and dignity in one's own country' (Message for 90th World Day of Migrants and Refugees3)," Pope Francis recalls.
"Among the most visible causes of contemporary forced migrations are persecutions, wars, atmospheric phenomena and misery. Migrants flee because of poverty, fear and desperation. To eliminate these causes and finally put an end to forced migrations, it is necessary for everyone to work together, each according to his or her own responsibilities," the Pontiff explained.
An uncodified right
And what can we do and what must we stop doing, Francis asks. "We must strive to stop the arms race, economic colonialism, the usurpation of other people's resources, the devastation of our common home."
"As we approach the Jubilee of 2025, it is good to remember this aspect of the Jubilee celebrations": the right not to have to emigrate. "This is a right not yet codified, but of fundamental importance, the guarantee of which is understood as the co-responsibility of all states with regard to a common good that goes beyond national boundaries," the Holy Father adds.
"For migration to be a truly free decision, it is necessary to strive to guarantee to all an equitable participation in the common good, respect for fundamental rights and access to integral human development. Only in this way will it be possible to offer everyone the possibility of living in dignity and fulfilling themselves personally and as a family."
"It is clear that the main task belongs to the countries of origin and to their leaders, who are called to exercise good politics, transparent, honest, far-sighted and at the service of all, especially the most vulnerable," the Pope emphasizes.
"However, they must be able to do so without being deprived of their own natural and human resources, and without external interference aimed at favoring the interests of a few. And where circumstances allow a choice to be made whether to migrate or to stay, it must also be ensured that this decision is informed and considered, so as to prevent so many men, women and children from falling victim to dangerous illusions or to unscrupulous traffickers," according to the papal message.
The dignity of every migrant
"For this reason," the Pope concludes, "as we work so that every migration can be the fruit of a free decision, we are called to have the utmost respect for the dignity of every migrant; and this means accompanying and governing the flows in the best possible way, building bridges and not walls, widening the channels for safe and regular migration."
The important thing", Francis cites here the four verbs that he has tirelessly repeated in his preaching The main objective of the project over the years "is that there is always a community there ready to welcome, protect, promote and integrate everyone, without distinction and without leaving anyone out".
Finally, the Pope includes a prayer for this 109th World Day, in which he asks that "we may manifest your tenderness to every migrant you place on our path and spread in hearts and in every environment the culture of encounter and care".
In the morning, a press conference was held in the Vatican Press Room. presentation Fabio Baggio, C.S., Undersecretary of the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development; Msgr. Francesco Savino, Vice President of the Italian Episcopal Conference and Bishop of Cassano all'Jonio; Dr. Chiara Lombardi, Director General of VIS (International Volunteers for Development); and Dullal Ghosh, a Bangladeshi migrant and member of the Sophia Cooperative.
