The Pontiff has carried out in the catechesis The President of the United Nations, Mr. Matsuura, has called for an urgent reflection on the plight of migrants, "a very serious humanitarian crisis" in which they are dying in seas and deserts that have become "cemeteries", in the context of a culture of indifference and discarding.
"Today, postponing the usual catechesis, I would like to pause with you to think of the people who - also at this moment - are crossing seas and deserts to reach a land where they can live in peace and security", the Pope began a dramatic reflection, in which he asked for the prayer of all and the union of "our hearts and our strength, so that the seas and deserts are not cemeteries, but spaces where God can open paths of freedom and fraternity".
"Safe and legal access routes"
"Brothers and sisters, on one thing we can all agree: on those deadly seas and deserts, migrants of today should not be. But it is not through more restrictive laws, it is not through the militarization of borders, it is not through rejection that we will achieve this," the Holy Father denounced.
"On the contrary, we will achieve this by expanding safe and legal access routes for migrants, by facilitating refuge for those fleeing war, violence, persecution and various calamities; we will achieve this by promoting by all means a global governance of migration based on justice, fraternity and solidarity. And by joining forces to combat human trafficking, to stop the criminal traffickers who mercilessly profit from the misery of others".
"Sea and desert: these two words reappear in many testimonies I receive, both from migrants and from people who undertake to rescue them. When I say 'sea', in the context of migration, I also mean ocean, lake, river, all the treacherous bodies of water that so many brothers and sisters from every part of the world are forced to cross to reach their destination," he continued.
"Repelling migrants, a grave sin".
And 'desert' is not only sand and dunes, or rocky, "but also all those inaccessible and dangerous territories such as forests, jungles, steppes, where migrants walk alone, abandoned to their fate. Today's migration routes are often marked by crossings of seas and deserts, which, for many, too many people, are deadly. Some of these routes are better known to us, because they are often in the spotlight; others, most of them, are little known, but no less traveled.
"I have spoken about the Mediterranean many times, because I am Bishop of Rome and because it is emblematic: the Mare Nostrum, a place of communication between peoples and civilizations, has become a cemetery. And the tragedy is that many, most of these dead could have been saved. It must be said clearly: there are those who work systematically by all means to repel migrants. And this, when done with conscience and responsibility, is a grave sin".
Seas and deserts, biblical places
The Pope recalled that "the sea and the desert are also biblical places charged with symbolic value. They are very important settings in the story of the Exodus, the great migration of the people guided by God through Moses from Egypt to the Promised Land. These places are witnesses to the drama of the people fleeing oppression and slavery. They are places of suffering, of fear, of despair, but at the same time they are places of passage towards liberation, towards redemption, towards freedom and the fulfillment of God's promises (cf. Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2024)".
Prayer
"I want to conclude by acknowledging and praising the efforts of so many good Samaritans, who do their utmost to rescue and save wounded and abandoned migrants on the routes of desperate hope, on all five continents."
"These courageous men and women are a sign of a humanity that does not allow itself to be infected by the evil culture of indifference and discarding. And those who cannot be like them 'on the front line' are not excluded from this struggle for civilization: there are many ways to contribute, first and foremost prayer," Francis stressed.
Let us unite our hearts and our strength, he concluded, "so that the seas and deserts are not cemeteries, but spaces where God can open paths of freedom and fraternity".
Praise to Poles for their hospitality
In his greeting to the Polish pilgrims, the Pope said that "for some years now you have shown great Samaritan help and understanding towards the war refugees from Ukraine. Continue to be hospitable to those who have lost everything and come to you, counting on your mercy and your fraternal help. May the Holy Family of Nazareth, who also, in times of danger, sought refuge in a foreign country, sustain you in this. May God bless you.
Ask St. Augustine and Our Lady for the consolation of migrants
In his words to the German, French and Italian-speaking pilgrims, the Pontiff referred to St. Augustine. For example, he pointed out to the German-speaking pilgrims: "Today we celebrate the memory of St. Augustine. After a long interior search, he understood how much God, our Creator, loves us and that our restless hearts find rest and peace only in him. I too wish you this experience of the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding (cf. Phil 4:7). Let us pray to St. Augustine, whom we celebrate today, that the seas and deserts may become spaces where God can open paths of freedom and fraternity".
To the French-speaking people, he also said: "Let us pray to St. Augustine, whom we are celebrating today, that the seas and deserts may become spaces where God can open paths of freedom and fraternity".
In his greeting to the Spanish-speaking pilgrims, the Pope encouraged: "Let us pray to the Lord for so many people who are forced to leave their homes in search of a future, and for those who receive and accompany them, restoring hope and opening new paths of freedom and fraternity. May Jesus bless them and may the Holy Virgin, Consolation of migrants, watch over them".
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