Pope Leo, after Trump critique, urges Catholics to help immigrants
Vatican City – Pope Leo urged the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics on Sunday to take care of immigrants, including a reception message for migrants a few days after criticizing the anti -immigration policies of US President Donald Trump.
Leo, the first American pope, told thousands of pilgrims celebrating mass on Saint-Pierre square that immigrants should not be treated with “the coldness of indifference or the stigmatization of discrimination”.
The Pope, who has made no country for his treatment of migrants, called on Catholics to “open their arms and hearts to them, welcoming them as brothers and sisters, and to be for them a presence of consolation and hope”.
“ New missionary age ”
Leo had criticized the immigration policies of the Trump administration on September 30, wondering if they were in accordance with the pro-life teachings of the Catholic Church, in comments that attracted the animated backlash of certain eminent conservative Catholics.
On Sunday, the Pope said that the World Church was living “a new missionary age” in which he was responsible for offering “hospitality and reception, compassion and solidarity” to migrants fleeing violence or in search of a safe place to live.
“In the communities of the ancient Christian tradition, like those of the West, the presence of many brothers and sisters of the south of the world should be welcomed as an opportunity, through an exchange which renews the face of the Church,” he said.
Elected in May to replace the Pope Francis, Leo showed a much more reserved style than his predecessor, who frequently criticized the Trump administration and often spoke with surprise remarks and out of the tank.
Leo spoke of a prepared text on Sunday. It was addressed to a weekend event during the current holy year of the Catholic church which was specially organized for migrants, which, according to the Vatican, had attracted more than 10,000 pilgrims from some 95 countries.
