Vatican official commends resilience of refugees, asylum seekers

August 23, 2013 - Despite the painful experiences they have to overcome in their lives, refugees and asylum seekers face their situation with remarkable courage, initiative and creativity. They wholeheartedly believe that the future will offer them a change, with new possibilities and are confident they can rebuild their lives. These were the remarks of Indian bishop Joseph Kalathiparambil, the Secretary of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, in an article that appeared in Friday’s edition of the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano. Bishop Kalathiparambil recalled examples such as Einstein, Dali, Victor Hugo, Chopin and Anne Frank, who he said were refugees who achieved a special status in society after overcoming many difficulties. The Indian prelate noted that on arrival, the first thing that a refugee must be offered is his/her basic needs, in full respect of the human person, whether in camps or in countries of arrival. A person cannot stay in a refugee camp or in a shelter because every human needs a home, he wrote. According to Bishop Kalathiparambil there are three lasting solutions to the refugee problem, formulated by the international community over the years: namely, voluntary repatriation, integration into the local community, and resettlement in a third country. These are the most promising ways to guarantee a future to those fleeing, he wrote.