Message of Pope Benedict XVI for World Day of Migrants and Refugees

(December 18, 2008) In the era of globalization, the mission of the Church and all baptized; is for pastoral care that goes well with the diverse universe of migrants - offsite students, immigrants, refugees, refugees, displaced persons - including those who are victims of modern slavery, such as trafficking in human beings, said Pope Benedict XVI. He said this in his message for the Migrants and refugees, as the United Nations celebrate the World Migrants day on the 18^th of December. The church celebrates this day on the 18^th of January. The Holy Father extended the message of salvation to all taking into account the different social and cultural situations, and the particular problems of each as a result of the condition of migrant and itinerant. The Pope set the theme of St Paul the Migrant Apostle of the Gentiles that coincides with the 2000^th anniversary of his birth. He wished that the teaching and example of St. Paul, humble-great Apostle and migrant evangelizer of peoples and cultures, spurs us to understand that the exercise of charity is the culmination and synthesis of Christian life. The United nations General Assembly on December 4, 2000, approved the resolution to observe the world migrants day on the 18^th of December. On this occasion Mr Ban Ki Moon, the Secretary General of the United nations said in his message that migrants must be acknowledged as human beings whose rights like those of every one else must be protected. The world’s more than 200 million migrants are especially vulnerable to the financial downturn shaking the global economy. The crisis in markets has put them at greater risk of destitution, stigmatization, discrimination and abuse. Reports of layoffs and lower remittances only begin to tell the story of the human suffering that this crisis has wrought. To save migrants from abuse, and allow them to contribute to development in their home and receiving countries, we must acknowledge them as human beings whose rights, like those of everyone else, must be protected. He added that we commemorate International Migrants Day this year while marking the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, with its visionary commitment to dignity and justice for everyone, everywhere, always and called on the member countries to extend their full hearted support.