(May 28, 2010) According to Pope Benedict, the acquiring of rights by immigrants
goes hand in hand with assuming their duties. He made the remark on Friday when addressing
participants in the plenary assembly of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council of the Pastoral
Care of Migrants and Itinerant People. The theme of the three-day plenary assembly
that ended on Friday was, “The pastoral care of human mobility today, in the context
of shared responsibility by states and international organizations.” The Pope observed
that the movement of people has long been the subject of international conventions
to ensure the protection of fundamental human rights and combat discrimination, xenophobia
and intolerance. The Pope is in favour of an effort to build a shared system of
rules covering the rights and duties of both immigrants as well the host community,
based first and foremost on the dignity of the every human person, created in the
image and likeness of God. The Holy Father regretted that there still exist divisive
walls in many parts of the world that prevent legislative and administrative mechanisms
to help integration, mutual exchange and reciprocal enrichment. According Pope Benedict,
coexistence among people requires a careful and agreed stand on allowing in immigrants
and their integration, by providing them opportunities to legalize themselves and
by offering them the right to family reunion, the school and asylum which help fight
the despicable practice of trafficking in persons.