(Vatican Radio) January 13 is the day on which the Catholic Church marks World Day
of Migrants and Refugees.
Each year, for that occasion, the Pope releases
a message in which he reflects on the predicament of those who choose to migrate in
pursuit of a better life or are forced to seek refuge away from home.
Pope
Benedict XVI’s message, as always released before the actual day is observed, was
dedicated this year to the theme “Migrations: pilgrimage of faith and hope”.
The
Pope introduces his reflection on a personal note:
“I was thinking also
of the millions of men and women who, for various reasons, have known the experience
of migration. Migration is in fact “a striking phenomenon because of the sheer numbers
of people involved, the social, economic, political, cultural and religious problems
it raises, and the dramatic challenges it poses to nations and the international community,
for “every migrant is a human person who, as such, possesses fundamental, inalienable
rights that must be respected by everyone and in every circumstance”.
For
this reason – the Pope continues - he has chosen to focus the theme of the 2013 World
Day of Migrants and Refugees on the fact that migrations are pilgrimages of faith
and hope.
“Faith and hope are inseparable in the hearts of many migrants,
who deeply desire a better life and not infrequently try to leave behind the “hopelessness”
of an unpromising future. During their journey many of them are sustained by the deep
trust that God never abandons his children; this certainty makes the pain of their
uprooting and separation more tolerable and even gives them the hope of eventually
returning to their country of origin.
Faith and hope are often among
the possessions which emigrants carry with them, knowing that with them, “we can face
our present: the present, even if it is arduous, can be lived and accepted if it leads
towards a goal, if we can be sure of this goal, and if this goal is great enough to
justify the effort of the journey”
In the vast sector of migration, the
Pope points out, the Church shows her maternal concern in a variety of ways.
To
comment on and to analyse the Pope's message, Vatican Radio's Linda Bordoni spoke
to someone who is deeply involved in the concerns of migrants and refugees and is
dedicating her professional life and know-how to how providing migrants with a landing,
some much needed legal support and information, and hopefully – a springboard for
their future.
Her name is Katrine Camilleri. She is a lawyer and the recipient
of an important prize for those who work in the field: the Nansen refugee Award.
She
is also the Director of Jesuit Refugee Services Malta. She reflects on Pope Benedict's
2013 message to migrants and refugees…
listen...
Ms
Camilleri says that one thing that struck her was the reference to the fact that many
migrants and refugees suffer tremendously often before they leave and also along the
way, but that their journey is accompanied always by a great hope: the hope they will
be received, treated with respect and given the chance to have a new life.
The
Pope - she says - talks about being able to build with hope and courage a new life
in a new country, hoping that they will receive acceptance, solidarity and help.
"And
what it makes me question is: how many refugees, how many migrants landing on our
shores, having been through terrible experiences along the way, have their hope realised...
how many find the hope and solidarity they are seeking".
She speaks of the
reality of refugees in Malta. She says "it is so difficult for them to be accepted.
to Be treated with equal rights and equal dignity".
Not everyone - she says
- treats them with a lack of respect, but many people do. And real integration, which
the Pope mentions in his message, is so hard. "And so I think the Pope's message is
an invitation to all of us to do everything that we can, that is in our power, to
see that the hope of refugees and migrants is to the extent possible realised".
Ms
Camilleri speaks of the work of Jesuit Refugee Services in Malta where the Church
plays a big part in receivng migrants and in providing services. She explains that
before the government had any services in place the Diocesan Church had basic services
to assist people arriving, and still today, she explains, the Church does much.
But
she says "the Pope's message is an invitation to see where we can do more and where
we can improve the quality of what we do and how we do it; that we don't simply provide
charitable services but that we promote a culture where people are respected and treated
with dignity. And where migrants are not the passive recipients of our charity because
'we are good and we help them', but because they have rights. They have the right
to be treated with dignity and respect and to receive the protection that they need".
Ms Camilleri speaks of the women migrants and refugees who have often been
exploited and abused during their journeys. And she mentions the issue of human trafficking
and the need to tackle it.
She says we play a big responsibility in upholding
the faith and the hope migrants and refugees carry with them . "We play a large part
in the refugees' hope for a life of dignity". She says attitudes do have to change,
as do perceptions: "we cannot continue to see migrants and refugees as a burden -
they have lots to give".
As a country, Ms Camilleri concludes: "Malta, we
can benefit if we are open to receive the gifts migrants can bring".