THE DIALOGUE ELEMENT OF SOCIAL COEXISTENCE WITH MIGRANTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 9, 2001 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received the participants of the General Chapter of Missionaries of St. Charles (Scalabrinians), with the words: "Continually wider spheres of migration require you to have the courage to open yourselves to new frontiers, to which the mission calls you."

"The growing number of non-Christian migrants," the Holy Father continued, "cannot receive indifference from the ecclesial Communities which are called to announce and witness to the salvific love of the Father."

John Paul II went on to affirm: "The presence of migrants has transformed many countries into multiethnic and multicultural societies. Such diversity is often perceived as a threat to the cultural and religious identity of the country welcoming these individuals. From this, inclinations to xenophobic closure arise, bringing with them the danger of tensions and misunderstandings, damaging to the social peace. In the face of the risk of ethnic clashes, all are invited to rethink social coexistence in terms of dialogue and conviviality."

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