REFUGEE SITUATIONS ARE "A SERIOUS OFFENSE AGAINST GOD"

VATICAN CITY, JUN 15, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father, from his study window overlooking St. Peter's Square, addressed the faithful who had assembled there for the noon Angelus, reminding them of the celebration today of Trinity Sunday and of the forthcoming World Day of Refugees.

He noted that "the unity and the trinity of God is the first mystery of the Catholic faith. We reach this at the end of the entire path of revelation, which is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, in His incarnation, passion, death and resurrection. From the summit of the 'holy mountain', which is Christ, we contemplate the first and last horizon of the universe and of history: the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

"God is not solitude, but perfect communion. From being God communion derives the vocation of all of mankind to form one great family, in which different races and cultures meet and enrich each other reciprocally."

Pope John Paul then turned to the celebration this coming Friday, June 20, of the World Day of Refugees. He said that in the light of communion "every situation in which persons or groups of people are forced to flee their own land to seek refugee elsewhere is a serious offense against God and all men."

He underscored that "in the world nearly half of all refugees are children and young people. Many of them do not attend school, they lack basic goods, they live in refugee camps or even in detention." The Pope then called on "the international community to commit itself to taking care of not only the symptoms but above all the causes of the problem: that is, to prevent conflicts by promoting justice and solidarity in every sphere of the human family."

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