Vatican City, 15 July 2014 (VIS) –
Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin spoke at yesterday's
meeting between Mexico and the Holy See dedicated to “international
migration and development”, attended also by the foreign ministers
of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, on the theme of the
responsibility of the parties involved in the phases of departure,
transit and arrival of migrants. The following are extensive extracts
from his address, given in Spanish.
“The great contribution of
Christianity to humanity, then, with the maturing of the times, will
be recognised for the enlightenment that universal fraternity is a
political category. Reason enlightened by faith joyfully shows that
the human family are all children of the same Father. ... In a
radical way, Christianity has stated from the very beginning that we
are all free, we are all equal, we are all brothers. As a result, the
dignity of the person derives not from their economic situation,
political affiliation, level of education, immigration status or
religious belief. Every human being, for the very fact of being a
person, possesses a dignity that deserves to be treated with the
utmost respect.
“Every day we receive further news of
the huge number of people in the world who are forced to leave behind
their homeland on account of tragic situations of suffering and pain.
The causes are always the same: violation of the most elementary
human rights, violence, lack of security, wars, unemployment and
poverty. … In their attempt to arrive in a promised land where it
is possible to lead a dignified life, thousands of people experience
hunger, humiliation, violations of their dignity, sometimes torture,
and some die amid the indifference of many. It is astonishing to see
that, in the twenty-first century, there are victims of human
trafficking, forced to work in conditions of semi-slavery or sexually
abused; there are those who fall into the clutches of criminal bands
who operate at a transnational level, often with impunity on account
of corruption and certain collusion. The issue before us today, human
mobility in today's world, is entrenched in this world of pain to
which no-one can remain indifferent, especially the Church. It is the
greatest movement of people, including entire populations, of all
time.
“I think I can say with reason that
in our globalised world, progress is not achieved only with a greater
flow of capital, goods and information. An increase in the commercial
and financial exchange between nations does not automatically lead to
an improvement in the living standards of the population, nor does it
automatically generate more wealth. In this regard, we note that
nations, especially those that are more economically and socially
advanced, owe their development largely to migrants. ... Those
societies in which legal immigrants are not openly welcomed, but are
instead treated with prejudice, as dangerous or harmful subjects,
show themselves to be weak and unprepared for the challenges of the
coming decades. By contrast, those that are able to see newcomers as
generators of wealth, especially of a human and cultural nature,
therefore know how to appropriately welcome them; those societies
that make consistent efforts to integrate immigrants, offer an
unequivocal message of solidity and guarantees to the entire
international community, which can generate further progress.
“It is certain that human mobility
and its impact on development are two of the most complex social
phenomena, difficult to resolve without a general spirit of trust. On
the one hand, immigrants must seek to integrate in the country that
receives them, respecting its laws and national identity. On the
other, the State also has the duty of defending its borders, without
ever forgetting the importance of respect for human righs and the
duty of solidarity. It is clear that the phenomenon of migration
cannot be resolved solely by legislative measures or by adopting
public policies, good though they may be, and far less so solely
through the deployment of the forces of security and order. The
solution to the problem of migration requires a profound cultural and
social conversion that enables a closed culture to transform into a
'culture of welcome and encounter'.
“In this context, the Church has
always been, and will continue to be, a loyal collaborator. ... By
definition, being Catholic means being universal and transnational.
Its message is not confined to the private lives of the faithful, but
instead seeks conversion, expanding and reaching towards paths of
culture and social justice, since it is not possible to define
oneself as Christian and then turn one's back on justice and
fraternity, also with non-believers. Furthermore, the Holy See, the
central government of the universal Church, is a subject with full
sovereignty in international law and has full legal personality. ...
Aided by Pontifical Representatives, the Holy See participates in the
most varied political forums with the aim of ensuring that universal
human rights are fully protected with respect for the ethical and
moral principles that shape social life. The Church will always
support, at national and international level, any initiative for the
adoption of joint policies.
“In relation to the phenomenon of
migration, we urgently need to overcome atavistic fears and to
establish common strategies at sub-regional, regional and worldwide
levels to include all sectors of society. Let us think, for example,
of the United States of America, whose administration has in recent
weeks published data referring to the migratory flow of children who
cross borders unaccompanied by adults. The number grows exponentially
day by day. Whether they are journeying because of poverty, violence
or in the hope of reuniting with families on the other side of the
border, it is urgent to protect and help them, as their weakness is
greater and, defenceless, they are vulnerable to all forms of abuse
and misfortune. Politics is the art of the possible. Let us make
possible what seems impossible; let us be ambitious in facing up to
challenges. Let us not be discouraged by apparent failures.”
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