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MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
FOR THE 93rd WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES (2007)
The migrant family
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
On the occasion of the coming World Day of Migrants and Refugees,
and looking at the Holy Family of Nazareth, icon of all families,
I would like to invite you to reflect on the condition of the
migrant family. The evangelist Matthew narrates that shortly after
the birth of Jesus, Joseph was forced to leave for Egypt by night,
taking the child and his mother with him, in order to flee the
persecution of king Herod (cf. Mt 2:13-15). Making a comment on
this page of the Gospel, my venerable Predecessor, the Servant
of God Pope Pius XII, wrote in 1952: "The family of Nazareth
in exile, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, emigrants and taking refuge
in Egypt to escape the fury of an evil king, are the model, the
example and the support of all emigrants and pilgrims of every
age and every country, of all refugees of any condition who, compelled
by persecution and need, are forced to abandon their homeland,
their beloved relatives, their neighbors, their dear friends,
and move to a foreign land" (Exsul familia, AAS 44, 1952,
649). In this misfortune experienced by the Family of Nazareth,
obliged to take refuge in Egypt, we can catch a glimpse of the
painful condition in which all migrants live, especially, refugees,
exiles, evacuees, internally displaced persons, those who are
persecuted. We can take a quick look at the difficulties that
every migrant family lives through, the hardships and humiliations,
the deprivation and fragility of millions and millions of migrants,
refugees and internally displaced people. The Family of Nazareth
reflects the image of God safeguarded in the heart of every human
family, even if disfigured and weakened by emigration.
The theme of the next World Day of Migrants and Refugees - The
migrant family - is in continuity with those of 1980, 1986
and 1993. It intends to underline further the commitment of the
Church not only in favor of the individual migrant, but also of
his family, which is a place and resource of the culture of life
and a factor for the integration of values. The migrant's family
meets many difficulties. The distance of its members from one
another and unsuccessful reunification often result in breaking
the original ties. New relationships are formed and new affections
arise. Some migrants forget the past and their duties, as they
are subjected to the hard trial of distance and solitude. If the
immigrant family is not ensured of a real possibility of inclusion
and participation, it is difficult to expect its harmonious development.
The International Convention for the protection of the rights
of all migrant workers and members of their families, which was
enforced on July 1st, 2003, intends to defend men and women migrant
workers and the members of their respective families. This means
that the value of the family is recognized, also in the sphere
of emigration, which is now a structural phenomenon of our societies.
The Church encourages the ratification of the international legal
instruments that aim to defend the rights of migrants, refugees
and their families and, through its various Institutions and Associations,
offers its advocacy that is becoming more and more necessary.
To this end, it has opened Centres where migrants are listened
to, Houses where they are welcomed, Offices for services offered
to persons and families, with other initiatives set up to respond
to the growing needs in this field.
Much is already being done for the integration of the families
of immigrants, although much still remains to be done. There are
real difficulties connected with some "defense mechanisms"
on the part of the first generation immigrants, which run the
risk of becoming an obstacle to the greater maturity of the young
people of the second generation. This is why it is necessary to
provide for legislative, juridical and social intervention to
facilitate such an integration. In recent times, there is an increase
in the number of women who leave their countries of origin in
search of better conditions of life, in view of more promising
professional prospects. However, women who end up as victims of
trafficking of human beings and of prostitution are not few in
number. In family reunification, social workers, especially religious
women, can render an appreciated service of mediation that merits
our gratitude more and more.
Regarding the integration of the families of immigrants, I feel
it my duty to call your attention to the families of refugees,
whose conditions seem to have gone worse in comparison with the
past, also specifically regarding the reunification of family
nuclei. In the camps assigned to them, in addition to logistic
difficulties, and those of a personal character linked to the
trauma and emotional stress caused by the tragic experiences they
went through, sometimes there is also the risk of women and children
being involved in sexual exploitation, as a survival mechanism.
In these cases an attentive pastoral presence is necessary. Aside
from giving assistance capable of healing the wounds of the heart,
pastoral care should also offer the support of the Christian community,
able to restore the culture of respect and have the true value
of love found again. It is necessary to encourage those who are
interiorly-wrecked to recover trust in themselves. Everything
must also be done to guarantee the rights and dignity of the families
and to assure them housing facilities according to their needs.
Refugees are asked to cultivate an open and positive attitude
towards their receiving society and maintain an active willingness
to accept offers to participate in building together an integrated
community that would be a "common household" for all.
Among migrants, there is a category that needs to be considered
in a special way: the students from other countries, who are far
from home, without an adequate knowledge of the language, at times
without friends and often with a scholarship that is insufficient
for their needs. Their condition is even worse if they are married.
Through its Institutions, the Church exerts every effort to render
the absence of family support for these young students less painful.
It helps them integrate in the cities that receive them, by putting
them in contact with families that are willing to offer them hospitality
and facilitate knowing one another. As I had the opportunity to
say on another occasion, helping foreign students is "an
important field of pastoral action… Indeed, young people
who leave their own country in order to study encounter many problems
and especially the risk of an identity crisis" (L'Osservatore
Romano, 15 December 2005).
Dear Brothers and Sisters, may the World Day of Migrants and
Refugees become a useful occasion to build awareness, in the ecclesial
community and public opinion, regarding the needs and problems,
as well as the positive potentialities of migrant families. My
thoughts go in a special way to those who are directly involved
in the vast phenomenon of migration, and to those who expend their
pastoral energy in the service of human mobility. The words of
the apostle Paul, "caritas Christi urget nos"
(2 Cor 5:14), urge us to give ourselves preferentially to our
brothers and sisters who are most in need. With these sentiments,
I invoke divine assistance on each one and I affectionately impart
to all a special Apostolic Blessing.
From the Vatican, 18 October 2006
BENEDICTUS PP. XVI
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