Pope Francis has released The Pope Video prayer intention for June, inviting the Church to pray for people who flee their home countries. Source: Vatican News.
In the video, the Pope reminds Christians that “whoever welcomes a migrant welcomes Christ,” and expresses how often this context is forgotten.
In recent years, the number of people who have been displaced has exceeded that during the Second World War.
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, 2023 saw 110 million people forcefully displaced throughout the world.
In this context, Pope Francis has repeatedly asked throughout his pontificate that migrants be accompanied, promoted and integrated.
“The feeling of uprootedness or not knowing where they belong often accompanies the trauma experienced by people who are forced to flee their homeland because of war or poverty,” Pope Francis says in the video.
For this reason, he exhorts, “we promote a social and political culture that protects the rights and dignity of migrants, a culture that promotes the possibility that they can achieve their full potential”.
Consistent with the intention of this video message, each year since 1914, the Church has invited the faithful to pray for migrants on the World Day of Migrants and Refugees.
“God walks with His People” is the theme chosen for the day this year, which will be held on September 29.
Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development prefect Cardinal Michael Czerny reflected on Pope Francis’ video message.
“All of us are invited to welcome, protect, promote and integrate any person who has fled their homeland to save their lives or who are searching for a dignified future.”
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Pope’s June prayer intention: ‘For those fleeing their own countries’ (By Deborah Castellano Lubov, Vatican News)
