Pope Francis called on people to welcome the unknown as he delivered a mass for the 104th World Day of Migrants and Refugees.
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Pope Francis has called on people not to let fear keep them from welcoming the unknown. The Pontiff delivered the message at a special mass for the 104th World Day of Migrants and Refugees and urged those listening to treat newcomers with respect and dignity.
"Local communities are sometimes afraid that the newly arrived will disturb the established order, will take away from what has been long laboured to build up. And the newly arrived also have fears: they are afraid of confrontation, judgment, discrimination, failure. These fears are legitimate, based on doubts that are fully comprehensible from a human point of view. Having doubts and fears is not a sin. The sin is to allow these fears to determine our responses, to limit our choices, to compromise respect and generosity", said the pontiff.
Some 10, 000 people from the world over attended the service in St Peter's Basilica, including migrants and refugees who are now part of the Diocese of Rome.