Pope Francis in a message this week to the participants in the Mexico/Holy See Colloquium on Migration and Development stated that “A change of attitude towards migrants and refugees is needed on the part of everyone, moving away from attitudes of defensiveness and fear, indifference and marginalization.” Describing such attitudes as “typical of a throwaway culture,” he called for a change “towards attitudes based on a culture of encounter; the only culture capable of building a better, more just and fraternal world.”

Addressing directly the child migrants from Central America, the pope said, “This humanitarian emergency requires, as a first urgent measure, these children be welcomed and protected. These measures, however, will not be sufficient, unless they are accompanied by policies that inform people about the dangers of such a journey and, above all, that promote development in their countries of origin.”

Calling the migration crisis the principal manifestation of globalization and “one of the ‘signs’ of this time we live in,” the pope said, “We should be reminded of Jesus’ question … ‘Why do you not know how to interpret the preset time?’ ”

Migration, he continued, “is a phenomenon that carries with it great promise and many challenges. Many people who are forced to emigrate suffer, and often, die tragically. Many of their rights are violated. They are obliged to separate from their families and, unfortunately, continue to be the subject of racist and xenophobic attitudes.”

Finally, the Holy Father concluded, “this challenge demands the attention of the entire international community so that new forms of legal and secure migration may be adopted.”

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