Vatican City, Jan 19, 2016 / 00:08 am
The Archbishop of Vienna has warned that as Europe's migrant crisis reaches a fever pitch, the continent risks falling into old fears that could build new walls that are contrary to the Christian concept of charity.
"Faced with the challenge of many migrants and refugees, which is a great challenge, there is the risk that everyone withdraws into their own limits; that the borders, barriers, walls, the Iron Curtain, will return, will exist again, even if in a different way," Cardinal Christoph Schönborn said Jan. 18.
An "enormous challenge" for Europe is to have the Christian virtues of prudence, mercy, and charity overcome the fears and "new nationalisms which seem outdated," but which are, in fact, alive and well, he said, adding that "we are again in a new wave of neo-nationalism in Europe."
The cardinal spoke at a news conference presenting the European Apostolic Congress on Mercy, which is set to take place in Rome March 31-April 4 as part of the Jubilee of Mercy.