Vatican City, Sep 22, 2017 / 10:41 am
On Friday, Pope Francis said that the mass arrival of migrants and refugees may have its challenges, but also gives us the opportunity to be missionaries – even without leaving home.
"Contemporary migratory flows constitute a new missionary 'frontier,' a privileged opportunity to announce Jesus Christ and his Gospel without moving from our own environment," the Pope said Sept. 22.
In personal encounters with refugees and migrants, especially those from different faiths, we can "concretely bear witness to the Christian faith," finding a "fertile ground for the development of a genuine and enriching ecumenical and interreligious dialogue."
Pope Francis spoke about immigration in an audience with national directors of pastoral care for migrants. They were participating in a meeting organized by the Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE) in Rome Sept. 21-23.