Rome, Italy, Sep 12, 2013 / 01:03 am
Pope Francis called for solidarity with refugees during his Tuesday visit to a Jesuit refugee center in Rome, reminding Christians of their duty to help meet the newcomers' needs.
He lamented how many times refugees have been "forced to live in impoverished conditions, at times degrading, without the possibility of beginning a dignified life, to think about a new future!"
The Pope voiced special concern for the refugee women, including "the mothers who endure these hardships in order to ensure a future for their children...and a different life for themselves and their families," Vatican Radio reports.
He met with refugees and volunteers at Rome's Church of the Gesù and visited about 1,000 people gathered at the nearby Astalli Center. The center is the Italian branch of the Jesuit Refugee Service, an international network that assists refugees and other forced migrants.