Vatican Christmas concert will support refugees in Iraq, Uganda

Vatican City, Dec 14, 2018 / 10:17 am

This Christmas it is particularly important to support refugees and migrants, Pope Francis said Friday, ahead of the Vatican Christmas Concert fundraiser in support of young refugee education.

"Christmas is always new because it invites us to be reborn in faith, to open ourselves to hope, to rekindle charity," Pope Francis said in the Clementine Hall of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace Dec. 14.

"This year, in particular, calls us to reflect on the situation of many men, women and children of our time - migrants, displaced persons, and refugees - marching to escape wars, miseries caused by social injustice and climate change," the pope continued.

Pope Francis stressed his particular concern for the "little ones" among migrants, who face dangerous situations and "long marches on foot" when they should be "sitting among the school desks, like their peers."

"They too need training to be able to work tomorrow and participate as citizens, aware of the common good," he commented.

The Holy Father expressed gratitude for the work of two papal charities that support young refugees in Iraq and Uganda. "Missioni Don Bosco" in Uganda and "Scholas Occurrentes" in Iraq will both receive proceeds from the Vatican Christmas Concert taking place in Vatican City's Paul VI Hall Dec.14.

"Missioni Don Bosco" is an Italian Catholic charity supporting the education of disadvantaged youth in developing countries. Their Salesian missionaries in Uganda aid refugee families from South Sudan. One of their educational projects in the Palabek refugee camp provides vocational training to 1,500 students, who also receive one meal a day.

The Pontifical Foundation's "Scholas Occurrentes" was founded by Bergoglio while he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires as an initiative to encourage social integration and the culture of encounter through technology, arts and sports.

On Friday, Pope Francis met with young Iraqi refugees supported by "Scholas Occurrentes," and the artists performing in the Christmas concert, and shared his message on the importance of education and solidarity.

The pope drew a direct link between the Christmas story and the needs of child refugees today. "When the violent anger of Herod struck the territory of Bethlehem, the Holy Family of Nazareth experienced the anguish of persecution, and guided by God, took refuge in Egypt," he said.

"The little Jesus reminds us that half of the refugees of today, in the world, are children, innocent victims of human injustices," he continued.