Migrants, Pope Francis: deaths at sea are a shame for society

A new cry of alarm rises from the Vatican with the words of Pope Francis, who on the occasion of the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of his visit to Lampedusa, wrote to the Archbishop of Agrigento, Monsignor Alessandro Damiano. “In these days when we are witnessing the repetition of serious tragedies in the Mediterranean,” the letter reads, “we are shaken by silent massacres before which we still remain helpless and astonished. The deaths of innocent people, mainly children, in search of a more peaceful existence, far from wars and violence, are a painful and deafening cry that cannot leave us indifferent. It is the shame of a society that no longer knows how to weep and sympathize with others,” warns the Pope, adding, “The occurrence of such inhumane disasters must absolutely shake our consciences.” “We must change our attitude,” the Pontiff continues, “the brother who knocks on the door is deserving of love, welcome, and every care. He is a brother who, like me, has been placed on this earth to enjoy what exists here and to share it in communion. In this context, we are all called to a renewed and profound sense of responsibility, demonstrating solidarity and sharing.” The appeal also extends to the Church, which must “exert itself with solicitude to place itself on the routes of the forgotten, going out of itself, soothing with the balm of brotherhood and charity the bleeding wounds of those who bear in their bodies the same wounds as Christ. I urge you, therefore, not to remain imprisoned in fear or in partisan logic, but to be Christians capable of enriching this island, located in the heart of the Mediterranean, with the spiritual wealth of the Gospel, so that it may shine again in its original beauty,” concludes Francis.