Vatican City, October 6: Pope Leo XIV has called on the world's 1.4 billion Catholics to care for immigrants, delivering a message of welcome to migrants, just days after criticizing US President Donald Trump's hardline anti-immigration policies.
Speaking before thousands of believers in St. Peter's Square on October 5, Pope Leo said immigrants should not be treated "with indifference or discrimination."
Reuters quoted Pope Leo XIV as calling on Catholics to "open their arms and hearts to them, welcome them as brothers and sisters, and be a presence of comfort and hope for them."
The pope has previously criticized the immigration policies of US President Donald Trump's administration, questioning whether they are consistent with the Catholic Church's pro-life teachings.
"There are people who oppose abortion, but agree with the inhumane treatment of immigrants living in the United States. I don't know if that is truly 'pro-life'," Pope Leo XIV told reporters outside the residence in Castel Gandolfo (Italy) on September 30 when answering a question about the political situation in the United States.
Pope Leo XIV said the universal Church is experiencing "a new missionary age" in which it has a duty to promote "hospitality and welcome, compassion and solidarity" for migrants fleeing violence or seeking a safe place to live.
"In communities with a long Christian tradition, such as those in the West, the presence of many people from the global south should be welcomed as an opportunity, through an exchange aimed at renewing the face of the Church," according to Pope Leo XIV.
The Trump administration has not commented on the information. Earlier, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on October 1 dismissed Pope Leo XIV's criticism. "The administration is working to enforce the laws of the land in the most humane way possible and is defending the law," Ms. Leavitt said.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper