Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, marked July 4 with an appeal to Americans to receive immigrants with “compassion and generosity” as he made a visit to the frontlines of the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean.
A Message to the US
In a letter released soon after he arrived on the southern Italian island Lampedusa, the pope said that protecting human life meant “welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants,” whose “hopes, sacrifices and contribution” had formed part of the history of the United States.
Two high-profile leaders in the US Catholic church have told CNN that Pope Leo’s July 4 visit to the island, the main port of entry to Europe for hundreds of thousands of mostly African migrants, sends a message to the US about immigration.
The pope visited the cemetery, where there is a section for migrants, and met migrants, blessing a dedication plaque to Pope Francis, who paid an impactful visit to the island in 2013.
In his homily, the pope called on European leaders to put in place plans for “receiving, protecting, supporting and integrating migrants,” while at the same time “assisting developing countries so that no one is forced to emigrate.”
Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.
