Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is praying for migrants and refugees as record numbers seek asylum in Europe.
The former Pope’s personal secretary, Archbishop Georg Ganswein, assured Mass-goers in the port city of Ancona, Italy, of Benedict’s prayers, Vatican Radio reported.
After celebrating Mass in Ancona on Sunday, Archbishop Ganswein said, «Unfortunately the sea for many has become a tomb, but it should be a bridge. It must not be considered a border: the sea connects one country to another, one continent to another. If there are problems in a country or in a continent, the opposite shore should be there to help.»
During the homily Archbishop Ganswein said, “We live in times of difficulty and crisis (…) and in a society that is becoming more and more cruel and sometimes inhuman,» Vatican Radio reported. «We must find ways to recuperate hope and the serenity that comes from knowing that God’s living presence is amongst us.»
