Christians must not exclude, and are to welcome their suffering brothers and sisters.
Pope Francis stressed this today during his General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, where he was accompanied by a group of at least 14 refugees seated near him on the stage.
As Francis read the catechesis, he departed from his text to refer to these refugees taken to Rome by Caritas of Florence and the European University. According to Italian Vatican-news blog IlSismografo, the group was made up of young people from different countries and continents, including from Africa, Asia, Syria and Iraq.
Acknowledging how many refugees are forced to flee from their countries, Francis urged all faithful to be welcoming toward them.
“So many think that it would have been better if they would have remained in their lands, but they were suffering so much there,” Francis told the faithful.
“So many consider them excluded, please: they are our brothers! A Christian doesn’t exclude anyone,” he said.
