Joining other world leaders at the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants in New York this week, Cardinal Pietro Parolin spoke during the round table discussion about the root causes of migration.
CARD. PIETRO PAROLIN
Vatican Secretary of State
'The greatest challenge before us, however, is to identify and act on the root causes that force millions of people to leave their homes, their livelihoods, their families and their countries, risking their very lives and those of their loved ones in the search for safety, peace and better lives in foreign lands. The primary cause of todayâ??s refugee and migrant crisis is man-made: namely, wars and conflicts.â?
Coinciding with this theme, he said one of the main causes of displacement was the manufacturing and sale of weapons. He mentioned the Holy See's disapproval of dangerous weapons in the hands of those who are unfit or are incapable of utilizing these weapons responsibly.
CARD. PIETRO PAROLIN
Vatican Secretary of State
'Although other groups are heavily targeted, many reports confirm that Christians are by far the most persecuted faith group. Some of those persecuted, even in asylum countries, are facing harassment in refugee settings. We must not abandon them.â?
Another stated cause of this immigration is the unbearable poverty plaguing many parts of the world today. Parolin said this problem should be addressed, because many migrants are forced into human trafficking or slavery.
CARD. PIETRO PAROLIN
Vatican Secretary of State
'In our efforts to address effectively the root causes of large movements of refugees and other forced migrants, we should also strive to eliminate the structural causes of poverty and hunger, attain more substantial results in protecting the environment, ensure dignified and productive labor for all, provide access to quality education, and give appropriate protection to the family, which is an essential element in human and social development.â?
The Head of the Delegation of the Holy See attended and addressed the issue as a public profession to the fundamental human rights and God-given dignity that Pope Francis so often speaks about.
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