VATICAN - Pope at the Angelus reminds immigrants of the words of the Apostle Paul, “in the Church you are not foreigners or guests, but you are part of the family of God,” and invites them “to accompany with your prayers the efforts of numerous persons of good will who are trying to stop the tragedy,” in the Gaza Strip and mentions that “the ecumenical task is even more urgent today, to give to our society, which is marked by tragic conflicts and lacerating divisions, a sign and an impulse toward reconciliation and peace”

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – On the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Sunday January 18, the Holy Father Benedict XVI made reference to his Message for the occasion during his address prior to the recitation of the Angelus. As this is the Year of Saint Paul, “thinking of St. Paul as the great itinerant missionary of the Gospel,” the theme is “St. Paul Migrant, Apostle of the Gentiles.” “Paul became the "ambassador" of the risen Christ to make him known to all, in the conviction that in him all peoples are called to form the great family of the children of God,” the Pope said before praying the Angelus. “This is also the Church's mission, more than ever in this time of globalization. As Christians it is impossible for us not to feel the need to transmit Jesus' message of love, especially to those who do not know him, or who find themselves in difficult and painful situations.”
Directing his thought towards immigrants, Benedict XVI mentioned that their situation “in some cases, thanks be to God, it is peaceful and they are well integrated; in other cases, unfortunately, it is painful, difficult and sometimes even dramatic.” He then assured that “the Christian community looks on every person and every family with attention and asks St. Paul for the strength of a renewed dedication to work in every part of the world for peaceful coexistence of men and women of different ethnicities, cultures and religions.” He then mentioned how all Christians, according to their vocation, wherever they live and work, are called to bear witness to the Gospel, “with a greater concern for those brothers and sisters who have come from different countries for various reasons to live among us, giving value to the phenomenon of migration as an occasion of the meeting of civilizations.” The Holy Father encouraged everyone to pray and act “so that this always takes place in a peaceful and constructive way, in respect and dialogue, preventing every temptation to conflict and abuse,” and added “a special word for sailors and fisherman, who for some time have been experiencing great uneasiness. Besides the usual difficulties, they are also suffering from the restrictions of bringing chaplains on board, as well as from the dangers of pirates and the damage of illegal fishing.”
After the Angelus, the Pope once again addressed the conflict in the Gaza Strip with these words: “I continue to follow the conflict in the Gaza Strip with deep trepidation. Let us also bring before the Lord today the hundreds of children, old people, women who are innocent victims of the inconceivable violence, the wounded, those who are grieving for their loved ones and those who have lost their possessions. I also invite you to accompany with your prayers the efforts of numerous persons of good will who are trying to stop the tragedy. I sincerely hope that it is seen how to profit, with wisdom, from the space opened up to reinstate the truce and move toward peaceful and durable solutions. In this regard, I renew my encouragement of those who, on the one side and on the other, believe that in the Holy Land there is room for all, that they help their people to rise up from the rubble and terror and courageously take up again the thread of dialogue in justice and truth. This is the only way that they can effectively unlock a future of peace for the children of that dear land.”
Then, recalling the Week of Prayer for the Unity of Christians, which is celebrated January 18-25, the Holy Father mentioned the Biblical theme of this year, proposed by an ecumenical group from Korea: “One in your hand” (Ez 37:17). He then said: “Let us too welcome this invitation and pray with greater intensity that Christians walk in a resolute way toward full communion with each other. I especially address Catholics throughout the world that, united in prayer, they do not tire to work to overcome obstacles that still impede full communion among Christ's disciples. The ecumenical task is even more urgent today, to give to our society, which is marked by tragic conflicts and lacerating divisions, a sign and an impulse toward reconciliation and peace. We will conclude this Week of Prayer in the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls with the celebration of vespers, next Sunday, the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, Apostle, who made the unity of the body of Christ an essential nucleus of his preaching.”
After greeting the pilgrims in various languages, Benedict XVI addressed representatives from the Catholic migrant communities present in Rome: “Dear friends, I repeat the words of the Apostle Paul: In the Church you are not foreigners or guests, but you are part of the family of God. Know how to insert yourselves well in the ecclesial and civil community, with the wealth of your faith and your traditions.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 19/1/2009)