EUROPE/ITALY - Missionary institutes in Italy reaffirm: “the culture of respect, equality and promotion of diversity, able to see migrants as bearers of values and resources”

Rome (Agenzia Fides) – "In the phenomena of migration as well, we missionaries propose a vision full of faith and hope because, beyond the dramatic implications that accompany the stories of immigrants, their faces and their stories bear the stamp of salvation history and the theology of the 'signs of the times'. The Church, in fact, intends to further the culture of respect, equality, and promotion of diversity that is able to see migrants as bearers of values and resources." This is what the Conference of Missionary Institutes in Italy (CIMI) and its Commission for Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation have written in a document on "Missionaries and Immigrants. We cannot keep silent."
After noting that "we live in the era of greatest mobility in known history. Over 214 million international migrants, about 740 million displaced people, some of them being internally displaced persons. This means that one in seven people in the world is a migrant, the text presents an overview of the situation, European and Italian, with regard to migration policies, touching some hot spots, such as xenophobia and racism, the Centers for identification and expulsion, the legislation, the rejections, trafficking, human rights ... "The presence of migrants in our midst - the text says - reminds us that from the biblical point of view, freedom and prosperity are gifts and as such can be maintained only when shared with those who lack them. The foundations of respect and acceptance of immigrants are found for us believers in the Word of God."
Among the commitments made, the text declares the willingness to "learn to see migration as 'a sign of the times', for Church and Society," listening to the call of the documents of the Magisterium, sharing the statements made by the African bishops concerning emigration during the Second Synod for Africa in October 2009 and reiterating the desire to be "on the side of immigrants" as "siding with the poorest." It also highlights the need for action, providing staff and facilities for working with immigrants. Lastly, they ask the Italian Bishops' Conference to prepare a document that “offers the necessary guidance to the Christian community." (SL) (Agenzia Fides 06/07/2010)