VATICAN - Final Message of the 17th plenary session of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People on the theme: "Migration and Itinerancy from and towards Islamic majority Countries”

Friday, 23 June 2006

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Made public today was the final Message of the 17th plenary session of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, which was held in the Vatican from May 15 to 17 on the theme: "Migration and Itinerancy from and towards Islamic majority Countries”. The lengthy document refers in the first part to the work of the plenary session, and the address of the Holy Father, Benedict XVI and then summarises the interventions given on different aspects of the main theme.
The second part of the message contains 52 Conclusions and Recommendations grouped by theme. Speaking of “Muslim migrants in Christian majority countries” the participants say “Catholics, in particular, are called to practice solidarity with Muslim immigrants, to be open to sharing with them and to know more about their culture and religion. At the same time they are to bear witness to their own Christian values, also in view of a new evangelisation which of course respects freedom of conscience and religion. This means that Christians must get to know more deeply their identity as disciples of Christ, bearing witness to this in their lives and rediscovering their role in the new evangelisation.”
The participants in the Plenary Session strongly showed awareness of the need for “authentic dialogue between believers of different religions, especially between Christians and Muslims”, especially so in western societies, “in order to improve mutual knowledge and understanding, as well as reciprocal respect and peace. In any case, while it is necessary to welcome Muslim immigrants with respect for their religious freedom, it is likewise indispensable for them to respect the cultural and religious identity of the host societies.” They stress the need to propose “a model of religious dialogue which is not only conversation, nor just listening to one another, but which reaches a mutual revelation of each one’s own profound spiritual convictions.” The participants of the Plenary Session also expressed the hope that in “those areas where Christian and Muslims ‘live together’, they may unite their efforts, together with all their other fellow citizens, to guarantee everyone, without distinction of religion, the full exercise of his/her rights and individual freedoms, personally and as a member of a community.”
In Islamic majority countries, Christians and immigrant workers, “in general poor and without real contractual power, have great difficulty in having their human rights recognised.”. The Church must assist Christian migrants in these countries as in the rest of the world “in a context of due respect for legality and an interest in the formulation of just legislation concerning human mobility and the legal protection of all those involved.” The Church must make sure emigrants “are provided with a specific and even integrated pastoral care. This is true also in Islamic-majority countries”
Considering the various sectors of migration and movement, the participants agreed that with regard to migrants “the Church must take care that they are properly integrated, with due respect for each one’s culture and religion . Therefore the Church must encourage dialogue that is intercultural and social, as well as inter-religious, with respect for due distinctions”.
The participants underlined the importance of the school to “assure education to the new generations, also because the school has a fundamental role to play in overcoming the conflict of ignorance and prejudices, and to have a correct and objective knowledge of the other’s religion, with special attention to the freedom of conscience and religion”, and that it is “indispensable to work for a verification of textbooks also regarding the presentation of history in relation to the religions.”.
With regard to States and religious freedom the participants stressed the need “to work hard everywhere so that what prevails would be a culture of ‘living together’ between host and immigrant populations, in a spirit of mutual civic understanding and respect for everyone’s human rights”. It was observed with satisfaction that “many States of Islamic majority have established diplomatic relations with the Holy See, thus becoming more sensitive in guaranteeing human rights, affirming the will to establish intercultural and inter-religious dialogue, in the framework of sound plurality.” In other countries it is necessary to deplore, in some countries, the restrictions of human rights, especially when linked to religious differences, and the absence of the freedom also to change one’s religion”.
The document concludes recognising the special importance of the means of social communication “for the creation of an appropriate climate of understanding and respect as they give information on religious matters.”. Journalists and media operators should assume their responsibilities because “the media can also give an important contribution to the “formation” (and, unfortunately, vice-versa, the deformation) of Christians and Muslims”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 23/6/2006, righe 54, parole 718)


Share: