On behalf of modern society, Pope Francis begged the forgiveness of migrants and refugees Tuesday, asking them to forgive our “closed-mindedness and indifference” and insisting that each migrant has “the face of God.”
“Too often you have not been welcomed,” Francis said. “Forgive the closed-mindedness and indifference of our societies, which fear the change of lifestyle and mentality that your presence requires.”
The Pope addressed these words to migrants as part of a recorded video message in which he praised the work of the Jesuits who run the Centro Astalli, the Italian headquarters of the Jesuit Refugee Service. The message was released on April 19 in commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the center.