Pope urges US action on refugee crisis

Pope Francis appealed to the United States to help refugees fleeing war and poverty, in a historic speech to the US Congress that touched on several political issues.

“Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Second World War,” the pontiff told US lawmakers, referring to the thousands of refugees reaching Europe’s shores after fleeing from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

“On this continent, too, thousands of people are led to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunities,” he added, referring to Central American immigrants. “Is this not what we want for our own children?”

Pope Francis, himself the son of European immigrants to the Americas, urged the US Congress to look at migrants and refugees as “people” and not as “numbers”. 

“We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation,” he said.

In his speech, the Pope also called for “courageous and responsible” action against climate change, describing it as “environmental deterioration caused by human activity”.

“I am convinced that we can make a difference and I have no doubt that the United States – and this Congress – have an important role to play,” he declared.

The Pope also warned of the danger posed by religious and political extremists.

“We know that no religion is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological extremism,” he said. “That means that we must be especially attentive to every type of fundamentalism, whether religious or of any other kind.

“A delicate balance is required to combat violence perpetrated in the name of a religion, an ideology or an economic system, while also safeguarding religious freedom, intellectual freedom and individual freedoms.”