Migration is an urgent and complex issue...
Migration is an urgent and complex issue, but a fundamental change of approach is needed
Bishop Paul McAleenan issued a timely reminder that migrants and refugees are above all human beings that “must be treated
with respect and dignity,” and “It is also imperative that everyone refrains from inflammatory language that undermines people’s
humanity and creates tensions between communities.”
He also made the fundamentally important point that the real issue at hand is not stemming the flow of migrants, but tackling the
circumstances and upheavals that put people and families on the road in the first place. The reasons for this can be many and complex,
from war to poverty, misgovernment to exploitation, but the common denominator is inequality.
In addition, the bishop has pointed out, adopting a more humane approach to the stranger in our midst is only one half of the challenge.
The other is to create safe and viable homelands that render such desperate migrations unnecessary.
(The Catholic Network)
