Scottish Catholic Observer

Decrying victims of abortion, euthanasia, terrorism, trafficking and other travesties, the Holy Father told members of the Italian Science and Life Association last Saturday that progress in civilisation should not just be measured technological advancements, but also by the ability to ‘protect life during the most fragile stages.’

“Abortion is an attack against life,” the Pope said. “Leaving our brothers on boats to die in the Sicilian channel is an attack against life.”

His comments came as reception centres across Sicily and southern mainland Italy struggle to host the latest wave of more than 5000 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean at the weekend, according to Frontex, the European Union’s border agency. During 22 separate operations carried out by naval vessels and merchant ships, 4200 migrants were saved in 24 hours.

The migrants left war-torn Libya in 25 boats, and were rescued by vessels and aircraft from several European countries including Italy, Britain, Malta, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Iceland and Finland.

“This is the biggest wave of migrants we have seen in 2015,” Fabrice Leggeri, executive director Frontex, said in a statement. “The new vessels that joined operation Triton this week have already saved hundreds of people.”

Authorities were expected to carry out autopsies in coming days of the 17 migrants found dead by Italian Navy rescuers in order to determine cause of death. The most recent fatalities brings the death toll of men, women and children to die or go missing at sea this year to nearly 1800, according to the International Organisation for Migration.

Over the same period, approximately 45,000 migrants have landed in Italy.

Two days earlier the Pope gave a similar message to bishops of the Dominican Republic.

“Pastoral and charitable attention to immigrants cannot allow indifference on the part of pastor’s of the Church,” the Pope said May 27 to the bishops who were in Rome for their ad limina visit. “It is inexcusable to fail to promote initiatives of fraternity and peace.”

“It is important to know how to integrate immigrants into society and to welcome them into the ecclesial community,” the Pope said.

Another senior Vatican official underlined the Pope’s message this week. Cardinal Antonio Maria Veglio, president of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant People, said in an interview with Vatican Radio that the EU was ignoring the root cause of migration.

Cardinal Veglio said it is the Church’s mission to help the ‘most poor, the most dispossessed, abandoned,’ and said these are the migrants. “If the Church did not do these things, then truly she betrays her mission,” he said.

—This story ran in full in the June 5 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes.