Pope Francis defends migrants against outbreaks of xenophobia – International

Pope Francisco left on Friday to defend migrants before outbreaks of xenophobia and criticized the fact that they are considered a "social scourge", in an intense day during which the scandal of badual abuse perpetrated Church still reigned.

On his third day in Panama, where he leads World Youth Day, the pontiff also criticized the "invisible walls" that divide society into "the good and the bad".

His message resonates strongly in a Latin America, region with the most Catholics, facing an unprecedented migratory movement.

Central American caravans are challenging the efforts of US President Donald Trump to erect a wall on the Mexican border to stop illegal immigration.

Part of the message @Pontifex_es in the Viacrucis # JMJ2019 #JMJPanama #RadioPanama #FranciscoenPanama pic.twitter.com/QcHFJvFJWd

– Radio Panama (@radiopanama) January 26, 2019

Francisco insisted during a mbad meeting with young people: "We want to be a Church that does not stigmatize and generalize in the most absurd and irresponsible condemnation to identify all emigrants as plague bearers. social. "

The Catholic leader reiterated his commitment to "welcome, protect and integrate" people forced to flee because of violence and lack of opportunities, as in the case of Central America, or the lack of opportunities. Economic collapse and the struggle for power as it happens in Venezuela.

Francisco shook the crowd of young people who endured many hours of sun on the boardwalk. The organizers estimated 400,000 participants.

One of them, the Salvadoran Herberth Cruz, spoke with the pope's words about the fear that reigns in his neighborhood.

"My neighbors had to emigrate because of the gangs, because it 's only going from one street to the other that we can kill them, I can not go to Mbad in my parish because it is the territory of another gang, "he told AFP. 29 years.

"Concrete measures"

As part of an intense day during which the Pope gave time to sing the birthday of an "old lady", the scandal was revived by the badual badaults and its concealment in the Catholic Church.

Although this time, he made no reference to the embarrbading badault file, it is an issue that "comes from the heart and mind of Francisco," said the press director of the Holy See. Headquarters, Alessandro Gisotti.

Therefore, he wants to adopt "concrete measures" to fight this "terrible plague" at the meeting of bishops to be held from 21 to 24 February, he added.

The scandal has undermined the credibility of the millennial institution, which has once again been shaken by the scandals that have hit Chile, the United States and Germany.

A miracle of Francisco?

After denouncing political corruption, violence and the "wound" of feminicide in the days before, Francisco devoted his day to bringing a message of encouragement to minors imprisoned in a prison in the suburbs of Panama.

Moved, he heard very early the testimony of Luis, who shared his dream of becoming an international leader once his sentence was paid.

In a gesture addressed to the pope, the government announced the release of Luis and eight other minors.

"There are no words to describe the freedom I feel right now," said the boy, sentenced since 2016 for a crime kept in reserve by the organizers.

Before leaving the children's detention center in Las Garzas de Pacora, outside of Panama City, the pontiff received confessions from five young detainees.

There, Francisco implicated in his message the "signs and stigmas" and the "culture of the adjective" which disqualifies once and for all.

These are "signs that, in short, the only thing they realize is to divide: here are the good guys and the bad guys," he said.

This attitude – the pope emphasized – "contaminates everything because it raises an invisible wall that makes us believe that the marginalization, separation or isolation of all problems are solved as if by magic".

In the midst of the papal message against stigma, a small group of LGBT people wanted to attract attention with a "besaton" in front of a church. "Love is love!", Shouted the protesters.

"They say it's disrespectful to kiss in front of a church, I ask them a question: why is not it disrespectful when heterobaduals do it? Am I an aberration? ? AFP Samirah Armengol, 39, after kissing his girlfriend Basch Beitia, 25 years old.