Leaving Castel Gandolfo this evening, Nov. 4, Pope Leo XIV told reporters that he “would certainly invite the authorities to allow pastoral workers to attend to the needs” of detained migrants. On Saturday, Nov. 1, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement barred a delegation of Catholic clergy, religious sisters, lay people and an auxiliary bishop of Chicago from bringing Communion to migrants detained in the Broadview Processing Center, just outside the pope’s hometown, for the second time in three weeks.
Leo told reporters, “In the first place, the role of the church is to preach the Gospel.” Citing Matthew 25, he said, “Jesus says very clearly at the end of the world, we’re going to be asked, ‘How did you receive the foreigner? Did you receive him and welcome him or not?’ And I think that there’s a deep reflection that needs to be made in terms of what’s happening.”
Read Full Article »