The following document is the product of the Vatican's Sixth World Congress on the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees (Nov. 2009). Without exaggerating, it can be seen as a pronouncement of war against anyone who would disagree with Rome's push for a borderless world. Of course, the United States is a particularly bothersome obstacle in Rome's realization of this goal, and hence plays a large, "unspoken" role throughout the document.
It is a very large document, and I have only included a fraction of it here. I encourage all my readers to read the original and probe the Vatican's underlying policy motivations.
I have highlighted a few things, but let me quickly summarize the overall gist:
1. The world faces an apocalyptic political, economic, and social dilemma.
2. The best solution for this dilemma is to vanquish the idea of national borders and allow unbridled migration from anywhere to anywhere, whenever any potential migrant wishes to move.
3. Migration presents a wonderful opportunity for the Roman Catholic church to exert its spiritual authority.
4. Migration presents a wonderful opportunity for ecumenism with other Christian churches.
5. Migration presents a wonderful opportunity for the Vatican and national bishops' conferences to challenge the secular governments of the world and subvert them.
6. Migration presents a wonderful opportunity to lay the groundwork for a "world political authority."
The full document is available at Zenit.
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Conclusions from Migrants and Travelers Conferences
Migration, a Phenomenon in the Era of Globalization, a Sign of the Times
1. We find ourselves in an age of unprecedented and very rapid changes. The current high degree of interactions between people and nations, the rapid interchange of ideas, money and trade make this an entirely new era that has brought progress as well as regress, gains as well as losses, new challenges and opportunities, as well as new sufferings. Traditional structures and societal components no longer seem to offer the same securities as before. Wars and violence have continued to reap their victims. Worrying signs of deteriorating climate change, which has begun to displace vast groups of people, will increase and the economic crisis, amongst the many other facets of our globalizing world, has intensified fundamental uncertainty and the awareness of new vulnerabilities and human affliction.
2. Migration is a sign of the times, deeply affecting our societies. Its range and size have increased dramatically and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Its interconnection with the many economic, social, political, religious, cultural and security factors, that define our globalizing world, reinforces the feeling of vulnerability and enhances the questions concerning the traditional models of social cohesion. We seem to be simultaneously searching for improved models of accompaniment for immigrants while redesigning the society into which they are expected to integrate. In such a world marked by new signs of fear and lack of hospitality, the centrality of the human person and his dignity, with its corresponding rights and duties, acquire greater and increasing importance.
3. Migration, therefore, is also an invitation to imagine a different future, which aims at the development of humankind in its totality, thus including every human being with his/her spiritual and cultural potential and contribution to a more equitable world marked by global solidarity and full respect for human dignity and life. Pope Benedict XVI has defined migration as "a great resource for humanity's development" and in his opening statement to this Congress, he pointed out once more the importance of the migration macro phenomenon as a call to indicate and emphasize the unity of the human family, as well as the Christian value of welcoming the stranger.
4. Certainly, migration is a phenomenon of all times. It is as much a part of who we are as it is of our past and future. It is fostered by demographic and economic imbalances, poor governance, conflict, lack of freedom, poverty and environmental disasters as well as by true hope and the growing awareness of the presence of new and better prospects in life. Migration is often portrayed as dramatic realities that, very often, could have been prevented. "We are all witnesses of the burden of suffering, the dislocation and the aspirations that accompany the flow of migrants," wrote Pope Benedict in Caritas in veritate (n˚ 62) and yet it is obvious that societal responses are often inadequate since the world has remained deaf to the cry for a solution to the many needs that are at the roots of the decision to migrate and its inevitable consequences.
5. Migration is a multifaceted challenge: it shows that issues of security and societal fear can easily lead to increased discrimination, xenophobia, racism and even to criminalisation of the migrant, which only aggravate the problem without providing any answer to the real needs of humankind nor offering any valid alternative to change our ailing world. It confronts the 21st century society with trafficking, smuggling, kidnappings, forced labour, stateless people, false marriages, migrant mail-order brides and new forms of human slavery forcing especially women and children into prostitution and even illegal labour.
6. Human suffering becomes clear in so many dramatic situations, e.g. people trying to cross a desert or boat people who die, are thrown overboard, or simply denied rescue and access to the national territory with refoulement, or who, for the luckiest amongst them, arrive in most miserable conditions. Arbitrary detention, at times even torture in detention camps, or simply deportation to their countries of origin is likely their fate. However, these tragedies do not affect only the migrants themselves but also the receiving countries that do not necessarily have the capacity to carry the burden of a growing number of arrivals. More fundamentally, it is clear that a defensive attitude and restrictive immigration policies divide and destroy families, that social unrest among the local population is generated by fear of unemployment due to the presence of migrant workers and that social turmoil among migrants is caused by social injustice. Questions on welfare, social security systems and integration models are left insufficiently dealt with while the degree of integration into the host country's labour market does not match that of social integration. In clear contradiction with restrictive attitudes, global economies need and promote increased human mobility.
7. While the media today report some improvement in our economies, migrants are still measuring with the full extent of the damage caused by the present crisis which, according to the estimate of the International Labour Office, must have cost some 50 million jobs. Labour supply and the right to work are social pacifiers and help in restoring hope and trust in societies, but the economic crisis has evidenced the extent to which migrants are affected by layoffs and the degree to which this translates into decreasing flows of remittances. Diminishing respect for fundamental principles of international law and migrant labour rights have further affected integration and social cohesion. Furthermore, since many laid-off migrants choose to stay in the host country awaiting better economic times, an increase in irregular stay is likely. Here again, human mobility raises fundamental questions concerning universal brotherhood and solidarity, development and global interdependence: Globalization "makes us neighbours but does not make us brothers" (Caritas in veritate, 19).
8. These and the numerous other facets of the kaleidoscopic image of causes and consequences in migration indicate how much they surpass national response mechanisms. There is a profound need for a universal vision of international relations and for a renewed focus on the human person created to the image of God. Given the many societal changes and the immense challenges generated by human mobility, the Church has no option but to act, seeing its efforts directly related to the proclamation of the Kingdom of God (cf. Erga migrantes caritas Christi, 96-97, 101-103).
9. For the Church, the migration macro phenomenon is a priority pastoral issue. Though some kind of contextualisation will always be needed, the Church can help migrants keep their faith and their culture and at the same time make their host country open up to the culture of the migrants' country of origin by bringing together migrant and local communities. Solidarity is the first step towards a sharing of religious values between local and migrant communities. This could lead to the evangelization or the revival of the faith of those who have been secularized among them. Migration is also an important ecumenical opportunity.
11. There are also important signs of co-responsibility and communion between the Churches of origin and the host Churches. A continuing relationship between the Churches of origin and of arrival enabled not only a better understanding of the phenomenon but promoted very practical measures such as the sending of chaplains for migrants to carry out the fundamental aspect of this specific pastoral care. Furthermore, this collaboration proved to be useful in achieving greater political weight at the international political arena, producing greater effectiveness and authority. The many bilateral and multilateral efforts linking the local Church of origin with the Churches of transit and destination are perceived to have given a large contribution in generating a new mentality, strengthening coordination, establishing concrete forms of cooperation and creating various ad hoc Commissions. It is obvious that such collaboration has a different impact in cases wherein the migrant is present only for a limited period of time, as in temporary and circular migration. This model seems to be preferred by the receiving countries but deserves to be put in question. As these forms of migration forge dual societal identities, one in the homeland and another in the host country, without ensuring continuity between or in any one of these, collaboration among the diocesan structures in all countries involved is even more necessary.
III. RECOMMENDATIONS
A. To foster the pastoral care of migrants and refugees in the Catholic Church
2. That specific courses offering a better knowledge and understanding of the migration macro phenomenon and its pastoral implications be included in the formation of priests, religious men and women and members of ecclesial movements and lay associations and groups. These should include the study of the Instruction Erga migrantes caritas Christi and of the Catholic Social Doctrine. A better articulation of the theology of migration, which highlights the Church's universality and its characteristic as pilgrim and migrant, needs to be developed. It is also important to give specific formation to priests and pastoral agents who attend to the needs of migrants under particular circumstances.
C. In relation to community life and various forms of collaboration
11. That local Churches promote collaboration between Catholic migrant and refugee associations and all various actors in local society, both religious and civil, to facilitate integration through the creation of meeting spaces, campaigns for the eradication of discrimination, xenophobia and racism, and concrete services of socio-cultural integration. Religious congregations, ecclesial movements and lay associations and groups are excellent resources to be taken into consideration for this purpose.
D. In relation to other Churches and ecclesial communities
14. That ecumenical networking in the field of migration be promoted as it can be an important contribution to peace and reconciliation, when diversity is not considered a reason for exclusion, but an opportunity for enrichment and growth. In the long term, ecumenism could be an appropriate context for cooperation between Catholics and representatives of other Churches and ecclesial communities in advocacy efforts, which need to be continued and encouraged in all countries and communities.
E. In relation to governments, civil society and local authorities
15. That the Church develop and increase its cooperation with governments, civil society and local authorities in catering to migrants' needs and advocating for their dignity and rights. It is believed that the local Church should work more closely with local and national government policymakers in the service of migrants and refugees, be they from the different Christian traditions or from other religions. However, the Church needs to maintain its autonomy in its pastoral efforts and any agreements with civil institutions should not undermine its obligations affecting the nature of the Church.
16. That, in accompanying migrants, refugees, forced migrants and internally displaced people, the Church assume a mediating and advocating role between them and the local authorities, also by providing them access to legal, medical and other forms of support, combating trafficking and exploitation, protecting the most vulnerable, insisting upon a rights-based approach and actively promoting family reunification. Bishops should also intensify their commitment by speaking out against violations of migrants' human rights and advocating for a positive attitude towards migrants and refugees in their dioceses, also by encouraging that unused buildings be made available to serve their temporary basic shelter needs. Because of its extremely capillary-like structure, the Church could establish communication networks for information-gathering purposes, protection issues and activities that could be highly beneficial to local and migrant communities.
17. That the efforts of the Church also include international dialogue to discuss and review border enforcement policies, arbitrary detention and citizenship. It should furthermore determine strategies and contribute to an international and comprehensive immigration reform that should be equitably implemented. It should also promote and defend the concept of a specific migrant status, which implies rights and obligations, be it of a temporary character or aiming at a long-term integration. It should therefore make best use of its international structures and commissions that already interact with intergovernmental bodies.
19. It is also called to mind that in 2010, the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families will be celebrated. It could be an ideal moment for Bishops Conferences to encourage its ratification on the part of those countries who have not yet done so. The status of asylum seekers should also be a constant concern of the Church and its agencies.
20. That, at the global level, the Church further promote the concept of a "world political authority" that will deal with migration issues and therefore effectively contribute to ongoing processes in this regard (cf. Caritas in veritate, 67).
Vatican City, 18th January 2010
