St. Anne's parish in Vatican City. Credit: Author Lalupa via Wikimedia Commons 3.0.
Posted on 09/18/2015 3:12:10 PM PDT by NYer
.- A family of four has been welcomed by the community of the Vatican's St. Anne parish after Pope Francis' made an appeal earlier this month for every church in Europe open their doors to refugees.
Papal Almoner Bishop Konrad Krajewski issued a Sept. 18 statement that the family – a father, mother and two children – have already been received.
Syrian Christians of Catholic Greek-Melkite rite, the family fled their war-torn city of Damascus, and arrived to the Vatican Sept. 6, the day that Pope Francis, during his Sunday Angelus, made his appeal for every parish, religious community, monastery and shrine in Europe to take in a family.
“Faced with the tragedy of tens of thousands of refugees fleeing death on account of war and hunger, and who are traveling toward a hope for life, the Gospel calls us to be 'neighbors' to the smallest and abandoned, (and) to give them a concrete hope,” the Pope said that day.
“Therefore, in the imminence of the Year of Mercy, I make an appeal to the parishes, to religious communities, to monasteries, and sanctuaries of all Europe to express the concreteness of the Gospel, and to welcome a family of refugees.”
According to the papal almoner's statement on Friday, the family will stay in an apartment inside the Vatican near St. Peter's Basilica. All necessary procedures requesting international protection for the family were started immediately.
Since current legislation doesn't allow asylum applicants to apply for paid work for the first six months after the request, the family will be assisted by the St. Anne parish community during that time.
The almoner stressed that no further information can be given about the family until Italy makes the decision as to whether the family's status as refugees will be granted. It was also asked that the family's privacy be respected during this time, particularly with regard to media attention and interviews.
Bishop Krajewski said he could provide no further information regarding the accommodation status of a second family for St. Peter’s parish in the Vatican at the present time.
However, in a in a Sept. 8 interview with Vatican journalist Aura Miguel of Portugal-based Radio Renascença (Renaissance), the Pope affirmed that families have already been found for both parishes – St. Anne’s and St. Peter's – thanks to both Bishop Krajewski and Cardinal Angelo Comastri, Vicar General for the Vatican.
In the interview, published Sept. 14, Francis said he specifically asked for parishes and communities to take in a family rather than a person because “a family gives more safety,” and the risk of “infiltrations” is lower.
He clarified that when he asked for refugees to be welcomed, he’s not necessarily asking that they be welcomed into the parish or community house, but that the parish or community finds “a place, a corner of a school to make a ‘small apartment.”
Ping!
Make it 50,000 more!
Thank goodness Francis did take in a nest of rabbits.
“Some think that—excuse the word—that in order to be good Catholics we have to be like rabbits,” Pope Francis.
I mean no offense to Catholics— But, I don’t think I could ever substitute my own judgment as to what is spiritually right for me to another person.
“Syrian Christians of Catholic Greek-Melkite rite,” At least he has chosen to shelter Christian refugees. I was honestly expecting him to shelter moslems and let the Christian refugees shift for themselves.
“This does not mean that the Christian must make children in series. I rebuked a woman some months ago in a parish who was pregnant eight times, with seven C-sections (cesareans). “But do you want to leave seven orphans? That is to tempt God!” Pope Francis.
“did” = “didn’t”
Not sure I understand your comment. How has the pope substituted hiw own judgment on what is spiritual to this family?
>>He clarified that when he asked for refugees to be welcomed, he’s not necessarily asking that they be welcomed into the parish or community house, but that the parish or community finds “a place, a corner of a school to make a ‘small apartment.”
Wouldn’t it be funny if he had a corner of his quarters to house them. What about Vatican zoning?
What? No single, able-bodied men - you know, the ones who are immune to deodorant and work?
One?
From what I understand of Catholicism, which is not a ton, the members of the church rely on the Pope and other higher-ups in the church to determine the correct way to live their life and what they should and should not be doing. I prefer to make that determination myself..
These were Christian/Catholic refugees. Do you have a problem with that?
Can you explain your phrase **other higher-ups in the church**
Are you talking about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?
What's with the "Christian/Catholic" label? Are they not the same?
No— I have no problem with them helping out anybody they want to. When I first heard the announcement though, I was under the impression that their religious background was not being taken into account. I was one who got fooled initially by the horrifying image of the drowned child and thought we should as a country take in more refugees. Now, I am pretty skeptical about not only the child on the beach story, but that the mass of the migrants are real refugees.
No, I mean people as the “higher-ups”.. Whoever it is that determines the rules and dictates that members of the Catholic Church should follow.. Again, I don’t know a lot about this.. but for example, wasn’t there a recent change to the rules of the church regarding how divorces and annulments should be handled? Whoever the person-people are that determine that, I am calling the higher-ups..
The Pope IS the higher up person.
Are you talking about the magisterium?
Not being rude but can I ask why you got fooled as you say?
I was crucified on a thread about a week ago by other Catholics for NOT falling for this human shield child. Now people are seeing reality but, lol, no apologies yet!
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