The Church celebrated the World’s Day of Migrants and Refugees for the 103rd time.
This year the main celebrations in Poland took place at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin on the 15th of January 2017. The special Holy Mass under the leadership of Fr. Bishop Christopher Zadarko, Chairman of the Polish Episcopate Council for Migration, Tourism and Pilgrims was held in the Academic Church of Catholic University of Lublin. The conference “Faces and challenges of immigration in Poland” was held on the 16th of January 2017.
Migration is a global phenomenon, not just European or Mediterranean. It is estimated that there are about two hundred million migrants, and almost sixty million of them are in Europe. Not only is it apply to those people who are fleeing armed conflicts, but also to those who are looking for a job or better living conditions. The minors and adolescents who are among them, flee real life tragedies. And this year, the World Day of Migrants and Refugees are dedicated especially under the theme “Migrants juvenile, threatened and deprived of their voice.”
The scientific conference in the Colloquia inter gentes entitled “Faces and challenges of immigration in Poland” took place on the 16th of January 2017. It is co-organized with the help of the Institute of Fundamental Theology in KUL. The conference began at 9:00 in the John Paul II Collegium in the room C-1031. Among the speakers of the conference were: Ks. Bishop Christopher Zadarko, ks. prof. Janusz Balicki, director of the Border Guard Headquarters, Colonel. Andrew Jakubaszek and Ks. Jacek Gniadek, Director of the Centre for Migrants.
Participants of the conference did not want to talk much about the influx of refugees to Europe and Poland, but rather leant on the issue of the presence of people from other societies, cultures and religions in our society. Who are they? Where do they live? What are they doing? What are their successes and difficulties? How are they among us and what do we think? What is their contribution to the development of economic and culture of Poland? What is our attitude towards them? What do they do for their local governments, state institutions, especially the Catholic Church?
MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS FOR THE WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES 2017
