World Migrant and Refugee Day was celebrated on Sunday September 29 at Cahors Cathedral with the theme: “God walks with his people”.
It began with the mass celebrated by Mgr Camiade. The pope’s message set the tone: “God also walks in his people, he identifies with the last, with the poor, with the marginalized.” The audience was numerous and in the colors of the world, far from folklore but with the desire to welcome our differences.
The celebration referred to the dramas of exile, the hardening of States, but also to hope, successful integrations, the fraternity of people and associations.
At the end of the mass, the audience gathered under the cloister for a friendly drink and a shared buffet. The discussions were friendly. Witnesses intervened such as an African doctor who had to flee his country for having treated all the sick without distinction, an Armenian who came with her family and who described the drama of departure but also a beautiful journey of integration.
What would welcoming migrants be without the associations that organize and support it, in the maze of legal rules, the lack of accommodation and resources, the permanent fear of tougher laws?
La Cimade and Jamais sans Toit presented their action, legal or housing assistance, for migrants. The Action of Christians for the Abolition of Torture (ACAT) and the CCFD-Terre Solidaire spoke about their action on the ground in favor of human rights and real development policies. Finally, the Green Church movement has raised awareness of the impact of global warming on migration, which is growing exponentially.
