Does being opposed to immigration or migrants make you a sinner? To listen to Pope Francis, it is permissible to at least wonder. Indeed, during a penitential ceremony in Rome on Tuesday October 1, the Supreme Pontiff introduced seven new sins into Catholic doctrineexplains our colleague Jean-Marie Guénois, from Figaro. To introduce the Synod on synodality, that is to say a general assembly dealing with the governance of the Catholic Church, the pope celebrated a penitential ceremony Tuesday evening, or, in a long litany, he asked for forgiveness.
Sin against migrants
Seven cardinals read, one after the other, a pontifical text on each new sin retained by the pope. “ Sin against peace », « sin of abuse », « sin against women, family, and young people », « sin of doctrine used like stones to throw », « sin against poverty », « sin against synodality, the lack of listening, communion and participation of all “. And so: « sin against creation, against indigenous peoples, against migrants ».
It was a Canadian cardinal, Mgr Czerny, known for his progressive positions, who read the Pope’s text on ” sin against migrants ». « I ask for forgivenesswith a feeling of shame, for taking part in the globalization of indifference to the tragedies that are turning sea routes and borders between nations from a path of hope to a path of death for so many migrants. The value of the person is always greater than that of the border », declared the high Catholic dignitary.
Pope Francis has made the migration issue one of his hobbyhorsesreadily castigating the national-conservative governments of Eastern Europe, like Viktor Orbán’s Hungary, opposed to immigration, regularly accusing them of being ” selfish » and “ bad Christians ».
