Forced like Jesus Christ to flee, Pope's theme for World Migrants Day

Francis' reflection will start from the experience of Jesus who was displaced and made a refugee together with his parents, to reiterate the importance of the Christological reason for Christian welcome.  The message will focus on the pastoral care of internally displaced people, which today number over 41 million worldwide.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The 106th World Day of Migrants and Refugees will be celebrated on Sunday 27 September 2020. As the title for his annual Message, the Holy Father has chosen “Forced like Jesus Christ to flee”. The Message will focus on the pastoral care of internally displaced persons (IDPs), who currently number over 41 million worldwide.

As the title makes clear, the reflection begins with the experience of the young Jesus and his family as displaced persons and refugees. This provides a Christological grounding for the Christian action of welcome or hospitality. Over the coming months, the theme will be developed in six sub-themes expressed by six pairs of verbs: to know in order to understand; to draw near so as to serve; to listen in order to reconcile; to share and thus to grow; to involve in order to promote; and finally, to collaborate and therefore to build.

Again this year, the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development will encourage, prepare and support the celebration of this day. Resources are being developed and a communication campaign will soon get underway. Each month, information, reflections, and multimedia aids will be offered as means of exploring and expressing the theme chosen this year by the Holy Father.