Madrid, Spain, Jan 16, 2009 / 17:47 pm
In a pastoral letter marking World Day of Migrants, which will take place this coming Sunday, the Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela called on the faithful of the archdiocese to express their solidarity with immigrants, especially in light of the global economic crisis.
“Immigrants are people with a vocation and a mission in life which they have the right and the duty to develop,” the cardinal said in his letter, warning that “in the current context of the economic crisis, immigrant workers and their families are seen sometimes as a drain.”
“However, their contribution to the growth of our economy and wellbeing is undeniable, and their presence has been and is rich in humanity: their family, cultural and religious roots, their youth, their work, their lives,” the cardinal said.
Cardinal Rouco urged Spaniards to overcome selfishness and reach out to immigrants in their need.