The Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal José Cobo, accompanied by the Bishop-elect of San Feliu de Llobregat, Mons. Xabier Gómez, presented to Pope Francis the pastoral exhortation on migration approved by the Spanish bishops last March.
This Thursday morning in Rome, the Pontiff learned from the two Spanish bishops the content of the document. Welcoming and missionary communities. Identity and framework of pastoral care with migrantspromoted by the Migration Department of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) headed by Mons. Gómez until his recent episcopal appointment.
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The bishop-elect explained in COPEEEC radio station, that the meeting with Pope Francis lasted about 30 minutes.
“He has listened to us carefully and we have once again shared a topic that the three of us carry in our hearts, which is the reality of migrated people, the challenges of migration in connection with all global geopolitics, which include the countries of origin of the migrated people”, specified Mons. Gómez.
The new prelate has also pointed out that the Pope has encouraged them to delve “into the dimension of catholicity, which embraces diversity and recognizes the richness that migrated people bring.”
The document that they have presented to the Pontiff consists of five sections.
First, it focuses on analyzing the context of the migration phenomenon and the keys to the integration of migrants into Spanish society.
Secondly, the document raises the question from the idea of “living catholicity” from various approaches, which includes various criteria for community action.
The text of the Spanish bishops offers guidelines for personal and pastoral conversion regarding migrants through three axes: returning to Jesus Christ, the value of hospitality and the promotion of what they have called “attitudes with a future.”
In the fourth segment of the text, some keys for transformation are developed that lead to a change in focus that goes from a “pastoral ministry for” to a “pastoral ministry with” that enhances mutual enrichment, dialogue, understanding, etc.
Its last section includes a selection of proposals and good practices.
Nicholas de Cardenas
Born in 1980, I am a Spanish husband and father and journalist with more than 20 years of experience in print and digital media, specializing in sociopolitical and religious information. I have worked for more than 10 years in defense of human rights and have accreditations in Journalism and Comprehensive Communication. Since July 2022, I have been a correspondent for ACI Prensa and EWTN Noticias in Spain, covering international events of the Catholic Church.