To Foreign Workers and Refugees (16 June 1984)

On Saturday, 16 June 1984, the Holy Father addressed the foreign workers and refugees to whom he spoke of being “on the road to a definitive homeland.”

Dearest brothers and sisters!

1. I have intensely desired this meeting with you during my pastoral journey in Switzerland. With particular joy, therefore, and with deep emotion, I address my affectionate greeting to you, repeating the words of the Risen Lord: “Peace be with you” ( Jn 20:19).

Peace to you, who have gathered here in such great numbers. Peace to all the brothers and sisters who make up the vast body of immigrants in Switzerland. Peace to your families, your children, the elderly, the sick, the suffering. Peace to your loved ones whom emigration forces to be far away. And peace to the priests, the men and women religious, and to all those who dedicate themselves by special vocation to the pastoral care of emigration.

I would like my greeting to reach all of you immigrant workers, of every nationality: Italians, Spaniards, Poles, Portuguese, Croatians, Slovenians, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Laotians, Vietnamese and so many others; all of you, whatever the language, religion, social condition to which you belong. And I would like each of you to feel in my words the vibrations of my heart for you and your problems.

2. We are all on the road to a definitive homeland. Our life is searching and waiting for this end, where we will find rest and security. Every day we travel this path with other men who share the same path and form with us a single communion.

You know well that leaving for a new land means separation and affliction: but it is also an opportunity to meet and know new men, to march with them toward the same goal. The communion in which we live forms us and helps us walk toward the goal.

Even in the Church we are on a journey, not alone, but in communion with all the people of God and with a precise task: to break our selfish patterns to adhere to other men. Departure and the search for a homeland belong essentially to our existence as Christians and men, knowing full well that the earthly homeland is transitory; only what comes after is everlasting.

Immigrant workers are a particular image of the people of God on the move. For different reasons, you have left your country, with a decision that has certainly cost you: economic, political or social reasons have led you to seek a new homeland. Each one has a personal reason for such a choice. But what is common to all of you is that you have chosen this new country: this unites you, beyond any difference of origin or language.

You have faced hard labors to achieve this goal. You have tried to find a new land that would welcome you and in which you could live. But neither the departure nor the arrival should be based only on material values; behind everything there must be a very precise meaning, which offers a direction to our life: Jesus Christ, who undertook the path that would take him from Nazareth to Jerusalem, through death and resurrection. His entire life was marked by the Father's mission to lead men to salvation. This is the Christ who must be the model and goal of our life.

3. The Swiss land, which hosts you, is characterized by linguistic and cultural pluralism. It has always been a country of cultural exchange. It is a fact that immigrants have always had an influence on the life and thought of Switzerland. And the Swiss have always received incentives from this exchange to follow new paths. Thus, many economic and social achievements, which characterize the image of this country, are also attributable to the work of immigrants. The openness to foreigners and their cultures has been an enrichment for this country.

But the tradition of this country can also be an enrichment for every immigrant. Every cultural exchange must be reciprocal, so that it can bear fruit. In this sense, Swiss and foreigners feel mutually integrated and brotherly. The Swiss bishops have repeatedly urged Catholics to be available to the needs of their fellow men and to welcome immigrants as brothers and sisters. All Christians, both Swiss and immigrants, must commit themselves in their parishes and communities to be increasingly open to those brothers who are in difficulty. They must listen to them adequately and welcome them with Christian love. This would also be exemplary for peaceful social coexistence in this country.

4. The adhesion and participation of immigrants in ecclesial and social life is sometimes hindered by mutual prejudices, especially when local inhabitants expect immigrants to adapt completely, or when the latter are unaware of the customs and habits of the place. Openness to others is a fundamental condition for living together, and must be fostered with understanding, respect and love.

Young people also find it difficult to be accepted as part of this society, not only because of their origins, but also because of their often different lifestyle. They feel deeply the difference between family life and life at school and in society. However, they can be valid mediators between different cultures, if they are taken seriously and helped to find their right path.

Switzerland has a long humanitarian tradition, especially in the reception of refugees. But we must strive to ensure that this tradition is not interrupted, precisely at a time when it can open up new avenues for international efforts to solve the serious problem of refugees. This is a service to peace, which bears a distinctive Swiss imprint. In the search for a new homeland, which motivates these human beings, Switzerland cannot disappoint the hopes placed in it; but they too, by their presence in this country, can contribute to increasing understanding of the difficult situation of need in which all those in the same situation find themselves in the world. May priests and faithful strive to help their brothers and sisters in need and generously assume their commitment, in accordance with the provisions of the Synod of Swiss Catholics held in 1972: “All believers are called to take an interest in refugees with human concern, so that they may feel at ease among us and integrate appropriately.”

5. Today's meeting with the Pope, attended by Swiss and foreigners, is an eloquent example of the possibility of working together. In particular, those Swiss who in their daily lives are involved with immigrants and their problems are present. They represent here all those who work for a just and harmonious life together. It is to be hoped that awareness of the responsibility that immigration entails will grow. Everyone must be aware that those who have come to this country are men . It is important to always discover the man, rather than the worker. The equal participation of Swiss and immigrants in social and business life is an essential necessity. If much has been done in this sector in recent years, efforts to improve things further should not be neglected, even when the problems are difficult to solve. It is necessary to promote greater solidarity among workers and to safeguard their rights as well as their legitimate aspirations. Among these I would like to highlight those relating to housing and school, as well as the set of subsidies and provisions that promote personal and family serenity, ultimately helping to achieve a more harmonious social coexistence.

6. To all Brothers and Sisters in faith in Switzerland I make a heartfelt appeal to continue to make every effort to ensure full respect for human rights.

We should all always try to see the human being in our neighbor, and the measure of all our actions on behalf of that person should be his good.

Not man for work's sake, but work for man!

The encounter of different cultures in Switzerland, whether in social relations or in religious ceremonies, should increasingly make the one Church of Christ visible. This Church - as the pilgrim People of God - shows us the way to the eternal homeland. This cannot be limited to cheap consolation that avoids specific problems, but must be expressed daily in specific actions that regenerate a more just world, in which people will enjoy recognition of their rights without any discrimination.

Every believer should feel like a companion of others on a common path. In walking this path, faith in God is the factor that unites citizens of the state and foreigners.

7. Dear Brothers and Sisters!

The words I address to you flow from the depth of my heart.

I assure you that you are present in my daily prayer; your problems are also my problems.

Above all, try to keep and develop a living and strong Christian faith. It will help you overcome the difficulties you will encounter in life.

8. My thoughts at this time also go to all your loved ones: to those who are with you in Switzerland and who were unable to come to this meeting today; and even more so to those loved ones who are far away, in your own land. And I think of your countries of origin, your homes, your homes, which you had to leave behind when you came to this hospitable land. I also hold your relatives close to my heart, where you are all united in a single bond of affection.

I also wish to express my solidarity with those who have come from English-speaking countries and have settled in Switzerland. As you pursue your work in this hospitable land, be assured of my fraternal love and of my prayers for you and your families, especially if they are separated from you by a great distance.

I cordially greet you all, French-speaking immigrants residing in Switzerland. I express my best wishes for you, for your happiness, for your work and for your families. I hope that you find here the friendly support that you need. I encourage you to be faithful to your faith, and I assure you of my prayers and my blessing. 
 

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