In his homily, Father Richard Zanotti said it’s essential that migrants and refugees don’t get blamed for seeking a life of dignity.
“The universality of the Church is made visible by all of you gathered for this Eucharist, many cultures around one table to celebrate God’s love for us all,” said the Scalabrinian pastor of St. Ann’s, where he works with migrant workers in the Fraser Valley.
The Church teaches us that we all have a right to a life of dignity, replete with basic human needs like food, shelter, medical attention, and dignified work, he said.
In his address for this year’s Day for Migrants and Refugees, Pope Francis said: “Since the world’s resources are not unlimited, the development of the economically poorer countries depends on the capacity for sharing that we can manage to generate among all countries.”
Until that happens, “many people will still have to emigrate in order to seek a better life, a life worthy of dignity,” the pope said.