Luanda, 22 October, 2024 / 11:55 am (ACI Africa).
The President of the Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (CEPAMI) in Angola has said welcoming migrants is not just a human duty but a requirement of the Christian faith.
Speaking at the conclusion of the 13th Assembly of CEPAMI, Archbishop Zeferino Zeca Martins emphasized the Church’s commitment to human dignity, as expressed through its social doctrine.
“Welcoming migrants is not just a human duty but a Christian faith obligation, which should motivate the Church’s actions. This concept is central to the Church’s social doctrine, emphasizing that every person has intrinsic value,” Archbishop Zeca said during the October 18 event.
He added, “The Church, in its social doctrine, proclaims that the dignity of the person is founded on the equality of all human beings. The dignity of the human person is a fundamental principle of the Church’s social doctrine, which opposes the marginalization and disrespect that migrants face.”
The Local Ordinary of the Catholic Archbishop of Huambo explained that “the Church's commitment to migrants is not seen as charity or a favor but as an issue of faith. The Church feels obligated to defend human dignity in the face of the challenges migrants face.”
