Pope Francis on Thursday
spoke out against the "scorn" he's witnessed up close towards
the Romani people, and urged local and national institutions to
help integrate them into society, while acknowledging that Roma
too must play their part.
"Often Gypsies find themselves at the margins of society,
and often they're seen with hostility and suspicion," said
Francis at the start of a two-day conference called The Church
and Gypsies: Bringing the Gospel to the Peripheries.
"I remember here in Rome, I'd get on the bus, then some
Gypsies would get on, and the driver would say 'everyone watch
your wallets'. This is scorn. Even if it's true, this is scorn".
Francis went on to acknowledge that "certainly the Gypsy
people are also called to contribute to the common good".
But he emphasized that they are "hardly involved in
political, economic and civil society" and urged "local and
national institutions, with the support of the international
community, to come up with projects" aimed at improving their
quality of life.
http://popefrancisnewsapp.com/
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
