Pope Francis made a fresh
appeal for people to welcome asylum seekers that arrive via sea
in his first weekly general audience in the Vatican on
Wednesday.
The head of the Catholic Church also expressed support for
Australia, which has been ravaged by unprecedented bush fires,
and faithful from the conflict-hit Middle East.
"May the Lord sustain us in our own trials and open our
hearts to those who today experience shipwreck and arrive on our
shores," the pope said during a lesson on Saint Paul' shipwreck
in Malta.
"May they find in us that fraternal love born of our saving
encounter with Jesus Christ".
He also asked the faithful to pray to God to help the
Australian people "in this difficult time" and greeted
Arabic-speaking pilgrims, especially those from Iraq, Lebanon,
Syria and other parts of the Middle East.
"In the saddest moments of our lives, in the most
distressing, testing times, we must not be afraid to be bold
like Paul was, because God watches over us and is always close
to us," he said.
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