Pope calls for protection of refugee children

His appeal comes four days before the 112th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, to which the Pope has issued a message on  the theme “Even just one of these children.”

“Sunday, September 27, marks the World Day of Migrants and Refugees,” he said at the conclusion of his General Audience in St Peter’s Square, noting that his “thoughts go out to migrants and refugees, especially minors forced to leave their homelands.”

“Children and adolescents are the most vulnerable,” he continued, noting that they “often endure unspeakable suffering—violence, torture, exploitation, and traumatic conditions—and not infrequently lose their lives along migration routes.”

The Pope then made a direct appeal: “I appeal to everyone’s sense of responsibility. Let everyone feel personally involved in the lives of these young people, who must always be protected and cared for.”