Europe: Pope Francis

Pope Francis: The tiny Sicilian island of Lampedusa, a treeless, strip of rock nine kilometres long, is closer to Africa than the Italian mainland and is the main port of entry into Europe for African migrants smuggled by boat from Libya or Tunisia, according to The Chronicle Herald. Francis greeted newly arrived Africans and during an open-air Mass on the islands soccer field, thanked the residents for welcoming so many men and women over the years and Pope Francis on Monday denounced the globalization of indifference that greets migrants who risk their lives trying to reach Europe, as he travelled to the farthest reaches of Italy to draw attention to their plight and to mourn those who never made it. Francis decided last week to make Lampedusa his first pastoral trip outside of Rome, compelled by a particularly deadly crossing in which a dozen migrants lost their lives. Despite the spur-of-the-moment decision, the island came through, building a makeshift lectern, pastoral staff and chalice out of recycled wood from shipwrecked migrant boats. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.