Miami Archbishop, at U.N. Service: Build Future Hope in Areas of Crisis

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“Every human being—just because he or she is a human being—has a right to live in conditions worthy of human life,” said Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami during a prayer service for the United Nations diplomatic community for the opening of the world body’s 71st General Assembly.

Archbishop Wenski delivered a meditation at the Sept. 13 evening service at Holy Family Church in Manhattan, the United Nations parish.

The Archdiocese of New York and the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations sponsor the interreligious service held annually before the opening of the General Assembly. Permanent representatives of the United Nations, members of delegations, U.N. staff, representatives of civil society, religious leaders and others attended.

Archbishop Bernardito C. Auza, apostolic nuncio and permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, led the prayer service. Peter Thomson of Fiji, who earlier that day was sworn in as the president of the 71st session of the General Assembly, delivered remarks at the end of the service.

Archbishop Wenski said, “When people do not find conditions necessary for human flourishing where they are because of lack of economic resources, political oppression or religious or social persecution, they will seek or will be forced to seek, such conditions worthy of human life elsewhere.”

The archbishop has led the efforts of the U.S. bishops on migration, international justice and peace. He formerly served as chairman of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops' committees on migration and international policy. He is currently a member of the conference's Secretariat for the Church in Latin America, committee for international justice and peace and CLINIC (Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc.), and a consultant to the committee on migration.

Discussing the continuing crisis in Syria, he said 11. 5 million people in the Middle Eastern nation are displaced, with 6.6. million internally displaced and nearly 5 million living in neighboring countries and around the world. “While some in the world community have responded generously to this situation, others need to join them and share in the responsibility to respond to this humanitarian disaster,” Archbishop Wenski said.

“We must refrain from casting all persons on the move, many of whom are fleeing terror, as threats to us or our way of life. Human values must not be sacrificed in the name of security,” he said.

Archbishop Wenski called on the members of the U.N. community to act, saying, “Another statement or document will not resolve this crisis. Whatever you agree to in writing must be accompanied by concrete commitments and responsibility—sharing from all quarters.”

“We must work to build a future of hope in those areas of the world that are experiencing a massive exodus of their populations so that people will not be forced to move to seek conditions worthy of human life.”

He spoke of how refugees from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala have fled from violence in Central America and are now living in the United States.

“While migratory flows, especially when they take place in an irregular fashion, present challenges and problems to the host countries, we must not look at the migrants themselves as ‘problems,’” Archbishop Wenski said.

“Such a reductive way of thinking dehumanizes the migrants who like us are children of the same God and thus our brothers and sisters.”

Earlier in the service, Father Gerald Murray, pastor of Holy Family, delivered welcoming remarks and reminded those present of Pope Francis’ visit to the United States one year earlier. He recalled the pope’s words when addressing the U.N. general assembly. “He reminded us all of the tasks we must carry out on behalf of all mankind,” Father Murray said.

He quoted the pope as saying, “Government leaders must do everything possible to ensure that all can have the minimum spiritual and material means needed to live in dignity and to create and support a family, which is the primary cell of any social development. In practical terms, this absolute minimum has three names: lodging, labor and land; and one spiritual name: spiritual freedom, which includes religious freedom, the right to education and all other civil rights.”

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who is completing his second and final five-year term, said that faith gatherings such as the prayer service gave him hope. “I know we are living in a world of peril and change,” he said. “And yet, I have hope.”

“So, let us pray for we the peoples. Let us draw from all that you represent here this evening—this great well of faith and hope,” he said. “And let us build a better world.”

Auxiliary Bishop John O’Hara, episcopal vicar of Staten Island, South, East and West Manhattan, delivered the invocation. He prayed with leaders from around the world, from different religions and nationalities and cultures, who filled each pew. “Unite our hearts and hands in common cause to reach out to those who are suffering, those who are broken, those who have been abandoned, those who have lost all hope. That directing our talents and abilities in the cause of that which is good we might create a society where true peace and justice might prevail—not as a dream but rather as a reality.”