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Pope Calls on All of Europe’s Catholics to House Refugees Pope Calls on All of Europe’s Catholics to House Refugees
(35 minutes later)
VIENNA — Pope Francis on Sunday called on every parish, religious community, monastery and sanctuary in Europe to shelter refugees fleeing “death from war and hunger,” adding that the Vatican’s two parishes will lead the way by taking in two families. VIENNA — Pope Francis on Sunday called on every parish, religious community, monastery and sanctuary in Europe to shelter refugees fleeing “death from war and hunger,” adding that the Vatican’s two parishes would lead the way by taking in two families.
In a speech to thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square, the pope said it was not enough to say “have courage, hang in there” to those marching towards what he described as “life’s hope.” In a speech to thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square, the pope said it was not enough to say “have courage, hang in there” to those marching toward what he described as “life’s hope.”
It was the pontiff’s first direct message to Europe — and the world — about how to embrace and integrate the largest mass migration Europe has seen since the end of World War II. It was Francis’ first direct message to Europe — and the world — about how to embrace and integrate the largest mass migration Europe has seen since the end of World War II.
From Greece to Germany, thousands of refugees remained on the move, packing boats, buses and trains and heading north and west.From Greece to Germany, thousands of refugees remained on the move, packing boats, buses and trains and heading north and west.
The sudden decision late Friday by Austria and Germany to throw open their borders and take in thousands of refugees unwanted in Hungary does not seem to have stilled the movement across a continent that is feeling the effects of the cauldrons of conflict across the Middle East. The sudden decision late Friday by Austria and Germany to throw open their borders and take in thousands of refugees unwanted in Hungary does not seem to have stilled the movement across a continent that is feeling the effects of the caldrons of conflict across the Middle East.
Cypriot authorities said Sunday they rescued 114 people believed to be refugees fleeing war-torn Syria after their fishing boat issued a distress call some 46 miles off the eastern Mediterranean island nation’s southern coast, the Associated Press reported. In Cyprus, the authorities said Sunday that they had rescued 114 people believed to be refugees fleeing Syria after their fishing boat issued a distress call some 46 miles off the island’s southern coast, The Associated Press reported.
Meanwhile, thousands continued to arrive on Lesvos and other Greek islands from Turkey. Refugees continued from there to the port of Piraeus in Athens and started heading north along the Balkan land route taken by tens of thousands in recent weeks. Meanwhile, thousands of migrants continued to arrive on Lesbos and other Greek islands from Turkey. Migrants continued from there to the port of Piraeus in Athens and started heading north along the Balkan land route taken by tens of thousands of others in recent weeks.
At the other end of the migrant trail, Austrian railways announced they had carried some 13,000 people to Germany from the early hours of Saturday into Sunday morning. At the other end of the migrant trail, Austrian rail operators announced that they had carried about 13,000 people to Germany from early Saturday to Sunday morning.
In the Austrian border town of Nickelsdorf, hundreds of refugees spent a cold night in a vast hall equipped over the past week to receive them. Other refugees at the Vienna railway station waiting for a train to Germany were allowed to sleep on an empty train as temperatures dipped below 50 degrees in some places. In the Austrian border town of Nickelsdorf, hundreds of migrants spent a cold night in a vast hall equipped over the past week to receive them. Other migrants at the Vienna rail station waiting for a train to Germany were allowed to sleep on an empty train as temperatures dipped below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, or 10 degrees Celsius, in some places.
In Germany, which has taken in the most refugees and expects 800,000 asylum seekers this year, volunteers were again at the main Munich railway station and other locations across the country on Sunday, welcoming the new arrivals in a determined display of hospitality that counters right-wing resistance to the newcomers. In Germany, which has taken in the most refugees and expects 800,000 asylum seekers this year, volunteers were again at the main Munich rail station and other locations across the country on Sunday, welcoming the new arrivals in a determined display of hospitality that counters right-wing resistance to the newcomers.
Chancellor Angela Merkel was to discuss the situation with her partners in her coalition government on Sunday evening. The center-left Social Democrats back Ms. Merkel’s Christian Democrats in offering a determined welcome and insisting that Germany can afford to take in the expected arrivals. Chancellor Angela Merkel was to discuss the situation with her partners in her coalition government on Sunday evening. The Social Democrats back Ms. Merkel’s Christian Democrats in offering a determined welcome and insisting that Germany can afford to take in the expected arrivals.
But some members of the Bavarian Christian Social Union, the more conservative party in Ms. Merkel’s center-right bloc, have objected to throwing open the doors. But some members of the Christian Social Union, the more conservative party in Ms. Merkel’s center-right bloc, have objected to throwing open the doors.
Ms. Merkel and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban agreed in a telephone call on Saturday evening that both countries must continue to uphold their commitments to the European Union’s Dublin agreement, the chancellor’s office said. Ms. Merkel and Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary agreed in a telephone call on Saturday evening that both countries must continue to uphold their commitments to the European Union asylum law known as the Dublin Regulation, the chancellor’s office said.
Both leaders agreed that the westward journey of the refugees on Saturday “due to the emergency situation on the Hungarian border was an exception,” the statement said.Both leaders agreed that the westward journey of the refugees on Saturday “due to the emergency situation on the Hungarian border was an exception,” the statement said.
Peter Altmaier, Ms. Merkel’s chief of staff told a public broadcaster that the chancellor held talks throughout Saturday with German and European partners, in an effort to get every E.U. member to take in a share of refugees. Peter Altmaier, Ms. Merkel’s chief of staff, told a public broadcaster that the chancellor held talks throughout Saturday with German and European partners in an effort to get every European Union member to take in a share of refugees.
“We have been facing this challenge for several months and we continue to take in refugees,” Mr. Altmaier said. “But we need a readiness in other European countries to join in.”“We have been facing this challenge for several months and we continue to take in refugees,” Mr. Altmaier said. “But we need a readiness in other European countries to join in.”
“I am convinced that the situation will normalize itself when we are able to come to a European consensus, as we did in the crisis in Ukraine, in the crisis in Greece, that is supported by all countries in Europe,” Mr. Altmaier said.“I am convinced that the situation will normalize itself when we are able to come to a European consensus, as we did in the crisis in Ukraine, in the crisis in Greece, that is supported by all countries in Europe,” Mr. Altmaier said.
Austria faces a similar influx — 80,000 asylum applicants are expected this year in a country of 8 million, about one-tenth the population of Germany. That prospect has bolstered far-right populists at the expense of the governing Social Democrats and conservatives, but Chancellor Werner Faymann insisted Sunday that Austria would play its part in a European solution. Austria faces a similar influx — 80,000 asylum applicants are expected this year in a country of eight million, about one-tenth the population of Germany. That prospect has bolstered far-right populists at the expense of the governing Social Democrats and conservatives, but Chancellor Werner Faymann insisted on Sunday that Austria would play its part in a European solution.
A convoy of some 150 cars driven by Austrian volunteers headed toward Hungary also on Sunday, with organizers saying they would pick up any refugees who wanted to go West. Police warned the drivers against exposing themselves to charges in Hungary that they were in effect smuggling people across borders. A convoy of some 150 cars driven by Austrian volunteers headed toward Hungary on Sunday, with organizers saying they would pick up any refugees who wanted to go West. The police warned the drivers against exposing themselves to charges in Hungary that they were in effect smuggling people across borders.
The mass movement has produced a sharp spike in people smuggling, with the most tragic case occurring in Austria, where 71 people were found dead in an abandoned truck by the side of a highway southeast of Vienna on Aug. 27. Since then, officials have reported that almost 200 other people narrowly averted death in vehicles crammed with stowaways who pay hundreds or even thousands of euros for the promise of reaching Austria, Germany or other wealthy nations in Europe.The mass movement has produced a sharp spike in people smuggling, with the most tragic case occurring in Austria, where 71 people were found dead in an abandoned truck by the side of a highway southeast of Vienna on Aug. 27. Since then, officials have reported that almost 200 other people narrowly averted death in vehicles crammed with stowaways who pay hundreds or even thousands of euros for the promise of reaching Austria, Germany or other wealthy nations in Europe.
In an ironic twist, it was exactly 26 years ago on a first September Sunday that Hungary opened its border at Hegyeshalom to allow tens of thousands of East Germans to cross into Austria at Nickelsdorf and continue through Austria,to what was then West Germany. Coincidentally, it was exactly 26 years ago on a first September Sunday that Hungary opened its border at Hegyeshalom to allow tens of thousands of East Germans to cross into Austria at Nickelsdorf and continue through Austria to what was then West Germany.
Hungary’s behavior in recent days — allowing and then barring refugees from trains into Austria, and building a fence on its southern border with Serbia to discourage migrants from entering – has come under criticism from its 27 partners in the European Union.Hungary’s behavior in recent days — allowing and then barring refugees from trains into Austria, and building a fence on its southern border with Serbia to discourage migrants from entering – has come under criticism from its 27 partners in the European Union.
Jean Asselborn, foreign minister of Luxembourg, which now chairs the 28-nation bloc, told German television on Sunday that Hungary and other former Communist nations in central and eastern Europe had gained not only rights, but also shouldered responsibilities, in joining the union. Jean Asselborn, the foreign minister of Luxembourg, which now holds the rotating six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union, told German television on Sunday that Hungary and other former Communist nations in Central and Eastern Europe had gained not only rights but also shouldered responsibilities in joining the union.
It was important for the E.U. to respond to an expected request from Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, to absorb 160,000 refugees under an agreed quota system, he said. It is important, Mr. Asselborn said, for the European Union to respond to an expected request from Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, to absorb 160,000 refugees under an agreed quota system.
Germany’s Welt am Sonntag newspaper reported that under Mr. Juncker’s plan, Germany would take in about 31,000 people, followed by France with 24,000 and Spain with almost 15,000. A German newspaper, Welt am Sonntag, reported that under Mr. Juncker’s plan, Germany would take in about 31,000 people, followed by France with 24,000 and Spain with almost 15,000.
“We must do this,” Mr. Asselborn said. “I think we are capable of that.”“We must do this,” Mr. Asselborn said. “I think we are capable of that.”