At Jubilee of Migrants, Refugees in Angola, Catholic Priest Appeals for Hospitality, Solidarity

Luanda, 30 September, 2025 / 5:34 PM

A member of the Network for the Protection of Migrants and Refugees in Angola has appealed to the people Christians to show hospitality to and be in solidarity with those forced to flee their respective homelands.

In his homily during the celebration of the Jubilee for Migrants and Refugees as part of the ongoing Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year, Fr. Juan Pablo Gomez called on the Church and society to embrace migrants and refugees as “a true divine blessing” and “missionaries of hope.”

“We cannot live a life of privilege and luxury while forgetting the little ones, the migrants and refugees who knock at our doors with eyes filled with hope,” Fr. Gomez said during the September 28 Eucharistic celebration that was held at the Shrine of St. Anthony Kifangondo in Angola’s Catholic Diocese of Caxito.

Representing Archbishop Zeferino Zeca Martins, President of the Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants (CEPAMI), Fr. Gomez reminded the people of God that “the Church must be an open house, a visible sign of welcome and solidarity, because no one chooses to be a migrant or a refugee of their own will, but out of necessity, out of fear, and in search of a dignified life.”

The Argentinian-born member of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) emphasized that “when we close the door of our hearts to the poor, to migrants, we close the door to God. To ignore the poor is to ignore God, because He disguises Himself as the poor to put us to the test.” 

In his September 28 homily, he used Jesus’ story of the unnamed rich man and Lazarus in the Gospel Reading of the day to caution against “spiritual blindness caused by attachment to luxury and wealth, which steal the soul and prevent us from seeing the Lazaruses at our door.”

Fr. Gomez urged Catholics to practice hospitality and solidarity, insisting that “to be Christian is to be a sign of hope.”

“We must welcome, recognize, and value every migrant and refugee as part of the family of God. Hospitality is not just a duty, but a path that God shows us to open our hearts and our communities,” he said during the September 28 Eucharistic celebration that CEPAMI organized.

He continued, “Many migrants carry wounds of body and spirit and need our help to start life anew with dignity. The mercy of God is always united with our mercy. Solidarity is a concrete gesture that transforms lives and opens doors to the Kingdom of God.”

Calling for a spirit of sharing, the Catholic Priest said, “We must look at our neighbour as we look at Jesus, especially those who live in fragility and vulnerability. Many migrants in Angola live in situations of extreme difficulty, deprived of the most vital goods. We cannot close our eyes or our arms to the suffering of others. Sharing is the path to building a more just and fraternal society.”

“We live in a time marked by wars, injustices, and climate crises that force millions to abandon their lands. Migrants and refugees are the Lazaruses of our time, who cry out for dignity and hope,” he said. 

As Church, Fr. Gomez went on to say, “we are called to be a living testimony of this hope, offering welcome and opportunities so that they can express their talents and participate fully in community life.”

“At the end of our days, we will only be judged by the love we gave, by the love we showed, and by the love we still have to give,” he emphasized, and appealed, “May we be true missionaries of hope, welcoming migrants and refugees with love, recognizing them as brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of the same Father.”