TAPACHULA, Mexico (CNS) — Pope Francis has donated $500,000 to assist migrants attempting to travel through Mexico, but who are increasingly being impeded by Mexican officials from reaching the U.S. border.
Those migrants who travel the length of Mexico are also being impeded in their attempts to apply for asylum in the U.S. and remain in precarious conditions south of the border.
The donation “will be distributed among 27 projects in 16 dioceses and Mexican religious congregations that have asked for help to continue providing housing, food and basic necessities to these brothers and sisters,” the Vatican charity Peter’s Pence said in an April 27 statement.
The Vatican already approved projects run by seven dioceses and three religious congregations: the Scalabrinians, the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and the Hermanas Josefinas.
The donation comes as the crush of migrants arriving at the U.S. border reaches levels not seen in more than a decade.
Mexico’s Catholic Church has helped the migrants with little cooperation from the various levels of government. Priests who work on immigration matters say the federal government has yet to outline a policy or offer a proper response, while state and local governments prefer not to spend money on migrants.
Stay Connected With Us