Pope Urges Tolerance, Help For Immigrants

Residents of wealthy nations must make immigrants feel like their “brothers and sisters” and help them adjust to a new culture, Pope John Paul II said Sunday.

The pontiff appealed for a climate of tolerance and assistance for immigrants, especially those who have left their homelands because of poverty or unrest.

“Those arriving from other nations need to feel that they are understood,” the pope told a crowd of the faithful in St. Peter’s Square. “They should always be respected and loved as brothers and sisters.”

The pope - who often has denounced racially motivated attacks - noted that immigration is on the rise worldwide.

“There is a need for mutual understanding, welcoming and integration,” he said.