The Portuguese Church would like the phenomenon of immigration to be tackled in an integral way, aimed at overcoming purely economic or security-based perspectives. The issue has been discussed in the context of the 5th Forum of Migrations organized by Caritas Europe, round the theme “Building bridges or barriers? Examining the dynamics between migrations and development”, held in recent days on the Costa da Caparica (Lisbon). The chairman of the episcopal Commission for Social Pastoral, Monsignor José Alves, called for “a solution to the many problems linked to immigration”. “Migrants must be considered a source of wealth and development”, said the Bishop of Portalegre-Castelo Branco, speaking of the “vitality and fresh blood they bring to their ageing host countries”. Lesly-Anne Knight, general secretary of Caritas International, focused her own intervention on forced immigration, calling it “one of the greatest international scandals of our time”. Criticizing “the obscene inequalities of the contemporary world”, she pointed out that there is a clear link between migration and development: “In the last analysis, forced migrations are attributable to poverty and social inequality”. Renewing the pledge of Caritas in the social and humanitarian field, in an ecumenical and inter-religious dimension, Lesly-Anne Knight concluded her intervention by declaring: “We need to stop thinking of migrants merely as a movable labour force: this perspective does not take into due consideration the repercussions migration has on individuals and on families”.
