Muslim refugee hails Pope Francis as the example of religion

Pope_Francis_hosts_a_lunch_with_Syrian_refugees_at_his_residence_in_Vatican_City_Aug_11_2016_Credit_LOsservatore_Romano_CNAROME – Nur Essa, a Muslim Syrian woman whose family was brought to Rome from Lesbos by Pope Francis last April, said that the openness he has shown to those of different faiths has deeply impressed her.

“For me, I was surprised,” she told CNA. “(He is) very open to all of the cultures, all of the religions, and he sets an example for all the religious people in the world, because he uses religion to serve the human being.”

Essa, 31, has met the pope on several occasions, most recently during the pope’s visit on February 17th to Roma Tre University, a public research university in Rome where she currently studies. Continue reading

Pope takes a stand for persecuted Muslim group

GettyImages-631451938-640x427Pope Francis appealed Wednesday for the Rohingya, a Muslim minority group forced to flee violence and persecution in Myanmar.

The pope singled out the group during his weekly audience at the Vatican, asking pilgrims to pray with him “for our Rohingya brothers and sisters who are being chased from Myanmar and are fleeing from one place to another because no one wants them.”

“They are good people, they are not Christians, they are peaceful people, they are our brothers and sisters. And for years they have been suffering. They are being tortured and killed, simply because they uphold their Muslim faith,” Francis said as he marked the church’s International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking.   Continue reading