Pope Francis has urged all Catholic institutions in Europe to give refuge to migrant families who are "fleeing death" from war or hunger.
"Facing the tragedy of tens of thousands of refugees - fleeing death by war and famine, and journeying towards the hope of life - the Gospel calls, asking of us to be close to the smallest and forsaken, to give them a concrete hope and not just to tell them: 'Have courage, be patient!," he said, according to the Washington Post.
The pontiff made these remarks during his weekly address on Sunday at St. Peter's Basilica, reported Express.
"Christian hope is more combative. Europe's bishops, the true pastors to back my call in their dioceses," he further said while calling each parish to shelter at least one refugee family, according to AFP. The pope also announced that the Vatican itself will offer refuge to at least two migrant families.
The statement came as thousands of refugees from Syria and other Asian countries arrived in Austria and Germany after days of stand-off with Hungarian police in Budapest.
Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila announced on Saturday that he plans to open his own home to a migrant family, according to Reuters.
"We should all take a look in the mirror and ask how we can help. I hope this becomes some kind of people's movement that will inspire many others to shoulder part of the burden in this refugee housing crisis," she told Finnish broadcaster YLE.
