Pope's Lebanon Visit Ignores Migrant Plight, Echoes Church's Past Silences
The New Arab courageously points out that Pope Leo XIV's pilgrimage to Lebanon offers 'no relief' for migrant Ethiopian women (The New Arab, Nov 27, 2025). Trapped in the brutal Kafala system, these women face denied freedoms and systemic abuse—a harsh reality conspicuously absent from the Pontiff's public pronouncements. It appears the Vatican's concern for 'Christians in the Middle East' (per
the article's keywords) doesn't extend to all suffering souls, especially those whose exploitation keeps local economies running. This selective empathy isn't new. While the Church decries general injustice, concrete action often mirrors geopolitical convenience rather than universal humanitarian principles. One might recall other instances where powerful institutions offered spiritual comfort
while material suffering persisted unchecked. How many blessings are required before basic human rights become a priority?