Led by two Catholic charities, CAFOD and Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN), Share the Journey has resulted in hundreds of pairs of shoes being displayed outside the cathedral to highlight the plight of refugees.

Many of the shoes came in from refugees in Calais.

Others came from some of the 40,000 CAFOD and CSAN supporters who were inspired by Francis's message to welcome the stranger.

In a gesture of solidarity with refugees, the supporters have walked 100,000 miles between them: this is the equivalent of over four times the distance around the world.

Francis is aiming for world leaders to agree next month to two UN Global Compacts on how to assist migrants and refugees.

Share the Journey campaign focuses on five points for world leaders to include in the global compacts:

• To protect the dignity of people on the move because of war, persecution, human rights abuses, poverty and natural disaster
• Ensure special protection for the most vulnerable people
• Ensure sufficient support to countries hosting refugees
• Support family integrity through facilitating family reunification

"We are calling on the UK Government to demand that all world leaders place human dignity at the heart of the global compact agreement on refugees signed at next month's United Nations General Assembly," Daniel Hale, CAFOD's Head of Campaigns said.

"It is important to remember that most people on the move are from poor countries and most seek safety in nearby poor countries or within their own country's borders," Hale said.

The "tens of thousands who have taken part in the Share the Journey campaign illustrate an overwhelming response to Pope Francis's call for us to embrace those forced from their homes by persecution and poverty," Hale says.

Source

• The Tablet
• Independent Catholic News
• Daily Sabah
• Image: Colchester Gazette
  

To help counter this, at his weekly audience on Wednesday Francis launched a two-year education campaign "Share the Journey" which is about the plight of migrants.

Aimed especially at countering mounting anti-immigrant sentiment in the US and Europe, the campaign urges the world: "Don't be afraid!"

Spearheaded by the Vatican's Caritas Internationalis charity, the campaign encourages people to meet with migrants and listen to their stories rather than treat them as statistics clouded by negative stereotypes.

It focuses particularly on providing practical ways for Catholics to meet migrants and refugees, and help families forced to leave their countries.

"Brothers, don't be afraid of sharing the journey. Don't be afraid of sharing hope," Francis told the crowd in St. Peter's Square.

"Even hope, like all good things in this world, has enemies."

Francis went on to explain hope is "the most divine thing that exists in the heart of man," because it allows people to believe that tomorrow will be better despite the pain and disappointment of today and "...it is a two-way street when it comes to migration.

"It's also the push in the heart of those who welcome: the desire to encounter, meet, talk together … hope is the push to share the journey."

Francis posed for selfies, shook hands, kissed babies and hugged migrants at the end of his weekly general audience, teaching by example that "others" are not to be feared but embraced.

Source

• Crux
• Crux
• UCA News
• AP
• Image: Caritas Internationalis