By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis asked for prayers and action concerning the plight of Cuban migrants, a rebel attack in the Philippines, and a deadly gas explosion in Nigeria.
After praying the Sunday Angelus with visitors gathered in St. Peter’s Square Dec. 27, the pope recalled the many Cuban migrants "who find themselves in difficulty in Central America," many of whom, he added, "are victims of human trafficking."
Thousands of Cubans are stuck in Costa Rica after Nicaragua began preventing them from crossing its border in mid-November. Costa Rica also recently stopped giving Cubans travel visas. The number of Cuban nationals seeking to immigrate to the United States has risen dramatically since the two countries announced last year the start of normalizing relations.
In his appeal, Pope Francis invited the region to "generously renew all necessary efforts in order to find a rapid solution to this dramatic humanitarian disaster.
