Pope Francis to EU: 'tear down the walls'

'I dream of a Europe where being a migrant is not a crime but a summons to greater commitment on behalf of the dignity of every human being.'

On Friday, Pope Francis delivered a speech reminiscent of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech, in which he called the European Union (EU) to "tear down the walls" and build a better, less discriminatory society.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - According to Yahoo! News, Pope Francis explained the EU's founding fathers wanted integration following WWII, which was a reflection of how they "dared to change radically the models" that led to the war.

The Pope received the EU's Charlemagne Prize for his contributions to the unification of Europe and spoke to the Vatican audience and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has been working from among the EU to help solve the refugee crisis since 1945, the pontiff stated: "Today more than ever, their [EU's founding fathers] vision inspires us to build bridges and tear down walls.

"I have a dream of a Europe where being a migrant is not a crime but a summons to greater commitment on behalf of the dignity of every human being."

The message does not come simply from a religious entity speaking from the safety and comfort of his place in the Vatican - Pope Francis' recent visit to the Greek island of Lesbos brought him face-to-face with the swarm of humanity trying to reach the safety of Europe.

The pontiff called on the faithful to pray for a way to save the migrants, all of whom risked death - and several of whom lost loved ones - to reach Lesbos. He also called for religious leaders to help the "waves of mostly Muslim refugees."

To the rest of the world, Pope Francis asked that they open their hearts, minds and doors to help accommodate the migrants flooding Europe.

As always, Pope Francis continues to speak words of love, acceptance and open hearts. The pontiff continues to strive for a life that follows Jesus' footsteps.

Like Jesus, Pope Francis fights for the weak and teaches love, rather than hate. Please continue to pray for both Pope Francis and the refugees seeking the safety of Europe and other countries around the world. Please add an additional prayer for world leaders, that they do as God desires, not as man desires.

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