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Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
I'm a Palm Beach County pastor. Here's what I learned by welcoming refugees.
These words may confuse you: immigrants, migrants, illegal aliens, foreigners, newcomers. But here is a word I hope you know well: refugees. A refugee is seeking 'refuge' because he or she is fleeing political or religious persecution, and is forced to leave home and relocate to a shelter. The U.S. Refugees Admissions Program is on pause by President Donald Trump, who wants to determine if it's in the interest of our country. Trump closed the door on many already approved to come here, including former Afghan allies who once aided the United States, and refugee family members waiting to be reunited. Faith-based U.S. resettlement organizations are no longer able to provide housing, job placement or language courses. Shutting down congressionally mandated programs harms thousands of vulnerable refugee families that we have pledged to support. Among the agencies affected are Church World Services, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services and Catholic Relief. Under this order by President Trump the following refugees would not have been allowed to enter our country: Henry Kissinger, Madeline Albright, Albert Einstein, Gloria Estefan, Sigmund Freud, Marlene Dietrich, Anne Frank, Billy Wilder and Elie Wiesel. Refugees usually remain in United Nations-sponsored camps for 10-15 years. They are approved (vetted) on many different security levels, have thorough physical check-ups, take job training courses, English language classes and classes on adjusting on a new life elsewhere. Letters: Wake up, Floridians: Our politicians don't respect or represent us They must all have 'a sponsor' who will meet them at the airport, assist in finding a job, and secure housing. No refugee can come to the U.S. without a sponsor who agrees to walk beside them until they are independent, and able to care for themselves. Government-approved resettlement agencies pair a sponsor with a corresponding family. A sponsor receives no compensation, but funds are available by the sponsoring agency if there is an emergency. Opinion: Trump's mass deportations hurt Floridians like these. It's a shame to US values. Refugees agree to begin repaying the U.S. government for transportation costs within two years of their arrival in the U.S. As a Lutheran pastor, I led our congregation to welcome more than 200 refugees to Palm Beach County. All were successful and have given back more than they received. For more information about the history of refugees, I recommend an outstanding book, "They Are Us," available through Fortress Press. This book reminds us that the only natives here are the American Native Indians, and that we all came from beyond our borders and have a duty to be hospitable and welcoming to all who desire to make our country even greater. Rev. John Frerking, 35 year senior pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in North Palm Beach. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: What is a refugee? I'm a pastor and I'll tell you | Opinion
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Fact Check: What we know about Pope Francis donating popemobile to children in Gaza before he died
Claim: Pope Francis donated a "popemobile," one of the vehicles he used for transportation, to a Catholic relief organization to convert the vehicle into a mobile health unit for children in Gaza. Rating: Shortly after Pope Francis' death in April 2025, rumors that he donated one of the "popemobiles" — the vehicle used to transport popes — to serve as a mobile medical aid clinic to children in Gaza. The claims spread on X (archived), Instagram (archived), Bluesky (archived) and Facebook (archived). The rumors are true, although the headlines on several stories said the late pope donated "his Popemobile," which some readers could interpret to mean there was only one such vehicle. It's unclear precisely how many "popemobiles" Pope Francis used, but Business Insider reported in 2019 that he rode in at least nine of them that year. In a news release on May 3, 2025, the Jerusalem and Swedish branches of Caritas — an international group of Catholic relief and development agencies — announced that the pope had donated the vehicle to the organization. We reached out to Caritas Jerusalem seeking further details, and a representative responded that the timeline for the vehicle to enter Gaza depends on when the organization applies for a permit to do so. The organization also said it cannot provide further evidence that Pope Francis requested the conversion of the vehicle. The official news outlet for the Vatican, Vatican News, also published an article (archived) on May 4 confirming Pope Francis' donation, publishing photos from Caritas of the vehicle's conversion process. Men work on turning the popemobile into a health clinic. (Caritas) The news release noted that a driver and doctors would staff the vehicle, which Caritas was in the process of fitting with "equipment for diagnosis, examination, and treatment — including rapid tests for infections, suture kits, syringes and needles, oxygen supply, vaccines, and a refrigerator for medicines." However, it was unclear when the popemobile would be able to hit the ground in Gaza, as Israel cut off all humanitarian aid to Gaza on March 2, 2025. The Caritas news release noted that the popemobile would be ready to give primary health care to children in Gaza "when the humanitarian corridor to Gaza reopens." Caritas PRESS RELEASE. Caritas, 3 May 2025, 'Israel Accused of Using Aid as a "weapon of War" against Gaza in World Court Hearing'. NBC News, 29 Apr. 2025, 'Pope Francis Donated a Popemobile to Serve as a Mobile Health Unit for Gaza Children'. AP News, 5 May 2025, The Popemobile of Peace: Pope Francis' Final Gift to Gaza - Vatican News. 4 May 2025, 'Who We Are'. Caritas, Accessed 6 May 2025.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Fact Check: Pope Francis donated a popemobile to children of Palestine in a final act
Claim: Pope Francis donated a "popemobile," one of the vehicles the late pope used for transportation, to a Catholic relief organization to convert the vehicle into a mobile health unit for children in Gaza. Rating: In early May 2025, rumors spread that Pope Francis donated one of the "popemobiles" (used to transport him) to an aid organization and directed the group to convert it into a mobile health clinic for children in Gaza. The claims spread on X (archived), Bluesky (archived) and Facebook (archived). The rumors are true, although the headlines on several stories said the late pope donated "his Popemobile," which some readers could interpret to mean there was only one such vehicle. It's unclear precisely how many "popemobiles" Pope Francis used, but Business Insider reported in 2019 that he rode in at least nine of them that year. In a news release on May 3, 2025, the Jerusalem and Swedish branches of Caritas — an international group of Catholic relief and development agencies — announced that the pope had donated the vehicle to the organization. We reached out to Caritas Jerusalem seeking further details, and a representative responded that the timeline for the vehicle to enter Gaza depends on when the organization applies for a permit to do so. The organization also said it cannot provide further evidence that Pope Francis requested the conversion of the vehicle. The official news outlet for the Vatican, Vatican News, also published an article (archived) on May 4 confirming Pope Francis' donation, publishing photos from Caritas of the vehicle's conversion process. Men work on turning the popemobile into a health clinic. (Caritas) The news release noted that a driver and doctors would staff the vehicle, which Caritas was in the process of fitting with "equipment for diagnosis, examination, and treatment — including rapid tests for infections, suture kits, syringes and needles, oxygen supply, vaccines, and a refrigerator for medicines." However, it was unclear when the popemobile would be able to hit the ground in Gaza, as Israel cut off all humanitarian aid to Gaza on March 2, 2025. The Caritas news release noted that the popemobile would be ready to give primary health care to children in Gaza "when the humanitarian corridor to Gaza reopens." Caritas PRESS RELEASE. Caritas, 3 May 2025, 'Israel Accused of Using Aid as a "weapon of War" against Gaza in World Court Hearing'. NBC News, 29 Apr. 2025, 'Pope Francis Donated a Popemobile to Serve as a Mobile Health Unit for Gaza Children'. AP News, 5 May 2025, The Popemobile of Peace: Pope Francis' Final Gift to Gaza - Vatican News. 4 May 2025, 'Who We Are'. Caritas, Accessed 6 May 2025.
