It is everybody’s “moral responsibility” to foster solidarity with migrants, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech said in a message marking the feast of St George the Martyr.

He cautioned against indifference as Europe toys with the idea of turning its back on the thousands of people seeking better lives for their families.

“We must not remain indifferent… Let us pray to God so that, with the intercession of St George the Martyr, with respect to everybody’s rights, Europe shows solidarity with migrants and refugees,” Mgr Grech said.

Malta had its part to play despite the lack of migrant arrivals by sea in the past three years. “We must not remain passive,” he said.

Mgr Grech’s appeal for solidarity was made during the Mass to celebrate the feast of St George in Victoria last Sunday.

Drawing on the words of Pope Francis, who has described the migration phenomenon as the worst tragedy since World War II, Mgr Grech said it was wrong to link migration with terrorism or the expansion of Islam.

He said the martyrdom suffered by St George was a reminder of the drama migrants passed through in search of a better life.

“While it is a good thing for us to celebrate this feast, let us also not forget the suffering and yearning of so many migrants… vulnerable people with a great wish to start a fresh chapter in their life and who find people who abuse them.”

Mgr Grech added it was everyone’s moral responsibility to help in every way so Europe adopted a social policy grounded in solidarity to address migration.

While Malta has been spared the arrival of migrants from Libya by sea, Italy has been inundated with thousands of new arrivals on its shores.

It is now threatening to close its ports and has asked for greater European solidarity to deal with the influx.