Putting up barriers to stop the arrival of migrants from Africa "is a crime", but the EU does not support first host countries such as Italy, said Pope Francis.
The story of John Baldri moved Italy and the world. His village in Italy helped raise funds so that he could see his family in Ghana again. Baldri had hoped to return to Italy after his visit, but has since passed away in his homeland.
Malta is a key location as concerns the issue of migration, Pope Francis said Wednesday during his general audience in speaking about his trip to the island this week. He then called for the world to become more "fraternal, more liveable" in order to save itself from a "shipwreck that threatens all of us".
Pope Francis took an elevator to board his flight to Malta to "avoid unnecessary strain." The trip to Malta comes one day after he apologized to Canada's indigenous communities for abuses at residential schools there.
A young migrant dying from cancer had one last wish: To see his family in Ghana once more. So his village in Italy raised money for his flight. The Pope spoke of this story during his Sunday prayers.