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Migration: challenges
and opportunities

January to March 2025 - no 26 2025/1

Issue 25 top

It is still possible to see migration,

and to live it,

also as an opportunity:

a chance to broaden our horizons

and expand our hearts,

as an urging to go beyond what is familiar

and already acquired,

an invitation to be enriched by the other

in their diversity.

Everyone is invited to migrate!

Hubertus Blaumeiser

Giving flesh to universal fraternity

In the face of the challenge of migration, it should be remembered that "those who practice welcoming hospitality know that friendship with the poor is salvific” and each migrant can assist us in rediscovering “our common humanity". This text by Pope Francis is the preface to the book by APS Mediterranea Saving Humans chaplain, Fr. Mattia Ferrari. The book is entitled, ‘Saved by Migrants. Tale of a way of life’

What future for a multicultural,

multiethnic, multireligious society?

Excerpts of a talk by Chiara Lubich on June 19, 2004, in London's Westminster Central Hall about the changing face of European society because of the influx of peoples from other countries and cultures.

The foreigner in the Bible
as 'brother' or 'sister'

Since the First Covenant, concern for the stranger, the foreigner, has a central place in the Bible and one was considered a "brother" / "sister", even if one did not belong to the people of Israel. The New Testament shows him or her to us as the face by which Jesus comes to meet us, inviting us to love him with the same motherly love with which he is looked upon by God. Tobias Häner is professor of Old Testament biblical studies at the Academy of Catholic Theology in Cologne (Germany).

'Neighbors' are not just nearby

The fraternity born of the Gospel is not the fraternity of those who are close, but of those who are distant. It is not the fraternity of equals, but of those who are different. It is not a simple fraternity, but an improbable fraternity. This article is a reflection on the parable of the Good Samaritan¹. Economist and author Luigino Bruni is a strong promoter of a civil economy and of the Economy of Francesco project. He has also more recently turned his focus to biblical studies and has published a number of books and articles.

SUSANNE JANSSEN

A life-changing experience

The diocese of Corpus Christi in Texas (USA), is located two and a half hours by car from the U.S. border with Mexico. In that context, focolarine and focolarini, engaged in university and parish pastoral care, seek to offer young people experiences that help them grow in their awareness of the situations and needs of migrants.

FR MARTIN IYAMUREMYE

Life in a refugee camp

Fr. Martin Iyamuremye, a priest in Goma, Congo, serves in a parish overwhelmed by displaced people living in extreme poverty. Amid shacks and devastation, he provides spiritual and practical support, becoming a vital presence in a human catastrophe. Despite subhuman conditions, many rediscover faith. He finds hope in God’s enduring love and continues his mission in a new parish also surrounded by suffering and resilience.

The changed face of urban parishes

London’s diversity has grown since the 1970s, with migrants from across the globe reshaping its demographics. While early migrants faced discrimination, later generations now feel fully “Londoner.” Catholic parishes evolved too—initially unwelcoming, they now reflect global Catholicism through ethnic chaplaincies and vibrant international Masses. Migrants enrich parishes with strong faith and family values, though some parishes risk becoming insular, with declining interfaith and ecumenical engagement.

Lutheran Bishop
Christian Krause

Shortly before his 85th birthday, Bishop Christian Krause returned to the Father's house. A well-known leader in the Lutheran world and past president of the Lutheran World Federation (WFL), he signed the Joint Lutheran-Catholic Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification in Augsburg on October 31, 1999.

The Synod of Bishops
Implementations begins

On December 17, 2024, the Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod met in the Vatican to start the implementation phase of the Path underway since 2021. On that occasion, Msgr. Piero Coda, Secretary General of the International Theological Commission, presented a report on the vision and ecclesiological perspectives that inspire the Final Document of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod recently concluded and approved by Pope Francis.

ADRIANA MASOTTI

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

at the 17th World Policy Conference in Abu Dhabi

At the 17th World Policy Conference in Abu Dhabi (Dec 2024), Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew urged uniting spiritual wisdom with governance. Marking 1700 years since Nicaea, he called for Christian unity, joint Easter 2025 celebrations, and faith-based climate action via a UN-linked council. He also supported ethical frameworks for AI and inclusive economics grounded in justice, dignity, and solidarity.

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