Pope Francis spoke at a meeting with people attending an international conference on offering education and training for migrants and refugees in September. During this meeting, he observed that “Catholic institutions of higher learning are called to educate their own students… to a clearer understanding of the phenomenon of migration, within a perspective of justice, global responsibility and communion in diversity.”
To this end, The Catholic University of America welcomed Cardinal Seán O’Malley to speak on the topic of migration and immigration for its James H. Provost Memorial Lecture on March 22. Cardinal O’Malley gave a lecture titled “Migration and Immigration: A Challenge of Our Time for Church and State”.
Cardinal O’Malley said that Pope Francis offers clear instruction to the Church and political leaders on welcoming refugees and migrants, namely to welcome, to protect, to promote, and to integrate them. Cardinal O’Malley then offered seven fundamental Catholic teachings on immigration: the human community, the dignity of the human person, rights and duties, the common good, social justice, solidarity, and the preferential option for the poor.
“Migrants and refugees are not primarily a problem to be solved, they are human beings and future human resources to a country,” he said.
The full talk can be streamed below:
Migration & Immigration: A Challenge of Our Time for Church and State from Catholic University on Vimeo.
Image Credit: screenshot from Catholic University livestream on Vimeo.
Theresa Zoe Williams is a writer with credits all over the Catholic inter-webs. She received her BA in Theology, Catechetics/Youth Ministry, and English Writing from Franciscan University of Steubenville. She has contributed to the books Catholic Hipster Handbook: The Next Level and Epic Saints: Wild, Wonderful, and Weird Stories of God's Heroes. And has written her own book, A Catholic Field Guide to Fairy Tale Princesses. She is Pennsylvanian by birth, Californian by heart, and in Ohio for the time being. She writes at The Future Patron Saint of Liars and Fakes at www.theresazoewilliams.substack.com. Yinz can find her on Twitter @TheresaZoe.
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