“Migration, a Pilgrimage of Hope”:
International Conference in Rome Explores Theology and Human Mobility
Rome, October 21–23, 2025 — The international conference “Migration, a Pilgrimage of Hope” gathered theologians, scholars, pastoral workers, and representatives of migrant and refugee communities from around the world at the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome. For three days, participants reflected together on migration as a journey of faith, hope, and encounter: an experience that continues to shape both the Church’s mission and humanity’s shared future.
Organized by the Scalabrini International Migration Institute (SIMI), the University of Notre Dame, including the Keough School of Global Affairs and its institutes ̶ the Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights, the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and the Kellogg Institute, ̶ the Pontifical Urbaniana University and the Notre Dame Poverty Initiative, the event was held under the patronage of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE), the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), and the Union of Superiors General (USG).
Over its three days, the event created a space for reflection, dialogue, and concrete commitment. More than 200 participants from every continent explored how theology, spirituality, and social sciences can together illuminate the complex realities of human mobility. The conversation touched on themes such as the theology of hospitality, intercultural dialogue, the Church’s teaching on migration, and pastoral practices inspired by hope.
Watch the Recordings Here!
Hope as a Pathway
The conference opened with an address by H.E. Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and Grand Chancellor of the Urbaniana University, who invited participants to rediscover in the theology of migration “a meeting place between faith and life capable of generating hope for humanity’s wounded heart.”
In his keynote lecture, Rev. Daniel Groody, of the University of Notre Dame, reflected on the theology of migration as a path to recognizing the divine presence in the migrant. “Christians are citizens of heaven who live on earth as foreigners,” he said. “Migration reminds us that our humanity is bound to that of those who cross borders.” Recalling Pope Francis’s visit to Lampedusa and the chalice made from the wood of a migrant boat, he described it as a symbol of “a theology of communion,” Rev. Groody added: “When we witness migrants’ ability to believe, love, and hope amid despair, we realize it is not the Church that saves the migrant, but the migrant who saves the Church.”
Fr. Carlos Caetano, Vicar General of the Scalabrinian Missionaries reflected on the theological and human meaning ofmigration, seen not as an emergency but as a sign of the times that challenges both faith and society. In a context marked by fear, division, and injustice, theology is called to dialogue with the social sciences to build a culture of reconciliation and universal solidarity. Quoting Pope Leo XIV, he emphasized that migrants are messengers of hope, witnesses of faith and resilience. Hope thus becomes a critical principle and a transforming force, capable of uniting academic research and pastoral commitment. He also highlighted that the conference occurs during the year that marks the 25th anniversary of SIMI, which promotes a theology of human mobility as a theology of hope, able to transform migration into encounter and communion. Over the past quarter-century, added Fr. Caetano, “SIMI’s academic community has contributed to consolidating a true theology of human mobility, capable of illuminating the dynamics of migration with faith and suggesting paths for pastoral and social action”.
After the opening greetings, the conference moved into its most engaging phase with powerful narratives on migration.Annalisa Vandelli used striking images to uncover the mechanisms of the media swarm surrounding migration, inviting the audience to discover the human faces behind the headlines. Sr. Norma Pimentel, speaking from her service at the South Texas–Mexico border in the Rio Grande Valley, offered a moving testimony of the daily encounters with migrant and refugee families. She reminded the audience that while nations have the right to protect their borders, such policies must “never disregard human dignity and solidarity”. Dost Mohammad Jafari shared his intimate story — a journey marked by fear, resilience, and hope — embodying the human struggle and faith that migration entails.
The session revealed migration not as a distant issue, but as a shared human journey, where storytelling, faith, and compassion come together to illuminate the path toward a more fraternal world.
Theological and Social Approaches to Human Mobility: New Academic Perspectives
Following a deeply human and emotional session, the conference shifted its focus to an academic framework for understanding human mobility, featuring significant contributions. Prof. Peter C. Phan, Ignacio Ellacuría Chair of Catholic Social Thought at Georgetown University, traced the origins and development of the theology of migration, presenting a review of recent theological literature across biblical, historical, systematic, and moral dimensions. His talk concluded with thought-provoking suggestions for future directions and emerging themes in the field of migration theology. Professor Anna Rowlands, St Hilda Chair in Catholic Social Thought and Practice at Durham University, UK, offered an in-depth reflection on the Church’s social teaching on migration, structured around three key themes: understanding migration as a sign of the times, adopting a social gaze focused on the lived reality of migrants, and revisiting key Church documents from Exsul Familia to Fratelli Tutti. Contrasting the Church’s compassionate perspective with the dominant political gaze, she advocated for a shift from technocratic approaches to an integral understanding of migration centered on human dignity, culture, community, and global solidarity.
Their interventions offered theological and philosophical perspectives, providing structure and depth to the themes emerging from personal testimonies.
Interdisciplinary Dialogue Explores Human Mobility
On the afternoon, roundtable discussions on the Interdisciplinary Dialogue on Human Mobility brought together scholars and theologians to examine migration from multiple disciplinary perspectives, fostering a productive exchangebetween theology and the social sciences. Abby Cordova (Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame) highlighted the critical role of both state and civil society in addressing public misperceptions of undocumented immigrants. She emphasized that evidence-based educational and media campaigns are essential to dismantle harmful stereotypes and promote more inclusive societal attitudes. Alexander Kustov (University of North Carolina at Charlotte), analyzed why voters in affluent democracies often resist immigration despite its clear economic benefits. Matteo Sanfilippo (University of Tuscia), traced the historical evolution of migration, observing that twentieth- and twenty-first-century crises—including genocides, decolonization, and economic, climate, and health shocks—have dramatically increased displacement worldwide. He noted that rising nativism and political hostility, even within democratic and religious contexts, create significant challenges for integration, requiring advocates to navigate complex social and institutional obstacles.
Laura Zanfrini (Catholic University of Milan) offered a framework for understanding European immigration through four key “verbs”: welcoming, protecting, promoting, and integrating. These concepts illuminate the tensions inherent in migration debates, between inclusion and exclusion, diversity and uniformity, openness and closure. Zanfrini argued that immigration plays a prophetic role, challenging conventional notions of justice and belonging rooted in closed national imaginaries.
The theological reflection of Rev. Joe Corpora, Associate Director of the Transformational Leaders Program at Notre Dame, closed the first round table complementing the discussion by sharing firsthand experiences of welcoming, protecting, promoting, and integrating immigrants and refugees across three contexts: parish ministry, work at the U.S.-Mexico border, and engagement with international and undocumented students at the University of Notre Dame.
During the second round table, Erin Corcoran (Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame) explored how the securitization of U.S. immigration policy has instilled fear in immigrant communities, often bypassing due process. She highlights the Sanctuary movement, led by figures like Sister JoAnn Persch, which offers protection to vulnerable migrants and provides lessons for both U.S. and global contexts. Amy Hsin (Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame) examined the impact of legal status on undocumented immigrants, showing how precarious status fuels poverty, exploitation, and health challenges. She underscored the transformative role of education in promoting human dignity, social inclusion, and policy innovation. Amaya Valcárcel (Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development) showcased the Taizé community’s hospitality toward refugees as a living example of Pope Francis’ call to welcome, protect, promote, and integrate migrants—highlighting relational models that transform both guests and host communities. Cecilia Dall’Oglio (Laudato Si’ Movement), representing the movement that engages thousands of animators and over 700 organizations to care for our common home and advance climate justice, highlighted how today, it focuses on welcoming migrants and climate-displaced people, fostering compassion, eco-spirituality, and collective action through education, campaigns, and advocacy. Prof. Emilce Cuda, Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, concluded the session with a reflection that bridged theology, economics, and migration. She highlighted how public debt lies at the root of forced migration. Cuda argued that migration is too often labelled as a “poor‑people problem,” when in fact the worker and the indebted nation are the primary victims of a flawed system. Drawing on the Church’s social teaching, she stressed that speaking about public debt is a way to reach true solutions: The emphasis is not only on welcoming, promoting and integrating migrants but on upholding their dignity where they already live.
Together, these presentations underscored the complexity of human mobility and highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to policy, education, and societal inclusion.
Shared Knowledge and Perspectives for the Future
The second morning of the conference focused on the perspectives for the future of migration and its theological dimensions. Maruja Asis, Director of the Scalabrini Migration Centre in Manila, framed migration as a secular pilgrimage, emphasizing its religious significance alongside economic and social dynamics. Drawing on Asia’s intraregional migration trends, she highlighted the religious dimension of migration from migrants’ perspectives and how Catholic-inspired ministries can foster transformative support for migrants. Rev. Wilfred Sumani, SJ, from the Catholic University of Malawi, presented migration as a theological opportunity for encounter and mutual enrichment. He emphasized return migration, showing how migrants bring skills, resources, and connections home, transforming their communities through the sacred concepts of exitus and reditus. Fr. Antonio Grasso, Director of the Regional Development Office Europe/Africa of the Scalabrini Intenrational Migration Network (SIMN) reflected on the missionary vocation among migrants as participation in the missio Dei, sharing in migrants’ suffering while embodying hope, communion, and reconciliation and Sr. Roxanne Schares, Executive Secretary of the International Union of Superiors General, argued how through authentic engagement, communities can broaden understanding, build solidarity, and become “missionaries of hope,” creating spaces of welcome and communion despite of global crises.
Drawing on James Alison’s concept of skandalon—the fear of death that underpins societal indifference and scapegoating, Jaisy A. Joseph (Villanova University) opened the second part of the morning. Joseph argued that true Christian witness today requires overcoming this fear and embracing solidarity with marginalized communities. Victor Carmona (University of San Diego) brought a border-informed theological perspective, discussing the ethical importance of pastoral accompaniment in the San Diego-Tijuana region. Drawing on his work with FAITH, a court accompaniment ministry for migrants, Carmona outlined future migration trends and the erosion of rights, advocating for theological responses that protect human dignity and promote mercy. He emphasized the need for ecumenical and interreligious dialogue as the world grows more interconnected and migratory movements intensify. Jennifer Gómez Torres (Caritas Spain – Comillas University) centered her presentation on the concept of hospitality within the Theology of Human Mobility, arguing that hospitality should be both an ethical and evangelical mandate. She explored how hospitality can become a key theological and social imperative for migrant and refugee inclusion presenting the Jesuit Migrant Service (SJM) in Spain as a model of community reception, showcasing it as both an authentic form of hospitality and a replicable practice for fostering migrant inclusion. Agnes Varsalona (Università della Svizzera italiana) rounded off the session by addressing the future of Migration Theology, proposing a dual approach that balances the practical realities of migrants’ lives with God’s broader plan for humanity. She highlighted the concept of communion in diversity, drawing on Saint Giovanni Battista Scalabrini’s prophetic vision of migration as a means of mutual recognition and societal transformation. Varsalona argued that theological reflection, rooted in the Trinitarian model, offers pathways to inclusive, reconciled communities, benefiting both individuals and societies.
The afternoon was devoted to dialogue and research exchange. In a series of parallel sessions, 34 scholars, researchers, and pastoral workers engaged in an open discussion on the foundations of migration theology and its interdisciplinary connections with sociology, psychology, anthropology, and peace studies. The sessions also examined biblical and spiritual perspectives on exile and diaspora, explored best practices in pastoral care for migrants, refugees, and victims of human trafficking, and reflected on the ethical and social implications of migration — including human rights, integral development, ecology, and social justice. Other contributions addressed the intercultural and interreligious dimensions of migration, as well as new directions in education and formation for those engaged in pastoral and academic work on the subject.
A plenary discussion, moderated by Fr. Gioacchino Campese, cs Professor at the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Urbaniana University and Fr. Aldo Skoda, cs, Professor at the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Urbaniana University and Director of SIMI allowed all the participants to share insights, experiences, and perspectives emerging from these days of dialogue.
A Call for Synodal Reflection
The closing session was led by H.E. Cardinal Fabio Baggio, Undersecretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, who conveyed Pope Leo’s greetings and blessing to the participants. The Holy Father, he said, “wishes to extend his warm greetings and blessings to all of you,” reaffirming his deep concern for the stories of migrants — “a passion that continues to unite the North and South of the world.”
Cardinal Baggio called for a deeper theological reflection on human mobility, emphasizing that “we are called to give reason for our faith and pastoral action — not as mere generosity, but as a response to God’s will. We encounter God in service, and theology must read human mobility with God’s eyes, discerning its meaning within the divine plan.” He also underlined the importance of a synodal and interdisciplinary approach, noting that truth emerges through shared dialogue among theologians, researchers, and practitioners. Recalling Pope Francis’s four key verbs — to welcome, protect, promote, and integrate — he invited Catholic universities to foster new research and accompany the Church’s ongoing reflection on migration.
From Reflection to Encounter
The final day offered participants a tangible experience of encounter and integral ecology. At Casa Scalabrini 634, a project of the Scalabrinian Agency for Development Cooperation (ASCS), participants met families and young refugees who are building independent lives in Rome learning more about the project run by the Scalabriniain Agency for Development Cooperation. A visit at Borgo Laudato Si’ in Castel Gandolfo: a space within the Papal Villas dedicated to ecological education and inspired by Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’ encyclical, closed these days of rich theological insights into the human mobility crisis, where scholars were challenged to bridge faith and social practice while advocating for greater solidarity, dignity, and inclusion for all people on the move.