By Fr. John Lydon, O.S.A.
In his recent encyclical Pope Leo commented: “A litmus test for social justice today is the treatment of migrants, refugees and those forced to move due to poverty, violence, climate change and environmental disasters. The way a society treats them reveals whether its sense of justice is driven by fear or by the spirit of fraternity.”
The importance of the theme of migrants and refugees was underscored by his decision to end his pastoral visit to Spain by going to the Canary Islands, one of the main arrival points of migration from Africa to Europe. Once this visit was announced, the new Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration at Villanova decided to sponsor a symposium, united to and in solidarity with the focus of the Pope’s visit, to continue its initiative of promoting a “global constellation of universities” (in the words of Pope Leo), to teach, research, advocate and serve the cause of migrants and refugees around the world. This initiative was originally launched last October (2025) in Rome, where more than 200 representatives from 40 countries participated. Besides the conference organized in the Canary Islands, there is also an African Regional conference in Nairobi, Kenya, at the end of June 2026, and the Latin American conference in Bogota, Colombia, in November 2026.
Almost 100 participants from 20
countries gathered for the Canary Islands event, surpassing all expectations because of the brief timeline between the announcement of the conference and its realization from June 11-14. It began the day before the papal visit with a video presentation and conversation by Osuman Umar, who related his five-year trek through eight countries in order to arrive at the Canary Islands, beginning when he was only 12 years old. His story is told in a recent Netflix documentary which premiered in June. Over 80% of those who began the journey with him died along the way. Eventually, he went to Barcelona, where several people helped him to integrate into this new place. He finished his studies and presently has an NGO that promotes educational opportunities in his home village in Ghana so that other youths don’t feel the need to migrate.
In the afternoon, we visited three different organizations that receive migrants and treat them with dignity, helping them to integrate into society. Many shared their own migration stories, all of which were deeply moving examples of the human spirit overcoming all forms of obstacles and prejudices while at the same time moving hearts to hear of the many who died along the way.
The following day was dedicated to the
visit of the Holy Father. We began in one of the town’s plazas where the pope met with hundreds of people who work or volunteer in several church organizations that attend to the many immigrants who arrive on the beaches of the Canary Islands. The local bishop, Eloy Santiago, had extended to us a special invitation to be present for this gathering. Pope Leo listened first to four different immigrants and how they arrived on these shores and how they are now people with renewed lives of hope. The Holy Father then spoke clearly of the Church’s mission to be a prophetic voice in society concerning the migrant phenomenon. He challenged everyone to think differently, as he said: “A human conscience, and even more so a Christian conscience, cannot remain indifferent in the face of these graveyards of the sea, to the victims of shipwrecks and the lack of aid. Every life lost on these routes is a failure for the human family. Nevertheless, there is also a silent shipwreck that occurs after arrival: being left alone in a city, without a voice, without ties, work or a sense of security, and exposed to those who take advantage of vulnerability. Integration means preventing that second shipwreck. It means helping those who arrived wounded not to remain forever stuck in their pain, but to be able to get back on their feet, recognize their gifts and offer them to the community.”
Following this encounter with immigrant groups, we joined the Pope in the massively attended Mass near the port where so many migrants arrive. At the end of Mass he spoke the following words, his last during this visit to Spain: “From this port, which bears the name of the Holy Cross, my thoughts turn to the whole world and its wounds, which cause entire populations to suffer. To all, I would like to offer the motto of this journey: ‘Lift up your gaze!’ Yes, let us turn our eyes to Christ Crucified; his Heart is the source of mercy, which alone can save humanity — which is in need of forgiveness and reconciliation — so that it may attain true and lasting peace. Let us lift up our eyes, as did Mary, the Mother of all who suffer, and guided by her, let us continue our journey with hope!”
Saturday was the day dedicated to our conference, whose theme was Compassion and Hope: Governments, Civil Society and the Future of Migration in our Common Home.
I had the privilege of opening the conference and inviting the co-sponsors to share initial remarks. These opening words of welcome were first expressed by the bishop of the diocese, then by the Health and Welfare Secretary of the state government, and finally by the Vice President of the University of La Laguna, which was co-hosting the event with Villanova. He began saying that history was making a full circle because almost three centuries ago, the Augustinians established the first university in the Canary Islands, only a few blocks away from where this present state university sits. He remarked that it was a great privilege to host Villanova, another university founded by the Augustinians, the precursor of the present university, at the same time as an Augustinian pope made the first papal visit to this island.
Michele Pistone of the Cabrini Institute then explained the brief history and methodology of this university project, ending by introducing the keynote speaker, Ousman Umar, who expanded
on the theme that he addressed on the first day. This was followed with the presence of two cardinals from Venezuela, one of the countries with the largest immigrant populations in the Canary Islands, who talked about the causes of Venezuelan migration and the need to respond to it from the perspective of faith and the cause of human dignity countering the negative images often promoted by social media and political figures.
After a brief break, the participants divided into four classrooms to have a total of more than 30 “lighting talks” where professors could present their research and work on diverse immigration themes and front-line immigration organizations could explain how they concretely responded to the migration phenomena, working to fulfill Pope Leo’s request of having a Church on the front lines, touching the flesh of the suffering Christ.
In the afternoon, the bishop of Mauritania in West Africa, a priest from Senegal, the bishop who heads the Commission of Human Development for the Spanish episcopal conference, and the priest who heads the section on refugees for the same episcopal conference shared their experience of building together bridges of mutual support called the Atlantic Episcopal Hospitality Network. This network of dioceses of West Africa and Spain endeavors to help migrants in the countries where they are transiting or after arriving at their final destination to help reduce the number of people who lose their lives on these journeys. Finally, we heard two testimonies of young African men who made the perilous journey to the Canary Islands, but whose lives were transformed by being received in a parish organization called the Buen Samaritano (Good Shepherd). The director of that organization, Padre Pepe, related how he began this organization, which has helped thousands with food, shelter, and educational opportunities in order to integrate into Spanish society.
The testimonies during the conference were moving. The Pope’s words were inspirational for us all. The lightening talks truly showed a constellation of stars that shine brightly in what is often, in our present society, a sea of darkness. We were also happy to have a representative from the Dicastery of Human Development come from Rome to attend the event.
Animated in the mission, all left with a deep sense of gratitude for what the Lord allowed us to experience these days on the Canary Islands.
