(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 10.02.2025).- On the morning of Thursday, October 2, Pope Leo XIV received organizers and participants of Refugees and Migrants in Our Common Home in a private audience at the Vatican in Sala Clementina. The gathering, organized by Villanova University—his alma mater—brought together leaders from higher education, NGOs, and international organizations committed to building compassionate, coordinated responses to migration and displacement. The Pope’s reception of the group underscored the profound significance of this global initiative.
During the audience, Pope Leo XIV shared words of encouragement with participants: «Your time together begins a three year project with the goal of creating ‘action plans’ focusing on four core pillars: teaching, research, service and advocacy.»
He also proposed two guiding themes for the project: «I would like to propose two themes that you might consider integrating into your action plans: reconciliation and hope.»
The Pope emphasized the need to foster reconciliation in contexts marked by division and conflict: «Just as Pope Francis spoke of the culture of encounter as the antidote for the globalization of indifference, we must work to confront the globalization of powerlessness by fostering a culture of reconciliation.»
He continued: «I would encourage you, therefore, to propose concrete ways to promote gestures and policies of reconciliation, particularly in lands where there are deep-seated wounds from long-standing conflicts. This is no easy task, but if efforts to work for lasting change are to succeed, they must include ways to touch hearts and minds.»
Finally, Pope Leo XIV invited participants to be witnesses of hope: «I encourage you to lift up such examples of hope in the communities of those whom you serve. In this way, they can be an inspiration for others and assist in developing ways to address the challenges that they have faced in their own lives.»
With these words, the Pope highlighted the moral and spiritual dimensions of the initiative, encouraging leaders to root their strategies in reconciliation and hope as they accompany migrants and refugees worldwide.
Reflecting on the Pope’s support, Prof. Michele Pistone, J.D., LLM, Founder and Faculty Director of the Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration, said, “Welcoming the stranger is a central tenet of our faith. Today, that call for welcome is made loudly, clearly. Pope Leo XIV is reminding us to witness the humanity in each person, to encounter each human, made in the image of God, for it is only through encounter that humanity will reconcile. He teaches us that encounter leads to reconciliation and understanding.”
Peace be with you all
As part of the audience, world-renowned artist Timothy Schmalz presented Pope Leo XIV with a new sculpture, titled Peace be with you all—the first words Pope Leo spoke to the world.
The one-meter-tall piece depicts the Holy Spirit sheltering the world with peace, inspired also by St. Augustine’s words: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” “When Pope Leo announced himself to the world it was an announcement of world peace,” Schmalz explained. “This sculpture celebrates his hope. Pope Leo XIV has made it clear, his mission is to bring peace upon this world—the sculpture is a visual ambassador of that hope.”
Refugees and Migrants in Our Common Home
The event itself—held October 1–3 at the Istituto Patristico Augustinianum—aims to mobilize academic institutions worldwide through the co-creation of Action Plans grounded in teaching, research, advocacy, and service. With participation from experts, scholars, religious leaders, and international organizations, the initiative emphasizes long-term collaboration and action-oriented responses.
The Rome Summit will conclude on the eve of the Jubilee of Migrants (October 4–5), situating this effort within a global moment of reflection, solidarity, and renewal.
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