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JRS: Pope‘s Lampedusa visit shines the light on the faces of migration
Ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Lampedusa, Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) advocate Amaya Valcárcel says his concern for migrants and for often overlooked crises such as Myanmar and Sudan serves as a powerful reminder of the innocent victims of conflict and displacement, and calls the world to place human dignity and solidarity at the centre of its response.
By Linda Bordoni
Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming visit to Lampedusa is set to unfold in continuation of the path opened by Pope Francis, whose first apostolic trip in 2013 transformed the tiny Mediterranean island into a global symbol of solidarity with migrants and refugees.
That historic visit saw Pope Francis denounce the “globalisation of indifference” and ask a question that continues to echo loudly: “Where is your brother?”
For Amaya Valcárcel, International Advocacy Advisor at Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) International, Pope Leo’s presence on the island comes at a critical moment and carries a message that places the human person at the centre.
“There is no doubt that Pope Leo holds a special place in his heart for refugees and migrants,” she says.
She explains that the Pope consistently points to the poor, the vulnerable and the excluded as the privileged recipients of the Gospel message, and sees the visit to Lampedusa as a concrete expression of that conviction.
She also notes that he has recently marked the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and reflected on the enduring importance of the international agreement established in the aftermath of the Second World War to safeguard the rights of refugees and provide legal protection for those compelled to leave their homes.
“I hope that the spirit which inspired the drafting of this important international instrument will continue today to enlighten the consciences of those responsible for nations”, he said during the Angelus address on 21 June.
The Gateway to Europe monument in Lampedusa (@JRS)
Following in Pope Francis’ footsteps
Pope Leo’s Lampedusa visit inevitably recalls that first journey of Pope Francis to Lampedusa, when he appealed to consciences around the world and called on humanity to resist indifference to the suffering of those forced to flee.
Valcárcel believes the new Pope is continuing that same mission through his pastoral outreach and his repeated appeals on behalf of displaced people, challenging everyone to recognise the human suffering embodied in the lives of millions of migrants and refugees.
She notes that, like Pope Francis, Pope Leo continues to uphold the four verbs that have become a framework for responding to migration: welcome, protect, promote and integrate.
“Migration is not a phenomenon,” she says. “It is names, faces, people with a story, with a family. We could all be migrants and refugees.”
She believes the Pope’s message continues to call people to take responsibility for preventable deaths at borders and to recover the capacity to weep with those who suffer.
Migrants and refugees assisted at the hotspot in Lampedusa (@JRS)
A voice for forgotten conflicts
Valcárcel also points to Pope Leo’s insistence on peace as a central theme of his pontificate and to its direct connection with the causes of forced displacement.
She notes that the Pope repeatedly draws attention to countries and crises that often disappear from international headlines, constantly remembering places such as Myanmar and Sudan in his prayers and reminding the world of the innocent victims whose suffering must not be forgotten.
For JRS, that emphasis on forgotten conflicts is essential, since addressing the roots of violence, persecution and instability remains inseparable from any meaningful response to migration.
Looking beyond borders
While JRS is not directly present in Lampedusa, its teams in Sicily accompany many people who have arrived through the island.
In Palermo and Catania, the organisation provides legal assistance for asylum applications, health support, Italian language courses, access to employment, after-school activities, clothing distribution, listening services and prison ministry.
Valcárcel stresses that migration policies must remain consistent with international refugee law, European refugee law and the human rights commitments undertaken by the European Union.
She expresses concern over trends towards the externalisation of borders and deportation policies that may undermine the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning people to places where their lives or freedoms are at risk.
“Going back to the causes of why migrants and refugees fled is key,” she says. “We need to go to the causes very much. We must truly respect people.”
She also recalls Pope Leo’s recent criticism of migration policies that seek the broad removal of migrants solely because they are migrants, noting that he has repeatedly insisted on looking at individual situations and treating every person with dignity and respect.
Integration, she adds, must be a reciprocal process in which migrants learn the language, laws and customs of their new communities, while host societies welcome them without requiring them to erase their own identity and culture.
A JRS project to provide training and promote integration for refugees (@JRS)
Restoring the human face of migration
Valcárcel believes one of the Pope’s most important contributions is his insistence on restoring human dignity to public discussions on migration.
“The dignity and the beauty of the human being” remain central, she says, pointing to the Pope’s vision of refugees as people with unique stories rather than labels or statistics.
She believes that listening to personal testimonies can help challenge stereotypes and foster empathy.
Many refugees, she notes, simply seek recognition of their shared humanity. “I am a human being just like you,” she recalls hearing from those forced to flee.
Others explain that “It is the only alternative: I had to flee.”
Amaya Varcarcel (@JRS)
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