Leo’s Theology of Migration, by Stephen Daisley

By Stephen Daisley, First Things, June 25, 2026

Every pope has his defining mission, a papal charism of sorts that characterizes and in time becomes a shorthand for his pontificate. Paul VI was the reformer of the liturgy who turned the Mass to the people. John Paul II was the apostle of human dignity against the twin anti-gods of communism and secularism. Francis was shepherd to the poor and the climate in an age of economic and environmental instability. Just over a year since he assumed the throne of Peter, we can already see Leo XIV’s papal charism: He is the migrants’ pope. His recent visit to Spain was in large part a mission to the European nation’s migrants, the organizations that support them, and the Spanish lawmakers trying to balance a broadly welcoming stance against the social and cultural pressures that come with immigration. A centerpiece of the visit was a meeting with migrants at Las Raíces, “The Roots,” a detention center on the island of Tenerife, ground zero for illegal immigration from northern and western Africa. …

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