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Pope Leo XIV Addresses Immigration in Metz Speech
Developing
In Short: Pope Leo XIV travels to Metz to discuss immigration's impact on Europe's unity and peace.
Pope Leo XIV is set to visit Metz, France, on September 28, where he will address the complex issue of immigration at the Robert Schuman Conference Centre.
The trip comes amid a deeply divided Europe, where immigration remains a contentious topic.
Leo's approach to immigration reflects his background in Latin America, where migration dynamics differ from those in Europe.
The Pope has so far maintained continuity with Pope Francis' defense of migrants while also acknowledging the rights of nations and the integration challenges faced by receiving societies.
Metz, located at the crossroads of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, serves as a symbolic location for discussing Europe's unity and peace in the face of immigration.
The Pope's visit to Metz is part of a broader effort to address the fault lines in European politics and Catholicism created by the ongoing immigration debate.
What this adds
Pope Leo XIV's recent prayer for Somalia during the Angelus highlights his ongoing concern for international solidarity amid global humanitarian crises.
Background
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Romanian diplomat Monsignor Paul Butnaru as the Holy See's new permanent observer to the Council of Europe, a role that underscores the Vatican's commitment to human rights and migrant issues.
Pope Leo XIV prayed for Somalia on Sunday, September 20, 2026, during the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square, urging international solidarity amid the country's deepening humanitarian crisis.
What's still developing
- In “ Église et immigration: le grand malaise,” published in 2017, conservative writer Laurent Dandrieu accused Church leaders of reducing Catholic teaching to an almost exclusive imperative of welcome while neglecting the major upheavals experienced by local communities.
- As Leo prepares to reach Metz, at the crossroads of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, what message will he offer about welcoming the stranger and the consequences of mass immigration?
- METZ, France — The hot-button issue of immigration has invited itself into Pope Leo XIV’s first apostolic journey to France, otherwise marked by the defense of human life and the remarkable signs of Catholic revival currently emerging across the country.
- The balance is particularly difficult to strike, not least for a pope whose experience has been largely shaped by Latin America, where migration raises different demographic and civilizational challenges than in Europe.