‘The rightly formed conscience cannot fail to make a critical judgment and express its disagreement with any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality.’

This blunt statement occurs in the fourth paragraph of a strongly worded letter by Pope Francis to the Catholic bishops of the United States, dated 11th February 2025.

Jesus too had experienced migration for his own survival, the pope points out:

“The family of Nazareth in exile, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, emigrants in Egypt and refugees there to escape the wrath of an ungodly king, are the model, the example and the consolation of emigrants and pilgrims of every age and country, of all refugees of every condition who, beset by persecution or necessity, are forced to leave their homeland, beloved family and dear friends for foreign lands.”

Directly confronting the assertion of US Vice President J D Vance that Christian love should prioritise family and then friends and then nation in that sequential order, before concern for others, the pope writes:

“Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups. In other words: the human person is not a mere individual, relatively expansive, with some philanthropic feelings! The human person is a subject with dignity who, through the constitutive relationship with all, especially with the poorest, can gradually mature in his identity and vocation. The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the “Good Samaritan” (cf. Lk 10:25-37), that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception.” 

Pope Francis appears to take direct aim also at so-called ‘Christian Nationalism‘ – the association of Christian faith with the endeavour of elevating one’s own nation above others.

“But worrying about personal, community or national identity… easily introduces an ideological criterion that distorts social life and imposes the will of the strongest as the criterion of truth.”

To read the complete text of the pope’s letter, click here.