Being a foreigner is not just a legal or geographical status. It is also a human experience that almost all of us, in one way or another, have lived through at some point.
We can feel like foreigners whenever we enter a context whose codes we don't understand: a new country, a new job, a school, a residence, a social group, or even a family that isn't our own. We can also feel like foreigners when new generations use languages and references that are incomprehensible to us, or when we discover that the society we thought we belonged to has changed in a way we no longer recognize. We all know what it means to feel out of place: a common experience that can help us empathize with others.
Human history has always been a history of encounters between cultures. While migrations have generated conflicts and difficulties, they have also fostered exchange, mutual enrichment, and profound societal transformation. Therefore, we can view migration not only as an emergency but also as an opportunity to renew the human family. It is an invitation to step outside our comfort zones and reach out to others.
The real challenge is to live through this changing era with a perspective capable of discovering the seeds of hope that migrations carry with them, transforming the welcoming process into a space where fraternity can be built.
We can begin with small gestures. Actions that may seem insignificant, but which, together with those of many other people, form a silent and real chain capable of becoming a "bulwark against barbarism.".
This is how Chiara Lubich expressed it in one of her last public appearances, in London, in June 2004:
«[…] our experience tells us that, for those who today set out to move the mountains of hatred and violence, the task is immense. But what is impossible for millions of isolated and divided people seems to become possible for people who have made mutual love, mutual understanding, and unity the essential purpose of their lives. […]».
When we live this way, dialogue can become a true culture of encounter, in which each person's diversity ceases to be a barrier and becomes a gift for the common good. As a testament to this, a Swiss parish priest explains the "lessons" he has learned living in a shelter for migrants. On the one hand, he has become aware of the extent to which racism is latent in each of us; on the other, he has witnessed the extraordinary transformative power that arises from encounter. «"Just one example: here in Lucerne, a young man from Rwanda lived with us for three years. He had no papers and, when he arrived, he was very psychologically affected. At first, it wasn't easy. But, little by little, his original personality returned." to shine brightly, and with it, our diverse community also blossomed into an even more beautiful life. How much we laughed, celebrated, prayed, and overcame uncertainties and great challenges together! We became brothers and sisters. This was especially evident on the day our Rwandan brother left against his will. Four police officers came to our house to forcibly return him to his country. They were very surprised to find ten people of different nationalities there who had come to say goodbye and to see a serene atmosphere in such a difficult situation. (...) Five years have passed, and the deep family bond that has been created between us remains very much alive, spanning from one continent to another.»[1].
[1] «Migrazioni: sfide e opportunità” in: Ekklesia – n.26 (2025/1)
