Over the years, the Catholic Church has been in the forefront in providing practical assistance and guiding principles in ministering to people on the move. The motivation for this direct and positive involvement stems from the words of Jesus, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35). This is particularly true of the Catholic Church in our country, Australia. The Catholic community has been closely and constantly guided to walk with and provide whatever help might be necessary to ensure that people who seek to make Australia their home could make a peaceful and fruitful transition.

This book has two (2) sections: A section dedicated to the Universal Magisterium introduces a selection of documents, which have been instrumental in shaping the pastoral care of migrants of the Catholic Church. Many of the pastoral programs implemented worldwide derive inspiration from these documents. The selected documents were authored by popes (from Pius XII to Benedict XVI), the Vatican Council II, Vatican Congregations, Pontifical Councils and Commissions. They range from apostolic constitutions to messages and they carry varying degrees of authority, from canonical rules to pastoral exhortations, but each one of them contributed to the development of the migrant ministry.

A section on the Local Magisterium includes pastoral letters and official statements dealing directly with migration-related matter. These documents express the local ordinary Magisterium, which contextualizes the indications provided at the universal level. They are authored by Bishops’ Conferences and Episcopal Commissions in United States, Australia and Asia. The geographical coverage of the selection was determined by the cooperation of the above-mentioned institutions in realizing this project.

There are four parts in this collection: the first part is dedicated to the Universal Magisterium, the second to the Magisterium in the United States, the third to the Magisterium in Australia and the fourth to the Magisterium in Asia. Each part is introduced by a commentary authored by selected scholars. An index of subjects is added at the end to facilitate the consultation of the documents. This collection is a useful reference to those in the migrant ministry and to all Catholics who are called to care for migrants.

Thinking Migration 2011 

Thinking Migration intends to be a forum to echo the thoughts and reflections of the Catholic Church in Australia who, aware of the complexity of the matter, focus on the sacredness of the human being and is committed to welcome migrants and refugees.

The present issue is comprised of four parts. The first part features the two key-note talks given to the participants to the Second National Conference on the Pastoral Care to Migrants and Refugees in Australia, “Widen the Space of Your Tent” (Sydney 27-29 October, 2009). The second part focuses on the pastoral visit to migrant chaplains and migrant communities by His Excellency Arch. Antonio Maria Veglió and Rev Fr Gabriele Bentoglio, President and Under-secretary of the Pontifical Council for Migrant and ItinerantPeople, Holy See. (Australia May 3 – 14, 2011). The third part publishes the proceedings of the Inaugural Colloquium on Ethics and Migration, dedicated to the memory of the late Bishop Joseph Grech (Melbourne September 8, 2011). At the beginning of the year 2011, ACMRO began collaborating with various academic Institutions to offer students the possibility to deepen the study of migration and build a platform to further a better and wider educational service. The final Essay of this issue represents the end result of this promising partnership.

 Copies are available for $20 AUD

 To order any publication, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or write to the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office at PO Box 2720, Canberra, ACT, 2601
Phone: 02 6201 9848
Fax: 02 6247 7466