Great news from the Vatican!

On "shit countries." The very first refugee I interviewed during my time in Nairobi with the @JesuitRefugee Service was a Somali man named Ali. This was in 1992, at the beginning of my two-year stay, and I was helping at a UN intake center that was processing asylum applications. Later I would meet and work with many Somali refugees, who had fled the war that had recently consumed their country. At first, I assumed Ali was some sort of nomad or perhaps a poor farmer, because of his dissheveled appearance and his ragged clothes. I saw him as a "typical refugee," though I had little understanding of what that meant. At the time I had already learned a little Swahili so I asked him, rather pompously, what language he would like to speak in. He replied in perfect English, "I can speak in Swahili of course, but also English, French, Italian and," he paused, "Latin." Ali had been a professor of philosopy at the University of Mogadishu who had received his doctorate at the University of Florence. He had fled violence in his country, along with his family, and ended up in Nairobi. (I tell his story at length, which I transcribed from a tape, in my book "This Our Exile.") "I have five children, all small," he said. "We just want peace now." It is easy to call countries "shit countries," especially if you've not spent much time there or don't know many people from that country. Most migrants and refugees would much prefer to stay home, but war, violence or famine prevents that. And they do exactly what we would do: flee to a safe place to protect their families and themselves. I will always remember Ali, and how he challenged my idea of what a refugee is. Basically, they are us.

Wonderful encounter during my time at St. John's University @StJohnsU in New York this week. This young woman is from my hometown of Plymouth Meeting, Pa., where much of my new book, "Work in Progress," is set. We went to the same elementary school (Ridge Park) and the same high school (Plymouth-Whitemarsh), both of which figure in the narrative. She also knew that little meadow in which I had an early experience of God's presence, as described in the book. "I know just where that is!" she said. Great to see you again! And Go Colonials! Image: Chapel of St. Thomas More, St. John's University.

A visit to the beautiful Chapel of St. Thomas More, with its beautiful mosaics, on the campus of @StJohnsU in New York, founded by the Vincentians.

Bishop Michael Pham, who was a Vietnamese refugee as a boy, on accompanying migrants and refugees today. Listen to his amazing story here: youtube.com/watch?v=VeQYRTV9…

Thank you to everyone at St. John's University who joined me for a talk on "Work in Progress" in the beautiful Chapel of St. Thomas More, to the Vincentians who welcomed me during a Jesuit Feast Day, and to a group of students, faculty and staff for a lunchtime discussion about LGBTQ outreach and other pastoral issues in our church. I had a wonderful time on your beautiful campus! @StJohnsU

From many years ago, on the Feast of the North American Martyrs, a pilgrimage to the Martyrs Shrine, in Midlands, Ontario. With my Jesuit brother Chris Hadley, SJ. Never forget that the Martyrs left behind all that they knew, and underwent great suffering and then death, to bring the Gospel with love to a people they didn't know, but whose language and culture they learned and whom they ended up loving deeply.

Feast of St. Isaac Jogues and companions (the North American Martyrs). This beautiful altar is in Madonna Della Strada Church at @LoyolaChicago

Excellent analysis. (@Wharton '82) I Teach at a Business School. It’s Time to Shut Them Down. nytimes.com/2026/10/18/opini…