The Catholic bishops of Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Finland, and Norway have published a pastoral letter on immigration in which they uphold the Christian duty to welcome those seeking refuge, while also warning of the difficulties that arise when countries receive more immigrants than they can properly integrate.
In the document, dated October 25, the prelates maintain that immigrants must respect the laws and cultural heritage of the societies that receive them, without being forced to renounce their own identity.
“Migrants should be encouraged to integrate, but not subjected to forced assimilation,” they state.
The letter is signed by the six members of the Nordic Bishops’ Conference: Erik Varden, Bishop of Trondheim and president of the body; Cardinal Anders Arborelius, Archbishop of Stockholm; Czeslaw Kozon, Bishop of Copenhagen; David Tencer, Bishop of Reykjavik; Raimo Goyarrola, Bishop of Helsinki; and Fredrik Hansen, Bishop of Oslo.
The bishops warn of the risks of immigration without integration
The letter opens with a reflection on the Incarnation and the experience of displacement in the history of salvation.
“When God sent His Son into the world, He came as a migrant from heaven to earth,” the bishops write, recalling Christ’s birth in Bethlehem, the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt, and the successive exiles of the people of Israel.
From this perspective, they note that every person has the right to aspire to a dignified and peaceful life, and they acknowledge that wars, persecution, hunger, and the search for better living conditions have driven migratory movements throughout history.
However, the prelates also warn that immigration can generate difficulties when it is not accompanied by effective integration.
“If this does not happen, serious problems arise,” they state, referring to the need for those arriving in a new country to find their place in society.
The bishops particularly alert to the risk that some immigrants may remain isolated and not even attempt to adapt to their new environment.
According to their explanation, these situations can lead to tensions and conflicts over time.
For this reason, they defend integration as a shared responsibility, requiring both the willingness of newcomers and the support of the communities that receive them.
The Catechism recalls the obligations of immigrants
To support their position, the bishops refer to paragraph 2241 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which recognizes the duty of more prosperous nations to welcome, to the extent of their possibilities, foreigners seeking safety and means of subsistence.
The same section establishes that political authorities may regulate the exercise of the right to immigration through legal conditions oriented toward the common good.
It also recalls that immigrants have the obligation to respect the material and spiritual heritage of the host country, obey its laws, and contribute to its burdens.
The Nordic bishops insist that these obligations should not be interpreted as a demand to abandon one’s own cultural traditions.
“Finding the right balance is not always easy, but it is decisive for the future of our countries,” they warn.
“Each country must assess how many migrants it has the capacity to welcome”
The letter also addresses the migration restrictions being applied in various European countries.
The prelates acknowledge that states have limits to their capacity to welcome and that they must take these into account when establishing their policies.
“Each country must, naturally, assess how many migrants it has the capacity to welcome,” they state.
According to their explanation, when more people are received than can be properly integrated, social problems arise that ultimately lead to new restrictions.
These measures can even hinder the entry of refugees and asylum seekers protected by international agreements.
The bishops also question policies that seek to expel as many foreigners as possible, including those who are well integrated and contribute to society.
In such situations, they believe the Church must defend those at risk of receiving unjust treatment.
At the same time, they recognize that welcoming requires realism: “We must be realistic about our limits, both human and material.”
Nevertheless, they add that Christians must maintain the willingness to help those who suffer and seek assistance.
Parishes as spaces for integration
The bishops highlight the role immigrants have played in the recent history of the Catholic Church in the Nordic countries.
They recall that, after centuries of persecution and religious restrictions, the Catholic presence in the region was able to be rebuilt largely thanks to priests, religious, and faithful who came from other countries.
Today, many Catholic communities in Northern Europe bring together people of different nationalities and offer liturgical celebrations and catechesis in several languages.
The letter presents these parishes as spaces where newcomers can learn local customs, receive help navigating institutions, and actively participate in society.
The prelates believe this experience demonstrates that it is possible to preserve one’s own cultural identity while contributing to the life of the host country.
They also affirm that loving one’s own nation and valuing its traditions and cultural heritage is something positive.
A call to moderate the language on immigration
In the final part of the document, the bishops refer to several interventions by Leo XIV on migration and coexistence among people of different cultures.
They cite the speech delivered by the Pope in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on June 11, 2026, in which he defended the dignity of migrants and denounced human trafficking networks, as well as his homily in Lampedusa on July 4, focused on compassion and mercy.
They also refer to the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, particularly its call to be careful with words and to prevent language from fueling conflicts.
The bishops observe that the public debate on immigration has become harsher, less nuanced, and more aggressive, and therefore they call for avoiding rhetorical exaggerations and expressions that may foster hostility.
The letter concludes with a prayer to the Virgin Mary, invoked as “Mother of Migrants,” and a petition that the Nordic countries may continue to welcome people willing to contribute to a society founded on peace, justice, and solidarity.
The Nordic Bishops’ Conference had already published another joint document of particular doctrinal relevance this year.
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