The Theological Foundations of the Right to Stay in Catholic Social Teaching
Antônio Lemos
Journal on Migration and Human Security, 2025
The right to stay emerged as a fundamental principle in modern Catholic social teaching (CST) in the twentieth century, even preceding the right to migrate. This right is rooted in the condemnation of forced migration and three theological principles: 1 — salvation of souls, 2 — universal destination of goods, 3 — dignity of the human person. This paper traces the development of the right to stay within CST, identifying three distinct stages. The first stage, spanning from the late nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century, is characterized by an implicit recognition of the right to stay, embedded in the critique of the treatment of forced migration. During this period, CST primarily addressed the concerns of Catholic migrants, offering pastoral care and emphasizing the salvation of souls as theological foundations for protection. The second stage, from the mid-twemtieth century to the 1960s, sees a growing emphasis on the universal destination of goods as a key theological principle. While the right to stay remains implicit, CST begins to advocate for the protection of all migrants, regardless of their faith. The third stage, commencing in the 1960s, is marked by the explicit articulation of the right to stay, notably by Pope John XXIII. Its theological foundation expands to include the dignity of the human person, firmly establishing the right to stay as a central tenet of Catholic migration ethics. The study concludes that the right to stay has evolved from an implicit concept to a clearly articulated principle in CST. This evolution is underpinned by a growing theological foundation, shifting from a focus on pastoral care of Catholic migrants, to a broader emphasis on the universal destination of goods and the inherent dignity of every human person.