The Pastoral Care for Human Mobility and Migration of the Diocese of Angra has created a new psychological support service for migrants in the Azores. How did this initiative come about?

This initiative emerged from a sustained process of listening and analyzing the migratory reality in each parish and pastoral district of the Diocese of Angra. From the data gathered, we realized that beyond legal, economic, or administrative difficulties, there is an emotional suffering that often remains invisible. Migration involves rupture, loss of reference points, longing, insecurity, and, in some cases, experiences of exclusion, post-traumatic stress, or discrimination that leave deep marks.

The meeting held in May 2025 under the theme “Migrating: A Human Right” was decisive in consolidating this awareness. It brought together professionals from different fields and helped us recognize the need to create a specialized response in the area of Psychology. This service is therefore born from the conviction that welcoming also means caring for emotional health and the full dignity of each person.

How will this new service function, and what is its objective?

The Psychology Service is offered completely free of charge and is the result of a partnership between the Pastoral Care for Human Mobility and Migration, the São José Parish Center for Social Well-Being, and Cáritas Diocesana dos Açores. It operates from Monday to Friday, between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., both in person and online, allowing access across all the islands of the archipelago.

Appointments can be scheduled by email, by telephone at 296 629 295, or through one’s parish of residence. Its main objective is to promote the emotional well-being of migrants and people in refugee situations by providing specialized support in vulnerable contexts. The service seeks to strengthen each person’s inner resources, facilitate processes of sociocultural integration, and contribute to life trajectories that are more stable, serene, and dignified. Caring for mental health is also a way of creating the conditions for a more humane and lasting integration.

Has there already been interest in this service? Do you believe it will be in high demand in the Azores?

We are still in the early stages, but we expect the service to be useful to many people. The migratory reality in the Azores has been growing and diversifying, and many of these individuals have never had access to adequate psychological support, despite the difficult experiences they lived through before, during, or after the migration process.

We believe this service responds to a real and deeply felt need. When a safe space of listening, trust, and respect is created, people feel encouraged to seek help. This service aims to be exactly that: a place where each person is welcomed in their fragility, but also recognized in their strength and resilience.

Pope Leo XIV has appealed for migrants not to be treated with “indifference” or “discrimination.” At a time when anti-immigration discourse is growing in Portugal, how can the Catholic community be encouraged to follow this appeal?

The words of Pope Leo XIV are very clear and profoundly evangelical when he says that we cannot welcome migrants with indifference or discrimination, but must instead open our arms and our hearts. This appeal speaks directly to the Catholic community, reminding us that welcoming is not optional—it is an essential part of living the Christian faith.

Awareness begins, above all, with concrete encounters with migrants—their stories and life journeys. When we move beyond abstract perceptions and come to know faces, names, and dreams, prejudice loses its power. It also involves formation, communal reflection, and concrete gestures of solidarity. The Church is called to be a presence of consolation and hope, especially at a time when discourses of fear and exclusion are gaining ground in public debate.

Do you feel the Azores are still far from that reality? Is the community more welcoming to those who arrive from elsewhere?

The Azores have a history deeply marked by migration, both of departure and of welcome, and this is reflected, in many cases, in an attitude of human closeness and solidarity. There is generally a culture of hospitality that facilitates the integration of newcomers. However, this does not mean we are immune to discourses of mistrust, exclusion, or even hatred.

Hospitality is not something guaranteed; it is built and nurtured every day. Initiatives such as this Psychology Service are a concrete contribution to strengthening a culture of welcome rooted in respect, human dignity, and hope—helping ensure that the Azores remain a place where those who arrive or return truly feel welcome and at home.

In Diário Insular-José Lourenço, director

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.