Rome, September 30, 2025  – This morning, the Vatican Film Library hosted the official launch of the Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration at Villanova University, a significant milestone in the advancement of education, research, advocacy, and service on behalf of migrants and refugees. The event included a special screening of Cabrini  (2024), the acclaimed film produced by  Eustace Wolfington, which celebrates the life and legacy of  Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, patroness of immigrants.

The Institute, directed by Michele R. Pistone, JD, LLM, founder and academic director of the Mother Cabrini Institute on Migration, Professor of Law at Villanova University’s Charles Widger School of Law, and Chair of Refugees and Migrants in Our Common Home, seeks to bring together university and community partners to develop research, foster innovative teaching, and promote actions that respond to the challenges of migration. Inspired by the Augustinian values ​​of Veritas, Unitas, and Caritas, and aligned with the University’s “Rooted. Restless.” strategic plan, the Institute builds on the founding work of Cabrini University and its Center on Immigration. “This Institute will be a space for collaboration and innovation, a place where universities and communities can work together to imagine solutions that don’t yet exist and make them a reality,” said Pistone.

The launch was attended by academic and religious leaders, including Fr. Joseph Farrell, OSA, Prior General of the Augustinian Order. He emphasized how the Augustinian tradition of unity and service aligns with the Institute’s mission to respond compassionately to migration and displacement. “On behalf of Augustinians around the world, we are truly excited and honored that the new Cabrini Institute at Villanova University is taking on the great work of evangelization by assisting those most in need, especially immigrants and migrants. We know that none of us can do it alone, and the Institute will be able to bring people together to work together in a common cause: to contribute to improving our society and making the world a better place,” said Father Farrell.

As the sponsor of the conference “Refugees and Migrants in Our Common Home,” taking place October 1–3 at the Pontificium Institutum Patristicum Augustinianum in Rome, the Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration reaffirms Villanova University’s leadership in building global scholarly networks for systemic change. This connection underscores the Institute’s dual mission: to honor the legacy of St. Frances Cabrini while also spearheading innovative responses to the urgent realities of migration. “As an institution founded to educate immigrants, this is an issue intrinsically linked to our university history,” noted Villanova University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD. “Villanova is proud to take bold action on an initiative that reflects our core values, seeking to uphold the dignity of every person, foster community, and advocate for justice for migrants and refugees.”

With its official launch, the Institute inaugurates a new chapter in Villanova’s global engagement, offering a space for dialogue, research, and collaborative action around migration. Upcoming initiatives will be developed in close collaboration with international partners and will be announced in the coming months.

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About the Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration
The Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration at Villanova University works with university and community partners in teaching, research, advocacy, and service to migrants and refugees. Rooted in Villanova’s Augustinian values ​​of Veritas, Unitas, and Caritas, the Institute honors the legacy of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, patroness of immigrants, and continues the founding work of Cabrini University and its Center on Immigration. Through its areas of impact—teaching, research, advocacy, and service—the Institute advances Villanova’s mission and strategic plan while responding to the urgent realities of migration and displacement. Learn more:  villanova.edu/mothercabriniinstitute

About Refugees and Migrants in Our Common Home:
Refugees and Migrants in Our Common Home is a global initiative, led by Villanova University and its partners, to mobilize academic communities in response to the critical challenges facing migrants and refugees. More than a conference, this multi-year project proposes a new path, in which scholars, students, and community partners collaborate to share ideas, resources, and expertise. Together, they will refine concrete Action Plans that inspire change and promote mutual learning. More information:  migrationandacademia.org/about-the-project

About Villanova University
Ranked among the top universities in the United States, Villanova University is recognized for its distinguished faculty, personalized learning environment, and Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition, which forms the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately, and achieve success in service to others. More than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate, and law students pursue their studies in the University’s six colleges: the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies, and the Charles Widger School of Law. Villanova promotes the intellectual growth of its students and prepares them to become ethical leaders who will create positive change wherever life takes them. Learn more at:  www.villanova.edu