SEATTLE — Father Mattia Ferrari from the Vatican flew into Seattle July 1 as part of a larger mission as coordinator for the World Meeting of Popular Movements and chaplain of Mediterranea Saving Humans.

He came alongside Luca Casarini, founder of Mediterranea Saving Humans, and César Piscoya, a friend of Pope Leo XIV who served as the executive secretary of the social vicariate in the Diocese of Chiclayo at the request of then-Bishop Robert Prevost.

Brought to the Archdiocese of Seattle by the Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center (IPJC) by way of Catholics in Communion in partnership with the World Meeting of Popular Movements, the two-day trip was just one stop of many around the United States where the delegation sought to learn about the experiences and challenges facing immigrant communities in the country.

The 32-year-old priest will report his findings directly to Pope Leo XIV when he returns to the Vatican.

“Father [Ferrari’s] visit is a unique opportunity to share the powerful and prophetic local leadership for justice that our Catholic community in Seattle exemplifies, connecting it to the work for justice across the universal Church,” Will Rutt, executive director of the IPJC, said in a press release. “This visit is an embodiment of the principle of subsidiarity and the practice of synodality as Father [Ferrari], and by extension the Vatican, are able to encounter the local community leaders collaboratively sharing our vision for a shared social mission.”

After arriving at the Pastoral Outreach Center in Seattle, Father Ferrari, Casarini and Piscoya met with members of local social justice organizations and ministries as well as young adult and youth leaders, some part of the IPJC’s Youth Action Team Internship and Fellowship and others from local Catholic middle school and high schools.

“We are here to meet you, to listen to you, and to talk with you,” Father Ferrari told the group. “Our task, our mission, is to support you in Seattle and in the Vatican City.”

Translators were present to assist both Spanish and English speakers as those in attendance shared what they do in terms of advocating for and working with immigrants.

Introducing himself, Father Ferrari explained what he does with Mediterranea Saving Humans, an Italian ministry with the primary task of searching for and rescuing migrants at sea.

“We have an ongoing crisis. Many migrants have to cross the Mediterranean Sea, and many are lost, and many others are pulled back to Libya, to Tunisia, and they face unbelievable sufferings,” Father Ferrari said. “We were contacted by Luca [Casarini] to be an answer. We just invoke the Holy Spirit. We, as Christians, know that even when humanity faces the biggest challenges and biggest sufferings, God never abandons us.”

Father Mattia Ferrari, in clerical collar, speaks to members of local social justice organizations and ministries as well as young adult and youth leaders from the Archdiocese of Seattle July 1. (Photo by Andrew Foster)

JC Santos, a teacher at Our Lady of Guadalupe School in Seattle, appreciated the experience some of his middle school students got by participating in the event.

“I loved watching my students make connections with other youth leaders in the area. Hearing other young people's stories of social justice alongside those of the Vatican representatives created a powerful moment of solidarity and global community,” Santos told Northwest Catholic. “The most important thing is our work going forward and how we treat all those around us with dignity.”

Father Ferrari also spoke about the World Meeting of Popular Movements, a Vatican initiative founded by Pope Francis in 2014, which seeks to foster encounters between the Church and grassroots organizations working to address social, economic and racial inequalities.

“We are very grateful because it’s very important, especially today, that you as young people are really the protagonist of the change in the U.S. and in the world,” Father Ferrari told the youth and young adults in the room.

The mission of the World Meeting of Popular Movements was the blueprint for the visit, as after leaving the outreach center, the three men continued to engage in dialogue as they traveled north to the Tri-Parish Food Bank in Burlington.

There, they met with José Ortiz, who runs the food bank with his wife, Lilia, and spoke with local farmworkers and their families, many of whom are immigrants.

They later set off to a local farmworker housing facility to learn from more the community before ending the day with Mass celebrated by Father Ferrari at St. Charles Church in Burlington.

On the second day, Father Ferrari, Casarini and Piscoya spent time in Tukwila at the ICE electronic check-in office speaking to more immigrants and those who serve them near the facility.

They shared lunch with local Filipino Catholic leaders at St. George Parish in Seattle before departing for their next set of encounters in Central California.