Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts The tradition of churches as places of refuge for those in fear of the law goes back centuries. It figures in several popular stories set in the Middle Ages, including The...
What happened to the Catholic tradition of sanctuary? | Leo Guardado
On this episode of the podcast, Leo Guardado discusses the origin and significance of the sanctuary church tradition.
New from our staff
October 2025
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE CURRENT ISSUE
A doorway to shelter
The tradition of sanctuary churches has roots that are older than Christianity.
BY HEIDI SCHLUMPF
Faith in exile
The Haitian immigrants of St. Raphael’s in Springfield, Ohio rely on their faith in a time of crisis.
BY PETER FEUERHERD
Crossing the lines
Activist and translator Alejandra Oliva examines the persistent injustices of our immigration system.
AN INTERVIEW WITH ALEJANDRA OLIVA
Walk and bear witness
To better understand the immigrant experience, look to the spirituality of pilgrimage.
BY CECILIA GONZALEZ-ANDRIEU
Big mission
A Florida Catholic school is redefining what it means to support the whole person.
BY CASSIDY KLEIN
We must uproot poisonous assumptions about disability from our interpretations of scripture and sacrament.
Madison Chastain
