Pope Leo prayed that the pilgrimage would enrich the leaders’ minds and hearts, strengthening their resolve to advance the dignity of all workers
Newsroom (09/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) Pope Leo XIV, in a Thursday audience with labor leaders from Chicago, lauded their efforts to uplift workers, integrate minorities, and support immigrants, calling on them to continue advocating for the human dignity of society’s most vulnerable during the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope.
Addressing the delegation in the Vatican’s Clementine Hall, the pontiff praised the labor unions for representing thousands of workers and enhancing their skills for the common good. Accompanied by Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, the group was recognized for its partnerships with civil and business leaders to support seminarians, reflecting a commitment to community and faith.
“You are broadening the participation and inclusion of minorities in the labor movement through apprenticeships and training,” Pope Leo said, commending their efforts to diversify the workforce. He also hailed their focus on environmental stewardship, particularly in training workers for renewable energy development, describing it as “not only commendable but also timely” amid the urgent need to care for “our common home.”
The pope expressed gratitude for the unions’ work in welcoming immigrants and refugees, notably through support for shelters and food pantries. “While recognizing that appropriate policies are necessary to keep communities safe,” he said, “I encourage you to continue to advocate for society to respect the human dignity of the most vulnerable.”
Echoing his predecessor Pope Francis, Leo urged the labor leaders to embody a daily “rebirth at the peripheries,” serving those on society’s margins. The Chicago delegation’s pilgrimage to Rome, part of the Jubilee Year themed “Pilgrims of Hope, on the Way of Peace,” includes engagements on workers’ rights and obligations, aligning with the pope’s vision of labor as a force for justice and solidarity.
In closing, Pope Leo prayed that the pilgrimage would enrich the leaders’ minds and hearts, strengthening their resolve to advance the dignity of all workers. The audience underscores the pontiff’s ongoing emphasis on social justice, a hallmark of his papacy as the first American-born pope and a member of the Order of Saint Augustine.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
Related Images:
