Pope Leo XIV has issued a message centered on the theme: “You are my hope.” for the Ninth World Day of the Poor on Sunday, 16 November 2025.
Newsroom, June 13, 2025, Gaudium Press – As the Church prepares to mark the Ninth World Day of the Poor on Sunday, 16 November 2025, Pope Leo XIV has issued a message centered on the theme: “You are my hope.” In this Jubilee Year, the Pope expresses his desire for policies to combat both longstanding and emerging forms of poverty.
Drawing from the Psalms and the lived experiences of those in poverty, Pope Leo XIV urges Christians to view the poor not as mere recipients of charity but as protagonists of hope. He emphasizes that the Jubilee Year offers an opportunity to launch “new initiatives to support and assist the poorest of the poor,” stating, “Labour, education, housing, and health are the foundations of a security that will never be attained by the use of arms.”
Released on the Feast Day of Saint Anthony of Padua, patron of the poor, the Pope’s message calls on the faithful to rediscover Christian hope amid global instability. “Hope in God never disappoints,” he affirms, echoing Saint Paul’s words that “we have our hope set on the living God.”
Witnesses to Hope Amid Hardship
Pope Leo highlights how the poor, despite lacking material security, often embody profound and enduring hope. “They cannot rely on the security of power and possessions… their hope must necessarily be sought elsewhere,” he writes. This vulnerability, he explains, leads to a “lasting hope” that can inspire others. He identifies the “gravest form of poverty” as not knowing God, citing Pope Francis’s Evangelii Gaudium to underscore the poor’s “special openness to the faith.”
Hope as an Anchor
The Holy Father likens Christian hope to an anchor, grounding believers in the promise of Jesus Christ. In a world marked by war, displacement, and environmental degradation, he insists this hope upholds human dignity. “Charity is not just a promise,” he reminds us. “It is a present reality to be embraced with joy and responsibility.”
From the City of Man to the City of God
Pope Leo connects faith to social responsibility, stressing that poverty’s structural causes must be addressed. He advocates for policies ensuring universal access to labour, education, housing, and healthcare. Decrying a culture of indifference, he points to “quiet signs of hope” such as care homes, soup kitchens, and low-income schools, which are often overlooked.
“The poor are not a distraction for the Church,” he reiterates. “They are our beloved brothers and sisters… they put us in contact with the truth of the Gospel.”
A Jubilee of Responsibility
With the ongoing Jubilee celebration, Pope Leo underscores the urgency of his message. “Once the Holy Door is closed, we are to cherish and share with others the divine gifts granted us,” he says. He urges believers to see the poor as “creative subjects” who challenge the Church to live out the Gospel in innovative ways.
Echoing Saint Augustine, he calls for justice over mere generosity: “You give bread to a hungry person; but it would be better if none were hungry.”
In conclusion, Pope Leo entrusts all to Mary, Comforter of the Afflicted, inviting the Church and the world to raise a “song of hope” with the Te Deum: “In you, O Lord, is our hope, and we shall never hope in vain.”
World Day of the Poor
Instituted by Pope Francis in 2017, the World Day of the Poor encourages the Church to actively address poverty in its various forms. Observed on the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, it calls Christians and people of goodwill to connect with those experiencing poverty and work to end its cycles.
Raju Hasmukh with sources from:
– Pope Leo XIV, Message for the Ninth World Day of the Poor, Vatican, 13 June 2025.
– Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, Apostolic Exhortation, 24 November 2013.
– Vatican News, “World Day of the Poor: A Call to Action,” 2017.
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