Pope Leo XIV Calls for Renewed Commitment to Justice and Hope in Message for 9th World Day of the Poor
- Sr Daisy Anne Lisania Augustine MSC
- Nov 16
- 3 min read
Vatican City, 16 November 2025 — In his message for the 9th World Day of the Poor, celebrated this year on the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Pope Leo XIV urged the global community to confront the structural causes of poverty with courage, responsibility, and a renewed sense of Christian hope.
The message, titled “You Are My Hope” (cf. Ps 71:5), reflects deeply on the spiritual and social dimensions of poverty, reminding the faithful that hope in God is the anchor that sustains humanity amid suffering and uncertainty.
Drawing from Scripture, the Pope emphasized that Christian hope is not abstract optimism but a “steadfast certainty” rooted in God’s promise. “Hope does not disappoint,” he wrote, echoing St Paul’s words to the Romans, and stressing that God’s faithfulness is the ultimate foundation of human resilience.
‘The gravest form of poverty is not to know God’
The Pope warned that spiritual deprivation is one of the deepest forms of poverty, recalling the teaching of Evangelii Gaudium that the poor suffer greatly when deprived of spiritual care. He noted that material wealth, while important, often f
ails to satisfy the human heart and can even exacerbate a sense of em
ptiness when detached from God.
“The worst discrimination which the poor suffer is the lack of spiritual care,”
he said, urging the Church to offer the sacraments, the Word of God, and pastoral accompaniment to all those who seek meaning and dignity.
Hope as a call to social responsibility
Linking theological hope with concrete action, Pope Leo XIV reiterated that charity is “the greatest social commandment.” While praising countless initiatives that support vulnerable groups—such as care homes, shelters, listening centers, and schools serving the marginalized—he insisted that long-term solutions require addressing systemic injustice.
“Helping the poor is a matter of justice before a question of charity,” the Pope stated, citing Saint Augustine’s call for a world where no one goes hungry or naked in the first place. He called on governments and international organizations to develop policies rooted in equality, access to essential services, and respect for human dignity.
Jubilee Year as a catalyst for action
The timing of the World Day of the Poor, near the conclusion of the Jubilee Year, carries symbolic weight. Pope Leo XIV encouraged the faithful to take the graces received during this year of prayer and conversion and translate them into renewed commitment to social transformation.
“The poor are not mere recipients of our pastoral care, but creative subjects who challenge us,” he said, urging communities not to become indifferent to emerging forms of poverty—ranging from loss of employment and housing to restrictions on education, information, and basic freedoms.
A call to reject violence and build peace
The Pope also highlighted that true human security will never be achieved through weapons or conflict, but through access to labor, education, housing, and healthcare—foundations of justice that safeguard human dignity. He expressed gratitude for individuals and organizations worldwide who work daily to support these efforts.
Entrusting humanity to Mary, Comforter of the Afflicted
Pope Leo XIV concluded his message by entrusting the global community to the intercession of Mary Most Holy, invoking the hope expressed in the ancient hymn Te Deum: “In you, O Lord, is our hope, and we shall never hope in vain.”
The message, signed on 13 June 2025—the Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, patron of the poor—underscores a central theme of the pontificate: that true Christian discipleship is inseparable from solidarity with the most vulnerable.
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