Pope Leo XIV Calls Poor ‘Protagonists of Hope’ in Message for World Day of the Poor

Vatican City, 13 June 2025: Pope Leo XIV released his official message for the Ninth World Day of the Poor on Friday afternoon, coinciding with the Feast Day of Saint Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of the poor. The ninth edition of the Day of the Poor will be observed on Sunday, 16 November 2025. The Pope's message, which is centred around the theme “You are my hope” (Ps 71:5), draws from the Psalms and the lived experiences of those suffering from poverty.

In his message, the Holy Father urged Christians to see the poor not merely as recipients of charity but as protagonists of hope. He also urged them to rediscover Christian hope as a response to the instability that pervades the world today.

Recalling Saint Paul’s assurance “we have our hope set on the living God”, the pope stated that “Hope in God never disappoints.” 

Pope Leo noted how the poor, though deprived of material security, often embody a hope that is deep and enduring. “It is precisely in this vulnerability”, he explained, “that ‘we too pass from fleeting hopes to a lasting hope’. 

The Holy Father went on to state that the gravest form of poverty is "not to know God". Citing Pope Francis’s Evangelii Gaudium, he highlighted the fact that spiritual care must not be denied to the poor, who “have a special openness to the faith”. 

Pope Leo compared Christian hope to “an anchor that grounds our hearts in the promise of the Lord Jesus”. In a world plagued by war, displacement, and environmental degradation, the pontiff insisted that this hope remains the anchor holding human dignity fast. He went on to add that charity is not just a promise but a present reality to be embraced with joy and responsibility.

Pope Francis reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to tackling poverty at its structural roots, urging policies that uphold labour, education, housing, and healthcare as universal rights. Condemning a culture of indifference, he highlighted often-overlooked signs of hope such as care homes, soup kitchens, and low-income schools. He added that the poor are not a distraction for the Church, but "our beloved brothers and sisters who put us in contact with the truth of the Gospel. ” 

A Jubilee of Responsibility

In his message, Pope Leo reminded Christians that this year’s World Day of the Poor is closely linked to the ongoing Jubilee celebration: “Once the Holy Door is closed, we are to cherish and share with others the divine gifts granted to us.” He urged believers to view the poor not merely as recipients of care but as creative subjects who challenge them to find novel ways of living out the Gospel today. 

Pope Leo also echoed the wisdom of Saint Augustine, urging justice over mere generosity: “You give bread to a hungry person, but it would be better if none were hungry,” he quotes. 

Concluding his message, the Pope entrusted all the faithful to Mary, Comforter of the Afflicted, and invited the Church and the world to raise a “song of hope” with the words of the Te Deum: “In you, O Lord, is our hope, and we shall never hope in vain.”

By Christopher Wells

Courtesy: Vatican News