Pope Leo XIV’s Message for the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, issued on July 25, 2025, offers a stirring pastoral reflection rooted in suffering, faith, and mission. In a world “faced with frightening scenarios and the possibility of global devastation,” he highlights migrants and refugees as “privileged witnesses of hope,” calling them daily instruments of God’s grace (Vatican News).
He reminds us that the modern global context is “sadly marked by wars, violence, injustice and extreme weather events, which force millions of people to leave their homelands in search of refuge elsewhere” (Vatican.va). Yet amid darkness, hope persists through the courageous faith of those who leave everything behind.
Migrants respond to a deep yearning: “the virtue of hope responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man and woman,” and for many migrants, “this search … is certainly one of the main motivations”—making them “messengers and privileged witnesses of hope” (Vatican News). They “demonstrate this daily through their resilience and trust in God … seeking a future in which they glimpse that integral human development and happiness are possible” (Vatican News).
As Pope Leo writes, “in a world darkened by war and injustice, even when all seems lost … their courage and tenacity bear heroic testimony to a faith that sees beyond what our eyes can see” (Vatican News). In their struggle, they embody the hope that lifts the eyes of the faithful to heaven and renews the Church’s mission.
At the heart of his message is an urgent appeal to those who welcome migrants. Such communities, he says, “can also be a living witness to hope … where the dignity of all as children of God is recognized. In this way, migrants and refugees are recognized as brothers and sisters… part of a family in which they can express their talents and participate fully in community life” (USCCB).
Moreover, Catholic migrants and refugees play a vital role in revitalizing the Church. As Leo explains, they remind the Church of “her pilgrim dimension, perpetually journeying towards her final homeland,” resisting the “temptation of ‘sedentarization’” and becoming “of the world” rather than “in the world” (Vatican News). With “spiritual enthusiasm and vitality,” they become “missionaries of hope,” forging new paths of faith and stimulating interreligious dialogue and ecclesial renewal in communities that may have grown spiritually stagnant (Vatican.va).
Why this message matters
The message comes at a critical moment when 123.4 million individuals were forcibly displaced by the end of 2024—driven by conflict, persecution, climate shocks, and inequality. Pope Leo reminds us that in such crisis-ridden times, human solidarity rooted in faith must shine brightest. His call echoes the Jubilee of 2025’s theme, “Pilgrims of Hope”, inviting all Catholics to bear witness to the resilience of the human spirit.
Bishops and the Vatican’s Migrants & Refugees Section emphasize that migration is not only a political or humanitarian issue but a theological one: a living out of our call to welcome the stranger, rooted in Scripture and tradition.
What this means for the Church
Migrants are not merely recipients of care—they are missionaries of hope. Pope Leo says their presence “should be recognized and appreciated as a true divine blessing, an opportunity to open oneself to the grace of God”.
Their testimony renews the Church from within—guiding us toward justice, fraternity, and the heavenly homeland.
The full-text of Pope Leo XIV’s Message can be found here.
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