“You Are My Hope”: Pope Leo XIV’s Call to Action on World Day of the Poor

As the Catholic Church prepares to observe the Ninth World Day of the Poor on Sunday, November 16, 2025, Pope Leo XIV has issued a powerful message centered on the theme “You are my hope.” The Pope’s message urges the global community to recognize the poor not merely as recipients of charity but as vital bearers of hope and agents of change.

Drawing inspiration from the Psalms and the lived experiences of those in poverty, Pope Leo XIV emphasizes that true hope transcends material wealth and power. “Hope in God never disappoints,” he affirms, encouraging Christians to anchor their faith in the living God amid today’s global instability marked by war, displacement, and environmental crises.

The Pope highlights that poverty is not only a lack of material resources but also a spiritual deprivation. “The gravest form of poverty is not to know God,” he states, urging that spiritual care must be extended to the poor, who often show a unique openness to faith.

Pope Leo XIV calls for systemic change, stressing that poverty has structural causes that must be addressed through policies guaranteeing labor rights, education, housing, and healthcare as universal human rights. He condemns the prevailing culture of indifference and shines a light on “quiet signs of hope” such as care homes, soup kitchens, and low-income schools that work tirelessly to uplift the marginalized.

Linking the World Day of the Poor to the ongoing Jubilee Year, the Pope challenges believers to move beyond generosity towards justice. Quoting Saint Augustine, he reminds us: “You give bread to a hungry person; but it would be better if none were hungry.” The Jubilee, he says, is a call to responsibility—an invitation to innovate new ways of living the Gospel in today’s world.

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Concluding his message, Pope Leo XIV entrusts the Church and the world to Mary, Comforter of the Afflicted, inviting all to raise a “song of hope” inspired by the ancient hymn Te Deum: “In you, O Lord, is our hope, and we shall never hope in vain.”

Background: The World Day of the Poor

Established by Pope Francis in 2017, the World Day of the Poor is observed annually on the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time. It aims to inspire the Church and people of goodwill worldwide to reflect on poverty’s many dimensions and to take concrete actions to break its cycles. This day serves as a reminder that the poor are not peripheral but central to the Gospel mission.