As the Jubilee Year draws to a close, Pope Leo XIV has addressed grassroots leaders at the World Meeting of Popular Movements, urging the Church and society to focus on those living on the margins. He stated that true progress should not be measured by technology or profit but by attention to the excluded. “The truly new is seen from the margins, from the faces of those who suffer exclusion,” Pope Leo said.

He highlighted that workers, migrants, mothers, farm laborers, young people, and elders are central in revealing both societal wounds and shared humanity. The Pope described demands for “land, housing, and work” as sacred human rights and praised those on society’s peripheries for their resilience. He called them “social poets,” noting their role in imagining new forms of solidarity.

Pope Leo emphasized that Christian engagement must be driven by love: “Without it, justice becomes cold, activism becomes harsh, and structures become impersonal.” With love at its core, he said ministries such as community gardens and immigrant support centers can better serve vulnerable populations.

At its November 2025 meeting, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released a Special Pastoral Message on Immigration. The bishops recognized ongoing compassion in parishes and shelters nationwide while calling for increased support for immigrant families. They spoke against mass deportations and rhetoric or violence targeting immigrants or law enforcement officers. The bishops also affirmed nations’ rights to secure borders but insisted this cannot come at the expense of human dignity.

Pope Leo further discussed broader global challenges such as climate change displacing communities and economic exploitation worsening inequality despite technological growth. He warned that globalization without ethical guidance leads to greater poverty but argued it can promote opportunity if rooted in conscience.

Both Pope Leo’s message and a new USCCB Commission on Migration initiative call for practical accompaniment—emergency aid, pastoral care, clear teaching communication, prayerful solidarity—to address migration challenges in line with Gospel values.

Pope Leo concluded his remarks with a blessing: “The Church and I want to be close to you on this journey…we implore the Father of all mercy to protect you and fill you with his inexhaustible love.” For more information about Pope Leo XIV’s address to grassroots leaders of popular movements visit www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2025/october/documents/20251023-movimenti-popolari.html

The messages encourage welcoming strangers during upcoming holidays while supporting immigrants and defending dignity for all who feel unseen—a call rooted in Gospel teachings.