Pope Leo XIV presides at Mass for the Jubilee of the Missions & Migrants

 

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Pope Leo XIV encourages rekindling awareness of our missionary vocation

At the Mass for the Jubilee of the Missions and of Migrants, Pope Leo encourages us to rekindle awareness of our missionary vocation that springs from a desire to “bring the joy and consolation of the Gospel to everyone,” remembering those in difficulty, and in particular “our migrant brothers and sisters” forced to leave their homelands.

Vatican News 

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Addressing the over forty thousand pilgrims present in Saint Peter’s Square for the Mass for the Jubilee of the Missions and of Migrants, Pope Leo XIV in his homily focused on the two themes of the missionary vocation to which we are called and reaching out in solidarity and friendship to “our migrant brothers and sisters.”

Missionary outreach, charity and fraternity are all interrelated and part of the duty and desire within us to “bring the joy and consolation of the Gospel to everyone,” especially those in difficulty, he recalled. In remembering migrants, he pointed out how so many are forced to leave their homelands due to extreme circumstances, “often leaving their loved ones behind, enduring nights of fear and loneliness, experiencing discrimination and violence firsthand.”

Missionary role of Church

Quoting the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium of Pope Francis, he underscored that “the entire Church is missionary, and it is urgent that we “go forth and preach the Gospel to all: to all places, on all occasions, without hesitation, reluctance or fear.” And this is especially important to reach our brothers and sisters in the world’s peripheries where war, injustice, and suffering, are often widespread, but hearing and experiencing the hope of the Gospel can offer consolation and help strengthen faith.

Salvation from a lived faith

The Gospel hope of salvation and new life that springs from faith can transform lives, making us living instruments of “the salvation that even today God wishes to bring about in the world” the Pope stressed. Salvation is fulfilled he said when we go out of ourselves and care for others who are suffering, and in so doing, bring God’s love to the world, he added.

A missionary age

Pope Leo explained how today a new missionary age is upon us today, as the frontiers are no longer necessarily tied to geography or departing for distant lands, “because poverty, suffering and the desire for a greater hope have made their way to us.” We see this in the reality of “our migrant brothers and sisters” and the tragedy of their fleeing violence, suffering, with fear of not succeeding in perilous sea journeys, and “their cry of sorrow and desperation.”

“Brothers and sisters, those boats which hope to catch sight of a safe port, and those eyes filled with anguish and hope seeking to reach the shore, cannot and must not find the coldness of indifference or the stigma of discrimination!”

So, mission is also about “remaining”, proclaiming and manifesting “Christ through hospitality and welcome, compassion and solidarity,” looking beyond ourselves, “to remain and open our arms and hearts to them, welcoming them as brothers and sisters, and being for them a presence of consolation and hope.”

Missionary cooperation and vocations

The Pope concluded by describing two necessary tasks – promoting a renewed missionary cooperation among the Churches and appreciating the “beauty and importance” of missionary vocations. The presence and encounter with brothers and sisters from the world’s South offer an “opportunity” we should welcome, he said, since this fraternal exchange can renew the Church and sustain “a Christianity that is more open, more alive and more dynamic.”  The Pope then underscored the importance of missionary vocations, especially in Europe, involving the laity, religious and priests who can serve in missionary lands.  New ideas are needed here, he pointed out, and vocational experiences that draw and inspire young people.

“Beloved friends, I willingly give my blessing to the local clergy of the particular Churches, to missionaries and those discerning a vocation. Whereas, to migrants I say: know that you are always welcome! The seas and deserts that you have crossed, Scripture calls “places of salvation”, in which God makes himself present to save his people. I hope that you find this face of God in the missionaries that you encounter...May Mary sustain us, so that each of us can become co-workers for the Kingdom of Christ, the Kingdom of love, justice and peace”

Pope Leo XIV at special Jubilee Audience 10.04.2025

 

Pope Leo arrives in St Peter's Square for the Jubilee Audience  (@Vatican Media)

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Pope Leo at Jubilee Audience: ‘To Hope is to Choose’

At the Jubilee Audience of Migrants and the Missionary World, the Pope recalls St. Clare of Assisi as a model of courageous Gospel living.

By Linda Bordoni

At the Jubilee Audience in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the meaning of Christian hope, inviting the faithful to make courageous choices rooted in the Gospel.

Drawing from the day’s Gospel reading (Lk 16:13–14), the Pope spoke about the challenge of serving God rather than wealth, and highlighted St Clare of Assisi as a shining example of youthful faith and radical discipleship.

“To Hope is to Choose”

Commenting on the passage in which some listeners mock Jesus’ teaching on poverty, Pope Leo noted that “his discourse on poverty seemed absurd to them. More precisely, they felt personally affected because of their attachment to money.”

Addressing the thousands of pilgrims present, he underlined that the Jubilee is a “time of concrete hope,” a moment when hearts can find forgiveness and mercy, so that everything can begin anew.”

“In this year,” he said, “we must choose whom we will serve: justice or injustice, God or money.”

The Pope explained that authentic hope is inseparable from personal decision. “To hope is to choose,” he said, pointing out two key aspects: first, that “the world changes if we change,” and second, that those who refuse to choose risk falling into despair.

“One of the most common consequences of spiritual sadness — that is, of acedia — is to choose nothing,” he warned. “The person who experiences it is seized by an interior laziness that is worse than death. To hope, on the other hand, is to choose.”

Clare of Assisi: A model of courageous choice

The Pope then turned to the example of St Clare of Assisi, describing her as “a courageous and countercultural young woman” who, with the grace of God, made a decisive choice for the Gospel.

Recalling how Francis of Assisi embraced evangelical poverty even at the cost of breaking with his family, the Pope noted that Clare’s decision was “even more striking: a young woman who wanted to be like Francis, who wanted to live, as a woman, free like those brothers.”

He observed that even in a city that considered itself Christian, Clare’s radical embrace of the Gospel appeared revolutionary. “Then, as today, one must choose! Clare chose, and this gives us great hope,” he said.

The Pope pointed to two lasting fruits of her decision: the inspiration she gave to many other young women to follow Christ in poverty, and the enduring witness of her choice, which “was not like a flash in the pan, but has endured through time, down to us.”

Young people drawn by authentic choices

Quoting Jesus’ words, “You cannot serve two masters,” Pope Leo noted that the Church remains young and vibrant when it lives the Gospel with authenticity.

“Clare of Assisi reminds us that the Gospel appeals to the young,” he said. “Young people like those who have made choices and live the consequences of their choices. And this makes others want to choose as well. It is a holy imitation: one does not become ‘photocopies,’ but each person — when he or she chooses the Gospel — chooses himself or herself. One loses oneself and finds oneself.”

A Church that serves the Kingdom

Pope Leo concluded his catechesis with a prayer for young people and for the entire Church.

“Let us pray,” he said, “to be a Church that does not serve money or itself, but the Kingdom of God and his justice. A Church that, like Saint Clare, has the courage to inhabit the city in a different way. This gives hope!

Next up in Jubilee 2025: Jubilee of Missions & Migrants

 

File photo from a Jubilee Mass  (ANSA)

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Jubilees of Missions and Migrants to be celebrated Rome

The Jubilee of the Missionary World and the Jubilee of Migrants will bring tens of thousands of pilgrims from over 100 countries to Rome from October 4–5, with events including a Mass with Pope Leo XIV, international prayer gatherings, and the Festival of Peoples.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Rome is preparing to welcome thousands of pilgrims from across the globe as it hosts two significant events in the life of the Catholic Church: the Jubilee of the Missionary World and the Jubilee of Migrants, taking place concurrently on Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5, 2025. A

According to a press release issued by the Dicastery for Evangelization, the events are being organized in collaboration with the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, as well as the Section for First Evangelization and New Particular Churches.

Global gathering for the Jubilee of the Missionary World

The Jubilee of the Missionary World will bring together pilgrims from nearly 100 countries, with a particular focus on lay and religious missionaries, pastoral workers in mission territories, fidei donum priests, and missionary organizations. Delegations will be arriving from countries including Italy, the United States, Spain, Poland, Switzerland, France, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, the Philippines, India, and Canada, with additional participants coming from Zambia, Lesotho, China, Costa Rica, Madagascar, and Mauritius.

The event will officially begin on the morning of Saturday, October 4, with a special Jubilee Audience at 10:00 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, presided over by Pope Leo XIV. All pilgrims participating in the Jubilee are invited to attend.

Later in the afternoon, between 2 and 5 p.m., pilgrims will undertake a symbolic pilgrimage through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, a ritual central to Jubilee celebrations. This will be followed by the International Missionary Encounter, held from 5:00 to 6:45 p.m. at the Pontifical Urban University (Via Urbano VIII, 16). Themed “Missio ad gentes today: Toward new horizons,” the session will be coordinated by the Dicastery for Evangelization, together with the Pontifical Mission Societies.

In the evening, national groups will gather to celebrate missionary vigil Masses in multiple churches in multiple languages around the Vatican: English at Santa Maria delle Fornaci; French at San Lorenzo in Piscibus; Spanish at the main chapel of the Urban College; and Portuguese, German, and Chinese at the International Missionary Animation Center.

Italian-language Masses will be celebrated at Santa Maria in Traspontina at 7 p.m. and the Chapel of Casa “Dono di Maria” at 7:30 p.m.

International missionary Rosary

The first day will conclude with a solemn international missionary Rosary at 9:00 p.m. in St. Peter’s Square, where all are invited to gather in a moment of shared prayer and spiritual reflection.

On Sunday, October 5, the pilgrims will return to St. Peter’s Square for Holy Mass, celebrated by Pope Leo XIV at 10:30 a.m.

That afternoon, from 3 - 7 p.m., the celebration continues with the Festival of Peoples, a public cultural event in the Gardens of Castel Sant’Angelo, titled “Migrants and Missionaries of Hope Among the Nations.”

The festival will feature performances, testimonies, and artistic expressions from a wide range of global communities. Special guests include Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, as well as other senior Church officials engaged in mission work.

Jubilee of Migrants

Running alongside the missionary jubilee, the Jubilee of Migrants will also welcome approximately 10,000 pilgrims from 95 countries.

This celebration is dedicated to all migrants, with participants coming from countries such as Italy, the United States, Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, the Philippines, Germany, Portugal, India, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, El Salvador, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Albania, Romania, Madagascar, Eritrea, Togo, Cape Verde, and Mauritius.

Like the Missionary Jubilee, the Migrant Jubilee will open with the Jubilee Audience with Pope Leo XIV on Saturday morning, followed by the pilgrimage through the Holy Door in the afternoon.

The shared Mass on Sunday morning will unite both communities in St. Peter’s Square, after which migrants and missionaries will come together again for the Festival of Peoples in the afternoon, an event being promoted by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and the Dicastery for Evangelization, with the support of numerous Catholic organizations that serve migrants, refugees, and mission territories.

The Festival of Peoples

The Festival of Peoples promises a vibrant and inclusive afternoon of music, storytelling, and cultural celebration. Featured participants include the Latin Indian community of Rome, the youth group of the Filipino community, the Sorirang ensemble from Korea, the International Migrants School of Rome, and the PerùFolk cultural association, among others. The festival embodies the Church’s commitment to hospitality, multiculturalism, and unity in diversity.

Entrance to the event, which is free and open to the public, takes place from 3 - 7 p.m. Early access will start at 2:30 p.m.

The program will be hosted by a team of presenters representing different nationalities, including Italian, Afghan, and Indian voices. Attendees will also include Cardinal Fabio Baggio, C.S., Undersecretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, along with other officials from the Dicastery for Evangelization.

A faith transcending borders

These concurrent jubilees highlight the Catholic Church’s ongoing mission to reach the margins, welcome the stranger, and celebrate the rich tapestry of cultures within the global faith community.

As expressed in the press release from the Dicastery for Evangelization, this celebration of missionaries and migrants is more than an event—it's a living testimony to a Church that "walks with the peoples, brings hope to the nations, and celebrates a faith that transcends borders."