On the occasion of the 10th World Day of the Poor, to be celebrated on November 15, 2026, Pope Leo XIV published his message titled “The Lord Is the Refuge of the Poor” (cf. Ps 14:6), a profound reflection that calls on the Church and society to recognize the dignity of people living in poverty, to listen to their voices, and to become concrete spaces of welcome, solidarity, and hope.
In a global context marked by growing inequalities, social exclusion, and new forms of marginalization, the Holy Father denounces the existence of an “arrogant corruption” that generates injustices and pits people against one another under the logic of domination and oppression. According to the Pontiff, the loss of a sense of God is manifested not only in the denial of His existence, but also in indifference to human suffering and in the inability to build relationships based on mercy and justice.
“The Lord is a refuge for the poor” thus becomes an invitation to turn our gaze toward those who suffer the consequences of economic, social, and cultural systems that marginalize millions of people and entire peoples.
Listen to the poor, not just talk about them
One of the message’s strongest calls is the need to move from mere discourse to genuine closeness. Leo XIV warns that the cry of the poor is often silenced by increasingly sophisticated mechanisms, including digital environments, where prejudice and indifference can deepen exclusion.
For this reason, he urges Christians to encounter impoverished people where they live, to listen to their thoughts, to share in their hopes, and to recognize them not merely as recipients of aid, but as agents of transformation and hope.
“The poor know how to recognize what is essential because they live on what is essential,” the Pope affirms, emphasizing that those who experience fragility and exclusion possess a profound capacity to trust in God and to build relationships of solidarity.
A Call That Challenges the Amazon
The Holy Father’s words resonate particularly strongly in the Amazon, where numerous indigenous peoples, riverine communities, rural farmers, Afro-descendants, and vulnerable urban populations continue to face poverty, displacement, exclusion, and threats to their territories.
From the perspective of a Church with an Amazonian face, the message reaffirms the need to walk alongside these peoples, listen to their cries, and defend their rights, promoting an evangelization committed to social justice, care for our Common Home, and human dignity.
The Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA), inspired by the synodal process launched by the Synod for the Amazon, recognizes in this message a renewed invitation to strengthen the Church’s presence on the geographical and existential peripheries of the Amazon region.
Becoming a Refuge for Others
The Pope reminds us that Jesus Christ not only proclaims hope to the poor, but also draws near to them, shares in their human condition, and restores their dignity. For this reason, the Church is called to become a refuge for those who suffer as well.
Leo XIV poses questions that invite a profound examination of conscience: Do we reach out to where the poor are? Do we listen to their thoughts and share their hopes? Do we speak their names with tenderness? Are we truly a sign of a God who is a refuge for the most vulnerable?
For the Pontiff, answering these questions means embracing a Church capable of walking in poverty alongside the poor, open to listening, to solidarity, and to building authentic fraternity.
The Joy of Compassion
In the conclusion of his message, Pope Leo XIV recalls the witness of St. Francis of Assisi, whose eighth centenary of death will be commemorated. The Holy Father highlights how the Poverello found joy in sharing the lives of the poorest and understanding their reality from within.
Following that example, he invites the entire Church to experience the same joy that comes from listening, accompanying, and serving, convinced that “everything can be reimagined from the bottom up, in humility and fraternity.”
The 10th World Day of the Poor is thus presented as an opportunity to renew the commitment of Christian communities to those seeking refuge, hope, and recognition, building a Church that is ever closer to the people, more merciful, and more committed to their lives.