Providing Hope for the Poorest
Pope Leo XIV has declared Sunday 16th November 2025 to be the ninth World Day of the Poor.
In his message the Holy Father urges us to recognise those experiencing poverty as “witnesses to a strong and steadfast hope, precisely because they embody it in the midst of uncertainty, poverty, instability and marginalisation. The poor cannot rely on the security of power and possessions; on the contrary, they are at their mercy and often victims of them. Their hope must necessarily be sought elsewhere.”
Hope for a better future
During our commemoration of the World Day of the Poor we remember the dedication of the work of our Sisters of Mary in caring for the poorest children in the world and offering them hope for a better future.
The needs of these children are at the centre of our education work in the Philippines, Guatemala, Mexico, Brazil, Honduras and Tanzania.
Those who are last shall be first
Each day the Sisters encounter poor families suffering with less than before. Poverty deprives them of what so many of us are able to regard as secure: a home, sufficient food for each day, access to healthcare and a good education.
They reach out with love to these poorest communities in the way that Matthew observed so that “those who are last shall be first”. The Sisters offer the poorest children of these families a place at school, the chance to be cherished and prioritised. These children are at the heart of their activity. The Sisters welcome children into their schools, where they receive full time care and a quality academic and vocational education. This education helps them to find good employment and transforms their lives and the lives of generations of their families.
Hope and dignity for the poor
This Catholic Jubilee year we celebrate the hope and dignity the Sisters create for the poorest children. It is our joy to help them on their mission. Helping the poor is not just an act of charity, it is a matter of justice. Together with all our supporters who make this mission possible we welcome the recognition of the Holy Father “for those initiatives that already exist, and for the efforts demonstrated daily on the international level by great numbers of men and women of good will.”