Pilgrims of Green Hope: A Journey Toward Justice and Peace
As the Church journeys through the extraordinary Jubilee Year, themed “Pilgrims of Hope,” the voice of a new shepherd rises above the noise of the world, echoing a message of unity, mercy, and mission. Pope Leo XIV, newly elected to the Chair of Peter, has emerged as a symbol of continuity and fresh vision—a pontiff uniquely poised to close this historic Jubilee and open new paths of grace.
From his first words as pope, “Let us walk together, in hope,” Pope Leo XIV has demonstrated a heart in tune with the year’s theme and the world’s deep longing for purpose, healing, and direction.
A Pope for the Pilgrimage
Pope Leo XIV has not come with grand fanfare, but with the quiet strength of a pastor. His words speak to a Church that is tired yet resilient, wounded but not defeated. With deep pastoral wisdom, he has invited the faithful to take up the mantle of pilgrims of hope—people who dare to believe in God’s promises amid a troubled world.
Rather than offering quick fixes, he encourages a long, steady journey—marked by listening, discernment, and solidarity. In a world of fragmentation, his pontificate calls for deep communion, reminding the Church that synodality is not a trend, but a way of being.
Echoing Laudato Si’ in a Decade of Action
As we celebrate 10 years of Laudato Si’, Pope Leo XIV has reaffirmed that care for creation is not a side project but central to Catholic identity. In his early messages, he has urged Catholics to see creation care as an act of faith and love, a sign of obedience to the Creator and solidarity with the poor.
“The cry of the Earth,” he recently said, “is the cry of our own future.” He has called for ecological conversion—not just in policy or behavior, but in the human heart. In this, he walks in the footsteps of Pope Francis, yet speaks with a new urgency that is already stirring our young people (Laudato Youth) in Schools, Universities, dioceses, in East Africa and religious communities across the globe.
Justice, Mercy, and the Wounds of the World
Pope Leo XIV has also shown a courageous willingness to speak into global pain. He has addressed the conflicts that rage in forgotten corners of the world, the swelling migration crises, and the struggles of youth facing hopelessness, climate grief, and cultural pressure. This is a vital message Laudato Youth are boldly speaking to as well in the context of Climate Change and how it exacerbates into mental health related challenges.
Yet his tone is not alarmist—it is pastoral. “The Church must be a sanctuary,” he has said, “where no one is forgotten, and everyone is seen.” His commitment to Social justice and the environment to uphold Pope Francis’ legacy, and healing marks a pontificate grounded in the Beatitudes and shaped by the tenderness of Christ.
Vatican News reported “On the day after the Mass for the Inauguration of his Petrine Ministry, Pope Leo XIV greets delegations from non-Catholic Churches, ecclesial communities, and other faith traditions, recalling his predecessor’s commitment to ecumenism and interreligious dialogue.” Read Full story whose emphasis is building a more peaceful world Pope Leo XIV concluded his discourse by sharing his conviction that “the witness of our fraternity… will certainly contribute to building a more peaceful world, something that all men and women of good will desire in their hearts.” reported the Vatican News.
Concluding the Jubilee Year: Not the End, But a Beginning
As Pope Leo XIV starts his papacy in the middle of the Jubilee Year, the symbolic weight of this moment is clear. Jubilee is not an endpoint but a launchpad. When Pope Francis was launching the Jubilee year he remarked “During the Holy Year, may the light of Christian hope illumine every man and woman, as a message of God’s love addressed to all!” said Pope Francis. “And may the Church bear faithful witness to this message in every part of the world!” this is message that speaks to a path of recommitment to what it means to be the Church in the world today.
Pope Leo XIV in his most recent message, he reminded the faithful: “To be pilgrims of hope is to carry the Gospel into every corner of our lives and our societies. It is to build, not with bricks of fear, but mend bridges with stones of justice and peace.” We leave in a world where justice and peace are longed for values.
His papacy signals a renewed missionary thrust, inviting the Church to move outward: to the margins, the wounded, the youth, and to creation itself. It is not about comfort, but conviction. Not about preserving power, but restoring presence.
Viva El Papa – Long Live the Mission
To say “Viva El Papa” is to express more than admiration—it is to proclaim our hope in the Spirit at work in and through Pope Leo XIV. As he shepherds the Church through the final chapters of this Jubilee, he does so not as a ruler, but as a companion—one who walks with us toward a future shaped by mercy, justice, and joy.
May his pontificate be remembered as a time when the Church rediscovered her identity: a people on the move, a light to the nations, and always, pilgrims of green hope.
By Laudato Voices
