Pope Leo XIV has published his message for the 112th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, to be held on September 27, 2026. Under the theme “Even just one of these little ones,” the Pontiff calls for attention to be focused on children affected by migration, whom he describes as “the most vulnerable among global migration flows.».
In the document, dated August 11, 2026, the Pope denounces the fact that millions of children and adolescents are forced to flee their homelands due to wars, poverty, violence, and environmental disasters. Leo XIV warns of the many tragedies these minors face, including separation from their families, “deaths along the way, human trafficking, recruitment into armed conflicts,” sexual violence, and forced marriages. Given this situation, he warns that migrant children are easily “relegated to invisibility because they lack adults to protect them.”.
The Dignity of Minors
Recalling Pope Francis’s message from 2017, Leo XIV reiterates that these children They are vulnerable because they are “minors, foreigners, and defenseless.» However, the article also highlights the spirit of solidarity shown by families, educators, volunteers, and communities who do not look away and “dedicate themselves to healing the invisible wounds of these children.».
Drawing inspiration from the Gospel, the religious leader calls on society to overcome indifference and not to reduce human beings to mere statistical data. He emphasizes that every child possesses infinite dignity and that welcoming a migrant child is an act of humanity and faith.
The message concludes with a strong call for collective responsibility structured on several levels: at the personal and ecclesial levels, it calls on Christian communities to make hospitality “a constant pastoral practice” and to integrate refugees and immigrants, preventing their isolation and rejection.
In interfaith dialogue, it encourages different faith communities to cooperate in creating safety nets to prevent the “risk of radicalization by extremist groups.” And it urges civil institutions to reaffirm the “best interests of the child” and to adopt effective legal protections, “promoting family reunification.».
Protecting Human Rights
On this last point, Pope Leo XIV cites his recent address to the Spanish Parliament in Madrid, delivered on June 8, 2026, to call for a shift in the focus of the debate: “from the mere management of migration flows” to the protection of human rights through a “coordinated, supportive, and effective response.”.
Finally, the Pontiff emphasizes the need to take action in the countries of origin to eliminate the causes of flight and entrusts migrant children to the maternal protection of the Virgin Mary.
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