In the shadow of St. Peter’s Basilica, as autumn settled over Rome, the Vatican’s Jubilee of the Missions and of Migrants unfolded from October 2 to 5, 2025. For many Latino Catholics from the United States, this was more than a pilgrimage—it was a plea for dignity, visibility, and hope at a time when fear and uncertainty have gripped their communities back home.
Rosa Bonilla, a Salvadoran immigrant who now serves at Dolores Mission Church in Los Angeles, understands these anxieties intimately. Her days are spent supporting migrant families—helping them find housing, employment, health care, and, when necessary, legal aid. The climate in her parish has grown tense under the weight of U.S. immigration policies. "People are really scared to go out – even those with papers," Bonilla told Religion News Service, noting that Mass attendance has dropped and parish staff have had to adapt their outreach. She recalled comforting a grieving mother, so fearful of deportation that she hesitated to bury her daughter for fear she’d never be able to visit the grave. Ultimately, Bonilla and the community convinced her to cremate her daughter’s remains, ensuring they would never be separated.
Bonilla was among a delegation of about 100 people representing 60 U.S. dioceses, organized by the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry (NCCHM). Their journey to Rome was both spiritual and symbolic. As they passed through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica—a rite of forgiveness and renewal—Bonilla said she prayed "for people to find the hope to continue walking in these hard times," hoping they’d remember they are not alone.
Elisabeth Román, who has led NCCHM for 11 years, echoed this sense of abandonment. "We came to the heart of the Catholic Church, as Christians, to kind of be seen. There is this wound in us…we don’t see anyone defending us. We don’t see anyone speaking about the persecution," Román said, highlighting that Latino Catholics often feel left behind by both political and ecclesiastical leaders. According to Pew data cited by Religion News Service, Hispanic Catholics now make up 36 percent of all U.S. Catholics, with more than half of Catholics under 18 identifying as Hispanic. "We wouldn’t have a Catholic Church in the US if we didn’t have Latinos," Román asserted, expressing hope that the Church hierarchy would speak up for them.
The Jubilee culminated with a Mass in St. Peter’s Square on October 5, presided over by Pope Leo XIV—the first U.S.-born pontiff, elected in May 2025. Though the NCCHM group had hoped for a private audience, they joined thousands in the Square as Pope Leo addressed migrants and missionaries alike. His message was clear and urgent: "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!" he declared, as reported by Reuters and BizPac Review. The Pope called on the Church to be "a presence of consolation and hope" for all who are forced to leave their homelands, and he praised those—Catholic or not—who serve migrants and promote a "new culture of fraternity…beyond stereotypes and prejudices."
He didn’t shy away from addressing the wider context, either. In his homily, Pope Leo described the Church as entering "a new missionary age"—one marked by the need for "hospitality and welcome, compassion and solidarity" towards migrants fleeing violence or simply seeking a safe place to live. He urged Western Christian communities to see the influx of faithful from the Global South as "an opportunity…through an exchange that renews the face of the Church." His words resonated far beyond the Vatican walls, especially as he concluded, "To migrants I say: know that you are always welcome!"
But the Pope’s stance has not come without controversy. Just days earlier, on September 30, 2025, he made headlines by questioning whether those who oppose abortion but support "inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States" could truly be considered pro-life. According to BizPac Review, this was widely interpreted as a pointed critique of U.S. immigration policy under President Trump’s administration—though Leo never mentioned the president by name. The White House swiftly responded. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt rejected the Pope’s characterization, stating, "I would reject that there is inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants in the United States under this administration." She argued that such abuses were more prevalent under previous administrations, framing the issue as one of border security and law enforcement.
The Pope’s comments ignited a fierce debate on social media and among Catholic communities. Some, like conservative commentator Valentina Gomez, argued that legal immigration processes should be respected and compared the Vatican’s own strict entry requirements to those of the U.S. Others accused Pope Leo of "virtue signaling" or failing to address the persecution of Christians in other regions. "I can be compassionate AND expect respect for borders," wrote one critic. "Most folks coming across OUR borders are not refugees, rather folks coming to leech and subvert." Calls for the Church to "lead by example" by housing migrants on Vatican grounds surfaced, while others simply dismissed Leo as "Francis 2.0," a reference to his predecessor’s progressive stances.
Yet, for many at the Jubilee, the Pope’s words were a balm. Bonilla, who appreciates hearing Leo speak in Spanish, hopes he will continue "building bridges between our communities." The Pope’s message, she believes, offers a much-needed reminder that immigrant families are not forgotten. And, as Religion News Service noted, talking about immigration inevitably means engaging—if only implicitly—with the U.S. political landscape. Leo, born in Chicago and well-versed in American realities, seems willing to walk that tightrope, even if it means weathering criticism from all sides.
Church historian Massimo Faggioli, present at a private audience with the Pope and 250 scholars on October 2, observed that Leo XIV is "starting to make some decisions" after months of listening to voices within and beyond the Vatican. The Pope’s tone, Faggioli said, is "more measured, but not necessarily more moderate," as both conservative and progressive Catholics in the U.S. attempt to claim him as their own.
What’s clear is that the debate over immigration, identity, and the Church’s role is far from settled. Latino Catholics in the U.S. continue to navigate a landscape of fear, hope, and resilience, drawing strength from their faith and from leaders—both lay and clerical—who stand with them. As the Jubilee concluded and pilgrims returned home, the challenge set forth by Pope Leo XIV hung in the air: Will the Church—and the world—meet migrants with indifference, or with open arms?
For those who gathered in Rome, the answer, for now, is hope.
