Pope Leo XIV entitles annual message as ‘Migrants, missionaries of hope’.
NEW ROCHELLE, NY (Oct. 5, 2025) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins Catholic organizations around the globe in honoring World Day of Migrants and Refugees. The day, celebrated on Oct. 5, will be the 111th celebration of the day, which was started in 1914 as a way to highlight and express concerns for vulnerable populations of people who have left their homes in search of safety and more opportunity.
Each year a theme is chosen for the day. This year, Pope Leo XIV has chosen to entitle his annual message as “Migrants, missionaries of hope.” In part of his message, the Pope said, “This link between migration and hope is clearly evident in many contemporary experiences of migration. Many migrants, refugees and displaced persons are privileged witnesses of hope. Indeed, they demonstrate this daily through their resilience and trust in God, as they face adversity while seeking a future in which they glimpse that integral human development and happiness are possible.”
Salesian missionaries, working in more than 130 countries around the globe, have been on the front lines helping migrants and refugees in their new countries to become acclimated and access the resources they need.
Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions, explained, “Salesians are there every step of the way — from teaching language skills and job skills, to helping migrants and refugees find housing and meeting their basic needs. Salesians also focus on education and workforce development programs to provide more opportunities for youth to remain in their home country instead of being forced to migrate for employment.”
To mark the Catholic celebration of World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2025, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight Salesian programs around the globe that provide life-changing education and social support to refugees and migrants.
INDIA
Suraksha Migrants Desk, an initiative by Don Bosco Snehalaya that supports migrants in Vadodara, India, was recently recognized as the best social service organization working for the city’s migrant community. The initiative serves youth who migrate to cities and small towns in search of employment, as well as entire families who move together in search of a better future.
Once in their new locations, migrants face injustice, mistreatment, harsh living conditions, poverty, exploitation, bonded labor and other challenging circumstances. The migrant help desk aims to address these challenges head-on by providing resources.
The award, which comes from the Sakshamthad Foundation of Parul University, reinforces the importance of the desk’s continued efforts. Father Baptist Monteiro, director, along with the team members of the migrants desk, received the award from Hon. Praful Pansheriya, minister for Education and Tribal Development within the government of Gujarat.
A Salesian explained, “It is our collective responsibility to address these challenges and work toward empowering our migrant communities so they too can enjoy the freedoms we often take for granted. We must also assist them in accessing their rightful share of government programs, empowering them to stand on their own feet. Suraksha Migrants Desk remains committed to reaching out to migrant families and individuals, providing support that fosters their upliftment, safety, security and development.”
LEBANON
The Salesian-run Angels of Peace School in Lebanon* has been providing refugee children with education, as well as a psycho-social support program carried out by psychotherapists and speech therapists to address some of the challenges given the war and their displacement.
About 1.2 million people in the country have fled their homes in search of safety, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Homes and public infrastructure have been destroyed, further aggravating the suffering of the civilian population. The closure of schools continues to threaten the lives and futures of millions of children.
A Salesian noted, “Refugee children in Lebanon face several obstacles to accessing education. Until 2023, they could only attend school in the afternoon, exposed to risks and dangers. This has caused an increase in school dropouts. After the teachers’ strikes against the strong devaluation of their salaries, the afternoon shifts were suspended.”
One of the schools where refugee children can gain an education is the Angels of Peace School, where Florina Maher Khairi, aged 14, is a student. Years ago, her family fled her home in Mosul, Iraq, amid war and ongoing conflict. Her family settled in Lebanon temporarily while awaiting permits to immigrate to Canada or Australia. Khairi believes in a brighter future and is grateful for her education, which she knows will improve her prospects in the future.
SOUTH SUDAN
More than 1,800 people in a Salesian camp for people who are internally displaced, located in Gumbo, on the outskirts of the city of Juba, South Sudan*, had access to better nutrition during the second half of 2024. The food shipment was the result of a partnership between Salesian Missions and Rise Against Hunger, an international humanitarian organization growing a global movement to end hunger.
People in the camp face challenges, including the rising price of commodities and the weakening of the local currency. Food insecurity is a major challenge. Thanks to the meals, Salesians have seen reduced hunger, improved nutrition and enhanced food security.
Salesians have tried to address food challenges by offering small plots of land, encouraging people who are displaced and the local community to cultivate crops to supplement the meal rations that are offered. However, this can only happen during the rainy season and not everyone can receive a plot. Therefore, Salesians heavily rely on partner support to address the food insecurity.
Selwa Atoo Ukech was one of the recipients. She is a 57-year-old South Sudanese woman who was living with her family when the civil war broke out in 2014. During the war, she lost family members and, with her children, sought refuge with the Salesians in Gumbo.
Ukech explained that the Rise Against Hunger meals brought relief and created a sense of joy and food security for her family and the camp community. She said, “The meals provide energy for us to complete our daily duties, help our bodies to rebuild and repair, and provide overall well-being both mentally and physically. Most importantly, it has provided a sense of food security for us.”
UKRAINE
Salesian communities in Ukraine* were able to afford heating and electric bills over the winter thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. Those who benefited from the project include children and older youth, people with disabilities and chronic illness, the elderly, and pregnant women living in Salesian communities in Zhytomyr, Peremyshlyany, Korostyshev, Bibrka and Odesa.
In Korostyshev, financial support for heating bills enabled Salesians to continue operating parish facilities and the youth center, providing a welcoming environment for more than 400 people. In Peremyshlyany, the Salesian community was able to pay electricity bills and avoid the risk of power cuts, ensuring pastoral and social support for internally displaced persons and local residents from 120 households. Activities and meetings continued even during blackouts.
Donor funding also supported the Vsesvit Lyceum in Zhytomyr by covering utility expenses, the purchase of diesel fuel for the backup generator and generator maintenance, ensuring that the school could operate without interruption during the winter. Similarly, the Narnia Private Christian School in Odesa was able to continue teaching activities throughout the winter, thanks to support for electricity bills.
Finally, in Bibrka, donor funding provided long-term energy security by funding gas bills and the installation of a solar power plant. This installation ensures uninterrupted power supply to the building housing the oratory and catechetical hall, even during blackouts. The solar power system reduces operating costs, contributing to sustainability.
*Any goods, services or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
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About Salesian Missions USA
Salesian Missions is headquartered in New Rochelle, NY, and is part of the Don Bosco Network—a worldwide federation of Salesian NGOs. The mission of the U.S.-based nonprofit Catholic organization is to raise funds for international programs that serve youth and families in poor communities around the globe. The Salesian missionaries are made up of priests, brothers and sisters, as well as laypeople—all dedicated to caring for poor children throughout the world in more than 130 countries and helping young people become self-sufficient by learning a trade that will help them gain employment. To date, more than 3 million youth have received services funded by Salesian Missions. These services and programs are provided to children regardless of race or religion. For more information, go to SalesianMissions.org.