250 moderators and leaders from 115 officially recognized ecclesial associations, movements and new communities met for their annual meeting with the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, from 4th –6th June 2025 in the New Synod Hall, Vatican City. A full list of organizations can be found on the Dicastery’s website, it includes such groups as: Neocatechumenal Way, Catholic Action, Communion and Liberation, Shalom Community, CHARIS International (Catholic Charismatic Renewal) and Sant’Egidio Community. The Focolare Movement was represented by Margaret Karram, Jesús Morán and Marc St-Hilaire.
Under the title, “Hope Lived and Proclaimed, the Gift of the Jubilee for Ecclesial Communities”, the main themes revolved around Evangelization and Formation in the light of Christian hope
Cardinal Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery opened the proceedings. He emphasized the vital role of ecclesial movements in forming hope-filled agents of the Gospel: “Your groups are called to offer … the opportunity to find in Christ the true hope that illuminates life … young people must be trained to become men and women of hope.” He framed the event as both a moment of gratitude and forward-looking mission strategy, inviting all to root their plans and formation initiatives in the living reality of hope.
After the opening remarks, Prof. Andrea Riccardi (founder of Sant’Egidio) and Prof. Luigino Bruni (economist, Economy of Francesco) tackled the topic of “What Challenges for Movements Today?”
Riccardi underlined the importance of sensitivity to the poor and marginalized, reflecting on Pope Leo’s own pastoral background: “He knows poverty, he will be able to build on Francis’ ideas.” Riccardi invited Movements to deepen solidarity and expand grassroots outreach.Bruni emphasized the social and economic dimensions of evangelical witness: “Every jubilee year is an anniversary of mercy … we must bring about … forgiveness and mercy in the economic, banking and civil world.” He called for Movements to become agents of economic justice, translating jubilee mercy into structural change.
The first day included a penitential liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica, during which after listening to the Word of God there were two moments:
- the recognition of the failures, errors and omissions of the Movements with respect to the charism, with respect to the persons and the mission of the Church itself;
- an invocation to the Holy Spirit to guide all aggregations of the faithful to the necessary conversion, in fidelity to their mission of bringing the Gospel to the women and men of our time.
The second day of the meeting, Thursday 5th June, was dedicated to exploring the foundations of Christian hope, and how that hope can be shared and lived out through language and formation that respond to today’s realities. After Mass, celebrated in Saint Peter’s Basilica by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, the day began with a speech by Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, on the theme “Rethinking mission in the light of hope.” This was followed by a testimony from Camilo Conejeros and Margarita Sillano, a married couple from Chile from the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation.
Prof. Donna Orsuto, Director of the Department of Moral Theology and Spiritual Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University and co-founder of the Lay Centre, addressed the theme “Being people of hope” and the formation of members within ecclesial associations. In her presentation, Orsuto proposed a dynamic, experience-based approach to ongoing formation for ecclesial movements. She argued that true hope stems from a transformative encounter with the Risen Lord, inspiring outward mission. Orsuto re-examined four key pillars of formation through the lens of fostering hope amid modern challenges:
Human Formation: Focused on personal flourishing, virtue, and realistic relationships.
Spiritual Formation: Emphasized deep listening—to Scripture, the world’s suffering (especially the poor), and within the Church—leading to a mission-oriented spirituality.
Intellectual Formation: Aimed at deepening faith understanding and articulating it amidst global issues, valuing culture and arts as tools for hope.
Apostolic (Pastoral) Formation: Prepared members for courageous outreach and evangelization, offering hope to those on the margins.
These pillars are intricately connected, with human growth supporting spiritual depth, intellectual clarity, and apostolic action. Orsuto presented the Jubilee Year as a crucial opportunity for renewal and recommitment, urging movements to actively manifest hope through concrete actions, particularly in solidarity with the poor and vulnerable.
Further testimonies were offered by Eva Fernández Mateo (Coordinator of the International Forum of Catholic Action from Spain) and Manoj Sunny (Jesus Youth from India), who shared concrete experiences of formation. These aimed to inspire all moderators and members of movements to rethink their approach to forming women and men of hope in the context of everyday life.
On Friday 6th June Pope Leo XIV met with the Moderators of Lay Associations, Ecclesial Movements and New Communities in the Clementine Hall. In his address, Pope Leo expressed deep gratitude for their service and spiritual leadership. He emphasized that every movement, whether born of apostolic action or charismatic inspiration, contributes uniquely to the Church’s life. Echoing the Second Vatican Council, he affirmed that Christian life is not lived in isolation, but in community, where charisms help sacramental grace bear fruit. Charismatic and hierarchical gifts, he said, are “co-essential” to the Church’s nature, with charisms awakening in hearts a desire for Christ. He called the movements to serve two key priorities: unity and mission. Movements must be a leaven of communion, always in solidarity with the Church and one another. At the same time, they are to renew their missionary zeal, sharing the Gospel with courage, especially in difficult or distant contexts. Pope Leo urged them to place their talents at the service of the Church’s broader mission, remaining rooted in local communities and attentive to the Spirit. Above all, he reminded them: “Always keep the Lord Jesus at the centre.” Charisms exist to lead others to Christ, build up the Church, and enrich the world through the joy of self-giving love.
Pentecost Vigil: A Night of Unity and Renewal
On 7th June 2025, St. Peter’s Square transformed into a living tapestry of faith. Nearly 70,000 pilgrims, representing over 100 countries and diverse ecclesial movements, gathered under the façade of the Basilica for a pre?Vigil that blended prayer, song, and powerful testimonies. Gen?Verde and Gen Rosso were among the musical ensembles from various movements which lifted the energy, while personal witness provoked deep reflection.
Hussam Abu?Sini (Communion & Liberation, Haifa) described how he and his family stayed together in Nazareth during the October 2023 Gaza conflict, choosing solidarity grounded in faith and adopting the motto: “We are one in Christ”
Nicola Boricchi of the Nuovi Orizzonti movement relayed his journey from heroin addiction to restoration, explaining that the unconditional love he received helped him recover his identity, build a family, and now provide employment to vulnerable people
Aline Minani from the Sant’Egidio Community in Goma (DR Congo) shared how young people have formed alliances with isolated elderly neighbours—offering friendship, food, and protection—and thereby cultivated hope and peace amidst ongoing violence
Pedro?Sánchez?Sáez and María?Begoña?Ballester Zapata, a married couple from the Neocatechumenal Way in Ukraine, recounted living in Kyiv through wartime, supported by community and sacraments that sustained their marriage through crises and inspired their family to witness God’s steadfast love
These testimonies—drawn from Gaza, addiction recovery, the Congo, and war-torn Ukraine—offered powerful glimpses of faith transforming personal and communal suffering into channels of hope, unity, and resilience.
When Pope Leo XIV arrived, he delivered a powerful homily on the Holy Spirit as the quiet, transforming force behind Jesus’ mission and the life of the Church. He described conversion as opening oneself to the Kingdom of God—where love, peace, and justice flourish. Rooted in the image of Pentecost, he spoke of the Spirit as the bond of unity that turns fear into joy and isolation into mission. The Pope highlighted synodality as the path the Church must walk together—”not as predators but as pilgrims”—a journey of coexistence, ecological responsibility, and fraternity. Evangelization, he insisted, is not about conquering the world but about radiating the grace of lives changed by the Gospel. He urged all movements to remain closely tied to local parishes and dioceses, cooperating humbly with bishops and each other in the service of the Church’s mission. The Holy Spirit, he concluded, brings freedom, joy, and hope, if we listen together.
The Pentecost Vigil was more than a prayer service: it was an act of global synodality, a vivid commitment to living Pentecost daily. In the electric unity of St. Peter’s Square, hearts were stirred toward a Church on the move—pilgrims forging a future marked by justice, peace, environmental care, and joy.